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Rehabilitation Practice and Science

Translated Title

民國67～68 年間臺北市外傷性脊髓損傷新病患之調查

Abstract

A survey of incidence of spinal cord injury (SCI) was made in 15 hospitals in Taipei city from Jan. 1978 to Dec. 1979. A total of 196 new SCI patients were enrolled during the period. Among them, 44 cases were residents of Taipei city, revealing the annual incidence of SCI in Taipei city to be 10 per million population. The other 152 cases were residents of other parts of the country. Accordingly, it is estimated that about 170 persons are suffering SCI annually in the whole Taiwan Area. This figure might be underestimated because some of the cases who died at the site of accidents or on the way to hospital were excluded.There were 166 male patients and 30 female patients and 30 female patients. The male/female ratio was 5.53. This ration was lower than that reported in many other countries, representing that the females in our society are very active. The average age of SCI was 37 years. Nearly one third of cases were in the age group between 20 to 29 years. Among them, 78 cases were victims of traffic accidents, 68 cases due to falling from a height, 33 cases were struck by a heavy object and a few cases were victims of sports injury or stab injury. As a result, 66 cases were paraplegic, 26 cases paraparetic, 47 cases quadriparetic and 57 cases quadriplegic. The severity and level of spinal cord damage were noted to have a very close relationship with the cause of trauma. The average days of hospitalization ranged from 44 days in paraparetics to 100 days in quadriplegics. The overall mortality rate in acute stage was 6.6%. The major causes of death were respiratory failure and septisemia sccondary to urinary tract infection.

Language

Traditional Chinese

First Page

21

Last Page

28

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