Moderators: Christina L. Goldstein, MD, Scott Daffner, MD, Greg Schroeder, MD
More than 1.3 million North Americans are affected by a traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI), leading to significant physical, psychological and social morbidity. With the increase in understanding pathophysiology of SCI, investigations into the use of neuroprotective therapies to decrease the secondary injury associated with SCI, as well as neuroregenerative interventions aimed at promoting axonal and neural circuit repair, have increased. Faculty will introduce the pathophysiology of traumatic SCI and introduce the evidence behind current and cutting edge neuroprotective and neuroregenerative therapies for traumatic SCI.
Upon completion of this session, participants should gain strategies to:
- Describe pathophysiology of the secondary injury associated with traumatic SCI
- Describe the rationale for the use of systemic methylprednisolone, the evidence supporting its use, and the appropriate dosing schedule supported by the literature
- Describe the rationale for, and best methods for achieving, blood pressure support in traumatic SCI
- Describe novel neuroprotective strategies for SCI and underlying rationale for each based on our understanding of the pathophysiology of the secondary injury of SCI
- Describe the role of therapeutic hypothermia as a neuroprotective strategy for SCI
- Outline the cutting-edge research into neuroregenerative techniques for SCI including cell-based therapies and modulation of molecular signaling
Agenda
Pathophysiology of Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury
Christina Goldstein, MD
Methylprednisolone for Spinal Cord Injury: When, why and how?
Michael Fehlings, MD, PhD, FRCSC
Blood Pressure Augmentation: Why, how and how long?
Gregory Schroeder, MD
Therapeutic Hypothermia: Why and How?
Jefferson Wilson, MD, PhD
Cutting Edge Neuroprotective Strategies
Scott Daffner, MD
Cutting Edge Neuroregenerative Strategies
Jason Savage, MD
Question & Answer