[Acute stage of spinal injury (physiopathology). "Ischemic damage to the spinal cord"].

Several pathophysiological events follow spinal cord trauma. Vascular abnormality and changes in spinal cord blood perfusion occur immediately after injury primarily within the gray matter. Progressive biochemical and histological alterations take place both in gray and white matter subsequently. The significant metabolic and ionic alterations, all of which are interdependent (reduction in energy substrate, enzymes and neurotransmitters release alterations, ionic fluxes changes) result either in loss of functional activity or structural integrity in the injured spinal cord and remains a matter of speculation.