Table 3

Spine surgeon traumatic spinal cord injury practice differences based on school of training.

Practice Regarding Spinal Cord InjuriesSchool of Training P Value
LocalEuropeanNorth American
n % n % n %
Your practice regarding giving steroids in acute spinal cord–injured patient0.049a
 I never give steroids628.6%942.9%2850.0%
 I give if injury is less than 8 h628.6%314.3%1425.0%
 I give if injury is less than 24 h838.1%523.8%814.3%
 I give regardless of time of the injury14.8%419.0%610.7%
If you give steroids, how long do you keep the patient on it?0.834
 1 dose16.7%216.7%414.3%
 Up to 12 h00.0%00.0%13.6%
 Up to 24 h853.3%650.0%1035.7%
 Up to 48 h640.0%433.3%1346.4%
Steroid medication administered0.676
 Dexamethasone533.3%650.0%1139.3%
 Methylprednisolone sodium succinate1066.7%650.0%1760.7%
Do you admit isolated spinal cord injury patients in the high-dependency unit?0.307
 Yes, all of them523.8%419.0%2544.6%
 Only cervical cord injury1047.6%1257.1%1832.1%
 Depends on availability of beds419.0%419.0%814.3%
 None of them29.5%14.8%58.9%
Do you aim to keep the mean arterial pressure in a certain range?0.044a
 Yes1885.7%1361.9%4783.9%
 No314.3%838.1%916.1%
Do you try to do early decompression?0.427
 I always do decompression in less than 24 h of the injury1152.4%1152.4%3664.3%
 I believe in early decompression, but the facility does not allow this practice628.6%29.5%814.3%
 Whenever operating room time is available29.5%523.8%814.3%
 I don’t believe early decompression adds neurological benefit29.5%314.3%47.1%
  • a P < 0.05 (significant).