Several types of medical complications are commonly associated with spinal cord injury, some of which we’ve already mentioned briefly. The more you know about these problems and their solutions, the better prepared you’ll be to cope with them should they arise and the more control you can exert over your health care. These complications are most common during the first few months after injury, but may arise years later.
Blood ClotsThe deep veins are the large blood vessels chiefly responsible for returning blood to the heart. A deep vein thrombosis – or blood clot – in the legs is common in the first few months after spinal cord injury. Normally, walking and otherwise moving the legs promotes circulation and prevents clots, but when the legs are immobilized, the risk of blood pooling and clotting in the legs increases.Typically, deep vein thromboses occur only in the veins of the lower leg and are not a serious problem. If they spread to the thigh, however, there is a risk of pulmonary embolism, a potentially serious complication in which a piece of a blood clot breaks off and travels through the bloodstream to the lungs. Lodged in the lung, the embolism damages lung tissue by disrupting its blood supply.The risk of deep vein thrombosis is reduced by wearing TED (thrombo-embolic deterrent) stockings, a special type of support hose that helps prevent swelling and discourages formation of blood clots in the legs. TED hose are tight fitting and maintain a constant pressure on the legs which helps to prevent blood from pooling. A sequential compression device is sometimes used only to supplement TED hose, but can be used only when lying in bed. This machine uses air bags to put intermittent pressure on the legs, another way to reduce swelling and prevent thrombosis. For some patients, elastic wrappings around the legs work better than TED hose. A low dose of a blood thinner such as heparin also prevents blood clots.
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