Rendering of specialized medical care to patients with spine and spinal cord injuries in Belorussia

In 1984 the Republic Scientific Practical Center for patients with spine and spinal cord injuries complicated by the paresis and paralysis of the lower and upper extremities as well as the pelvic function disturbances was organized on the basis of the Belorussian Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedics. The Center has a unit for 60 beds with adequate staff and a mobile neurosurgical team. During 1984-1996 the mobile team rendered specialized medical care to 2976 victims with spine injuries. 1924 patients were hospitalized to the Center. At the Center modern diagnostic methods are used; new fixators and instruments have been elaborated in cooperation with «Medbiotech»; decompressionstabilizing operations with bone plasty and stabilization by different metallic devices are performed on the whole spine (from C1 - C2 to S1 -S2).Long standing experience of the Center shows that rendering of efficient medical care to the patients with spine injuries needs essential changes in organization, curative and rehabilitation tack- tics of patients management. Authors consider believe that the organization of regional specialized spine centers, mobile teams for urgent neuro-orthopaedic care and rehabilitation centers for medical, social, labor and psychological rehabilitation is expedient.