Background:

Traumatic Spinal Cord Injuries (TSCIs) are a result of physical force directed towards the bony vertebral column and the disability, morbidity and mortality associated with this traumatic condition has a devastating impact on the lives of survivors. Analysis of admission profiles and outcomes of TSCIs are key to the provision of appropriate medical and rehabilitation services. Objective: To determine the epidemiology of TSCIs among patients admitted to orthopedic department at KCMC from 2011 to 2015.

Methods:

This was a hospital-based retrospective cross-sectional study which implemented purposive non-probability sampling. Patient files were retrieved from Medical Records, relevant data was extracted from in-patient notes and entered into the Data Collection Sheet. Results: Cervical level injuries (47.2%) were the most commonly admitted type of TSCI at KCMC during the period of 2011 – 2015. 45.6% of all TSCI were classified as complete and 66.4% of all patients who were admitted developed secondary complications. The mortality rate was 24.1%.

Conclusion:

These results will be valuable to clinicians and nurses who are directly involved in patient care by allowing them to identify the risk factors for negative outcomes and to tackle them in a more effective manner. They will also aid the process of resource allocation to improve the outcome of patients admitted with TSCIs.