Thoracic Spinal Cord Injury

2. What is a Spinal Cord Injury? Spinal cord injury (SCI) is the result of a traumatic injury that bruises, partially tears, or completely tears the spinal cord. Compression of the spine or neck can be a potential cause of SCI. Common symptoms of an SCI include weakness, loss of muscle function, bowel/bladder control issues, loss of sensation. The two types of SCI are: • Complete SCI: Total paralysis below injury level, can cause quadriplegia or paraplegia • Incomplete SCI: Partial function remains, some communication between brain and body

3. What Happens After An SCI? An SCI is a devastating and debilitating injury. It can cause extensive, and sometimes irreversible damage. The two medical terms used to describe an SCI patient’s condition are: Quadriplegia/Tetraplegia:Loss of movement and feeling in arms, legs trunk, pelvic organs Paraplegia:Loss of function and feeling from the waist-down (trunk, legs, and pelvic organs)

4. What is a Thoracic Spinal Cord Injury? The thoracic spine, consisting of twelve vertebrae (T1 to T12). It is situated in the upper and mid-back region, connecting the cervical and lumbar spine. The spinal cord within this segment is responsible for transmitting signals between the brain and the rest of the body, facilitating motor function and sensory perception. A thoracic spinal cord injury (SCI) refers to damage or trauma affecting the spinal cord within the thoracic region of the spine. Thoracic SCIs may be caused by including traumatic incidents, such: • Falls • Motor accidents • Sports injuries • Non-traumatic factors: diseases, infections, or degenerative conditions The severity of a thoracic SCI depends on the extent of the damage to the spinal cord, which may lead to varying degrees of impairment.

5. Symptoms of Thoracic Spinal Cord Injury Most common symptoms are: • Motor impairment, paralysis, weakness in legs • Spasticity: Increased muscle tone and involuntary muscle contractions, leading to stiffness and spasms • Autonomic dysfunction: Blood pressure irregularities, temperature regulation, sexual function changes, bowel and bladder dysfunction • Sensory changes: Loss of sensation, altered pain perception • Respiratory issues, bowel and bladder control problems, spasticity Let’s look at symptoms by injury level, • T1-T5 Injuries: Affects upper thoracic segments, impacting hand/arm function and respiratory muscles • T6-T12 Injuries: Affects abdominal muscles, lower back, and legs

6. Additional Complications • Neuropathic pain (burning, tingling, or shooting sensations) • Musculoskeletal pain (from changes in posture and mobility • Pressure sores caused by reduced mobility • Depression • Anxiety

7. SCI Rehabilitation at Plexus We offer customised rehabilitation plans that feature a combination of: • Physiotherapy - This can help individuals improve mobility, strength, and flexibility through targeted exercises. • Occupational therapy- It encourages the individual to regain independence by teaching them adaptive techniques for activities of daily living, community re-entry, and other tasks that they may like to engage in such as housework, caring for others, work/school etc. • Respiratory Therapy - We regularly assess and monitor respiratory function, recommend breathing exercises to improve lung expansion and prevent post-SCI complications like atelectasis, teach coughing techniques to clear airways, implement strategies to improve posture and chest expansion, and other interventions deemed necessary by experts (based on the individual’s symptoms and severity of injury).

8. SCI Rehabilitation at Plexus (Cont..) • Stem cell therapy - Injected mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can provide trophic support to the injured spinal cord microenvironment. This is done by modulating the inflammatory response, increasing vascularisation and suppressing cystic change. • Mobility Aids and Assistive Devices - These include wheelchairs, braces and other aids to improve mobility and everyday functionality, and reduce external dependence. Plexus also provides psychological support and counseling for patients, families, and caregivers. It is important to keep in mind that management of SCI symptoms is based on the following three factors: • Severity of injury • Swift medical response to reduce secondary damage as much as possible • Consistent rehabilitation

9. At Plexus, our team of experienced SCI specialists is headed by Dr Na’eem Sadiq, India’s foremost neurologist and stem cell specialist. To know more about our rehabilitation programmes, you can reach out to us on the below numbers: WhatsApp: +91 89048 42087 Call: +91 78159 64668 (Hyderabad) | +91 82299 99888 (Bangalore)