What is meant by a “complete” spinal cord injury? - David Chen, MD

By definition, based on the examination, the neurologic examination that’s preformed, that an individual (with a complete spinal cord injury) does not have some preservation of sensation or of motor function at the lowest end of the spinal cord. And again, that is measured by either sensation around the anal opening, or some preservation of the ability to contract a muscle around the anal opening. Now most individuals who have spinal cord injuries, do have some preservation of sensation a little bit below what we call their neurological level, and sometime motor function. In those instances, that is not what we call an incomplete injury, unless they have the sensation and the motor function also at the very end of the spinal cord.