Kaiwen Chen, Cong Nie, Huan Song, Yu Zhu, Feizhou Lyu, Jianyuan Jiang, Chaojun Zheng


November 2022, pp 1 - 9 Original Article Read Full Article 10.1007/s00586-022-07447-w

First Online: 16 November 2022

Purpose

To investigate the impact of early versus delayed surgery on sensory abnormalities in acute traumatic central cord syndrome (ATCCS).

Methods

Pressure pain threshold (PPT), temporal summation (TS), conditioned pain modulation (CPM) and pain assessments were performed in 72 ATCCS patients (early vs. delayed surgical treatment: 32 vs. 40) and 72 healthy subjects in this ambispective cohort study. These examinations, along with mechanical detection threshold (MDT) and disabilities of arm, shoulder and hand (DASH), were assessed at 2 years postoperatively.

Results

Preoperatively, more delayed surgical patients had neuropathic pain below level compared with early surgical patients (P 

Conclusions

Central hypersensitivity may be involved in the persistence of sensory symptoms in ATCCS, and this augmented central processing may commence in the early stage. Early surgical treatment may reverse dysfunction of endogenous pain modulation, thus reducing the risk of central sensitization and alleviating sensory symptoms.


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