The first ever described case of spinal cord injury was dated as early as 2500 BCE in ancient Egyptian medical texts. During that time, SCI was considered to be an ailment so devastating it was “not to be treated”. In the modern era, the study of spinal cord injury represents a rapidly advancing field that involves a wide spectrum of knowledge, spanning the basic sciences, to precisely executed clinical management pathways, and sophisticated assistive technologies for rehabilitation. Suffice to say, a cure for spinal cord injury is still beyond the horizons. Over the past several decades, a considerable amount of preclinical research has been invested into developing effective neuroprotective and neural regeneration strategies, and hospital systems around the globe have begun exercising the optimal perioperative algorithms which are imperative to improving patient outcomes. Our society as a whole has evolved from one that has adopted a futile attitude towards this orphaned group of patients, to one that embraces patients’ community reintegration and their equal opportunities. It remains ever more hopeful that the clinical outcomes of this group of severely injured patients will continue to improve, and that an ultimate cure to this ailment be discovered.
