Department of Orthopaedics faculty and trainees recently published “COVID-19 and Acute Cervical Spinal Cord Injury—Case Report of 2 Patients: Do We Need to Rethink Our Standard Treatment Strategy?” in the Clinical Spine Surgery.

Authors include: Resident Matthew Hess, M.D., Medical Student Christine Collins, Resident Scott Mabry, M.D., Resident James Hicks, M.D., Research Fellow Eli Levitt,  and Assistant Professor Sakthivel Rajaram, M.D.

Researchers examine cases of two patients who experience COVID-related complications after acute cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) at a level 1 trauma and tertiary referral center. The authors noted that careful consideration must be made regarding the timing of potential surgical intervention in the treatment of acute SCI in COVID-positive patients due to the increased risk of pulmonary conditions associated with SCI as well as COVID, which act as a “double hit” when experienced simultaneously.

Ultimately, authors conclude that more research is needed through collecting and analyzing a nationwide database of COVID-positive patients with acute spinal cord injury, and that preoperative discussions with patients and family members about the potential risks should be deliberate and specific. Hess is proud of the team’s work and looks forward to future research.

“This is really a call to action for the orthopaedics research community,” said Hess. “It is important for us to understand how COVID and its comorbidities can increase complications during surgical intervention for those with SCI.”