“Time is spine”: the importance of early intervention for traumatic spinal cord injury

Traumatic spinal cord injuries (SCI) have devastating lifelong sequelae for affected individuals, caregivers, and society. Modest improvements in sensorimotor function can significantly enhance quality of life and decrease costs of care. Early surgical decompression of the injured spinal cord is one of few available interventions that can potentially alter the long-term recovery trajectory for this devastating condition [ 1 ]. Early decompression has a sound pathophysiologic rationale, clinical evidence of efficacy, and international guideline recommendations as a treatment option.