Zeitschrift für Trauma und Behandlung

Neurological Improvement after Omental Transplantation on the Upper Cervical Cord

Abstract

Hernando Rafael and Gabriel Polo

Background: Since 1986 by the work of Goldsmith, we know that placing omental tissue on the injured spinal cord, we can provoke neurological improvement.

Case report: A 4-year-old girl received a gunshot wound on August 2010., at the upper cervical cord, which was followed immediately by tetraplegia. Lose of respiratory ahttps://www.omicsonline.org/utomatism and she was connected to a fan. Preoperative MRI scans revealed a severe ischemic infarct at C2-C3. On July 2011, she received an omental transplantation. During surgery we found abundant scar tissue on the cervical cord between C2 and C3, small intramedullary cyst in the left side, reduction of blood vessels, and 70 percent of cervical cord hypotrophied. On this residual cervical cord a segment of omentum was placed. Two days after surgery, she began with respiratory automatism and voluntary movement of shoulders and right limbs. She could stand up and to walk with aid of orthopedic devices since 4 months after surgery. At present, 4 years after surgery, she(a 9-year-old girl) present partial control of sphincters and motor improvement by 40 percent. During the postoperative evolution she receive rehabilitation and electrical stimulation in the cervical cord.

Conclusions: These results indicate that ischemic neurons and axons in the traumatized cervical cord can improve if is revascularized with omental tissue.