What are the key components of long-term management for patients with spinal cord injuries, including rehabilitation options?

Key components of long-term management for patients with spinal cord injuries include:

• Ensuring ongoing contact with a regional specialist spinal cord injury centre and referring using the national spinal injuries database within 24 hours of diagnosis ¹.
• Seeking advice from the regional specialist spinal cord injury centre outreach team throughout inpatient stay and at discharge to support rehabilitation ¹.
• Completing an assessment using an American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) chart as soon as possible after injury and repeating as needed ¹.
• Addressing areas affected by spinal cord injury such as bowel, bladder, and sexual function by seeking specialist advice ¹.
• Referring children and young people to specialist play and education services, and monitoring growth and nutrition throughout rehabilitation ¹.
• Planning early discharge meetings involving the patient, family, and relevant services, with ongoing contact post-discharge via outpatient follow-up, including telephone or video reviews ¹.
• Utilising additional techniques and specialised equipment such as functional electrical stimulation, gait orthoses, bodyweight-supported gait training, and robotic devices to promote mobility and independence ¹.
• Treating spasticity with oral medications or botulinum toxin injections if appropriate, and referring to multidisciplinary teams if initial treatments are unsuccessful ¹.
• Monitoring for and managing complications such as pressure sores, orthostatic hypotension, and orthopaedic issues like kyphoscoliosis, with early specialist assessment when needed ¹.
• Providing psychological support to address the risk of low mood and trauma, with access to practitioners experienced in trauma and rehabilitation ¹.