Spinal cord injuries (SCI), especially those occurring at higher levels, frequently lead to lasting and often irreversible impairments in neurological function, often resulting from traumatic events. These injuries can compromise sensory and motor capabilities, disrupt autonomic regulation, and may even lead to death. The early and long-term stages of SCI are usually characterized by significant gastrointestinal and cardiovascular complications. Our study aimed to analyze the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of patients with high spinal cord injuries, focusing on both neurological and systemic effects. This study presents a retrospective cross-sectional epidemiological analysis of patients diagnosed with high-level spinal cord injuries and admitted to the Oradea Emergency County Clinical Hospital between 2017 and 2021. The study population consisted of 40 patients. Among them, the most common observed condition was central cervical spinal cord syndrome (35%), followed by anterior cord syndrome (22.5%). Complete spinal cord transection was relatively uncommon, recorded in 12.5% of cases. Injuries involving the brachial plexus or nerve roots were rare, occurring in only 5% of patients. The findings also showed that the prevalence and severity of these injuries were higher in male patients. Furthermore, cervical spinal cord injuries were more commonly found in older adults, especially those over 65 years of age. Central cervical cord syndrome emerged as the most common injury pattern in this cohort.
