The influence of timing of surgical decompression for acute spinal cord injury: a pooled analysis of individual patient data
There is a strong biological rationale for early decompression of the injured spinal cord, but the influence of the timing of surgical decompression for acute spinal cord injury (SCI) remains debated. We aimed to objectively evaluate the effect of timing of decompressive surgery on long-term neurological outcomes. Outcome data at 1 year after injury were available for 1031 patients. The first 24–36 h after injury appears to represent a crucial time window to achieve optimal neurological recovery
