ABSTRACT
Spinal trauma can be devastating for patients and their families, even with the technology of the most advanced medical and surgical care. Spinal trauma in the developing world can affect entire communities and local economies, especially if the injuries are associated with a neurological deficit. In high-income countries (HICs) the standard of care for such injuries necessitates rapid prehospital care, stabilization, advanced imaging techniques, spine subspecialty care, and often early surgical intervention. In the developing world, however, there is no comparable infrastructure to support these pillars of modern spine care. Though the lack of resources is not unique to spinal trauma care, the consequences of spinal trauma in association with neurologic deficit are particularly challenging and can quickly consume the limited available resources. The goal of this chapter is to identify the challenges to managing spinal trauma acutely and during rehabilitation in the developing world.
