Clinical specificities of spinal cord injury patients (pressure ulcers, autonomic hyperreflexia, spasticity)

The management of spinal cord injury patients requires a knowledge of several non-urological aspects associated with a risk of particular complications in these patients: pressure ulcers, spasticity and autonomic hyperreflexia. Spinal cord injury patients present a high risk of pressure ulcer, as almost all patients develop at least one pressure ulcer during their lifetime. During a stay in hospital, the medical team must be particularly attentive to prevent these problems, as, once they develop, they can take several months or even years to heal. Autonomic hyperreflexia and spasticity can be due to a urological cause. These two diseases can cause major discomfort for the patient and, in these patients, must be considered to be equivalent to the pain that they can no longer feel due to sensory disorders. The management of spinal cord injury patients must take into account these three particular risk factors: pressure ulcers, spasticity and autonomic hyperreflexia.