ABSTRACT
Spinal cord injury (SCI) continues to be a devastating problem worldwide. In the United States alone, with more than 11,000 cases per year, SCI is a major cause of morbidity and mortality, especially in otherwise healthy young men (age 15-40) (1,2). The major causes of SCI are motor vehicle collisions accounting for 40% to 50%, falls (16%), and sports injuries (10-15%) (2). The cervical spine (C-spine) is involved in 55% of all SCIs (2-4).
