Abstract
In Japan, the ratio of the elderly population has been increasing. We investigated the clinical features of elderly patients with cervical spinal cord injury. We treated 71 patients with cervical spinal cord injury between 2000 and 2009, of whom 24 (19 men and 5 women) aged 70 years or more were classified as elderly. The mean age of such elderly patients was 78.3 years. The number of non-elderly patients was 47 (39 men and 8 women), with a mean age of 52.9 years. Between the elderly and the non-elderly patients, the causes of spinal cord injury and ratios of conservative treatment differed significantly. Although significant differences were not evident, the elderly patients had certain features, such as a low proportion of patients receiving massive steroid doses, cervical bone injury, and staying at home after discharge from hospital. Knowledge of the clinical features of elderly patients with cervical spinal cord injury appears to be very important and helpful for treatment planning.
