Traumatic spinal cord injuries in Greenland 1965–1986

Abstract

During the period 1 January 1965 to 31 December 1986, 27 patients were admitted to the Rehabilitation Hospital in Hornbaek after traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) sustained in Greenland. The commonest cause of injury was attempted suicide (7 patients), of which 6 were jumps from buildings. Six resulted from accidental falls to a level below and even 2 out of the 3 cases of SCI following violence were due to falls. There was only one traffic injury, a motor cycle accident. Fourteen patients were under the influence of alcohol at time of injury. Nine were tetraplegic (3 complete, 6 incomplete), and 18 paraplegic (10 complete, 8 incomplete). Ten regained useful neurological remission. Of the 23 native Greenlanders only 4 paraplegics and 1 tetraplegic remained in their previous residences, 5 resettled in Denmark. At the time of follow-up 17 patients were living alone and only 7 were in work.