In the first days after an injury, the care team talks in code: AIS, AD, DME, tenodesis, ACDF, lateral mass screws, neurogenic this and orthostatic that. Here is that vocabulary in plain English. Type any word to filter the list, and follow the links to go deeper.
ACDF (anterior cervical discectomy and fusion)The most common neck operation: through the front of the neck, a damaged disc is removed, a cage packed with bone graft is set in its place, and a small plate is screwed across the two vertebrae. How it works »
Adjacent segment disease (ASD)Faster wear of the level just above or below a fusion, because it now does the work of the locked segments. Roughly 3% of neck fusions per year develop symptoms there. Not the same "ASD" as the ASIA exam. Long-term problems »
ADLs (activities of daily living)The everyday self-care tasks rehab focuses on: eating, grooming, bathing, dressing, toileting, and transfers. "iADLs" are the next layer out (cooking, managing money, transportation).
AFO / KAFO (ankle-foot / knee-ankle-foot orthosis)Braces. An AFO supports the ankle and foot; a KAFO adds the knee. Used by some people with lower-level injuries to stand or do supported walking.
Autonomic dysreflexia (AD)A sudden, dangerous spike in blood pressure triggered by something below the injury (often a full bladder or bowel), in people injured at T6 and above. A medical emergency. Full guide »
ASIA exam / ISNCSCIThe standardized neurological exam of strength and sensation that defines your injury level and completeness. ISNCSCI is the formal name; people say "the ASIA exam." How it works »
AIS grade (A–E) (ASIA Impairment Scale)The completeness grade: A (complete) through D (motor incomplete, useful movement) to E (normal). What each grade means »
Allograft / autograft (bone graft)The bone packed into a fusion so the vertebrae grow together. Autograft is your own bone (chips from the surgery, or a piece of the pelvis); allograft is sterilized donor bone. The toolbox »
Anterior / posterior / lateral approachWhich direction the surgeon comes from: the front of the neck, chest, or abdomen (anterior); the back (posterior); or the flank (lateral). "360" or circumferential means front and back together. More »
ATP (assistive technology professional)A certified specialist who evaluates and fits wheelchairs and seating. Insist on a proper seating evaluation with one before buying a chair or cushion. Why it matters »
Anterior cord syndromeAn incomplete pattern (usually from loss of blood supply to the front of the cord) with lost movement and pain/temperature but preserved position sense below the injury. The most guarded prognosis of the incomplete syndromes. Full guide »
Atlantoaxial (C1–C2) fusionLocking the pivot joint between the first two neck bones with screws and rods (Harms/Goel technique) or a diagonal transarticular screw (Magerl). Costs about half of head rotation. Upper neck surgery »
Baclofen / ITB pumpA common medication for spasticity. When pills aren't enough, an intrathecal baclofen (ITB) pump delivers it directly to the spinal fluid. Never stop baclofen suddenly.
BMP (bone morphogenetic protein)A growth factor (rhBMP-2, brand name Infuse) added to some fusions to speed bone formation. Raises fusion rates; used cautiously in the neck because of swelling. Bone graft »
Bowel programA scheduled routine (timing, diet, suppositories, digital stimulation) that empties the bowel predictably and prevents accidents and complications. Building one »
Brown-Séquard syndromeAn incomplete pattern from damage to one side of the cord: weakness and loss of position sense on the same side as the injury, loss of pain and temperature on the opposite side. Has the best walking prognosis of the incomplete syndromes. Full guide »
Burst fractureA vertebral body that shatters outward under axial load, pushing bone back into the spinal canal. The classic cause of a thoracolumbar SCI; treated with a brace if stable, screws and rods if not. Treatment options »
C5 palsyNew weakness of the deltoid and biceps (shoulder lift, elbow bend) appearing days after cervical spine surgery, most often after posterior decompression and fusion, in roughly one in ten. Most recover over 3–6 months. Neck-specific risks »
Cage / interbody spacerA hollow block of PEEK plastic, titanium, or donor bone placed where a disc or vertebral body was removed. It holds the space open and is packed with graft so bone grows through it. Expandable cages are cranked open once in place. Hardware »
Catheter (types)A tube to drain urine. Intermittent (in and out on a schedule), indwelling/Foley (stays in via the urethra), suprapubic (stays in through the lower belly), and condom/external (over the penis). Bladder guide »
Cauda equina / conus medullarisThe spinal cord ends around L1–L2 in the conus medullaris; below it the canal holds a bundle of nerve roots called the cauda equina ("horse's tail"). Injuries there damage roots rather than cord, and often recover better after decompression. Low back anatomy »
CAUTI (catheter-associated UTI)A urinary tract infection linked to catheter use, the most common infection after SCI. Prevent & treat »
Central cord syndrome (CCS)The most common incomplete pattern (often from a neck injury in older adults) where arms and hands are weaker than legs. More »
Cervical collar (Miami J, Aspen, Philadelphia)A rigid neck brace that limits motion for stable injuries or while a fusion heals, typically 2–12 weeks. Skin under the chin, collarbones, and back of the head needs daily checks after SCI. Collars & halos »
Charcot spine (neuropathic spinal arthropathy)A late SCI complication in which a spinal joint below an old fusion, with no protective sensation, slowly grinds itself apart. Signs: a new lean or sitting imbalance, a clunk, loss of spasticity, new AD or bladder changes, usually a decade or more after injury. Know the signs »
Complete vs. incompleteComplete = no motor or sensory function in the lowest sacral segments; incomplete = some signal still crosses the injury. Incomplete injuries recover more. Full explainer »
ContractureA joint that has stiffened and lost range of motion from not moving, often from unmanaged spasticity. Prevented with stretching and positioning.
CorpectomyRemoving an entire vertebral body (the block of bone in front of the cord) and replacing it with a cage or bone strut, usually with a plate or screws and rods. Done when the body is shattered or bone is pressing on the front of the cord. In the neck » · In the back »
Cough assist (MI-E) (mechanical insufflation-exsufflation)A machine that pushes air in then pulls it out to clear mucus when your cough is weak. Respiratory care »
CPAP / BiPAPBreathing-support machines used during sleep (and sometimes more). BiPAP gives two pressure levels. Both need backup power planning.
DecompressionAny operation that takes pressure off the spinal cord or nerve roots: laminectomy, discectomy, corpectomy, foraminotomy. After SCI, guidelines recommend doing it within 24 hours when possible ("time is spine"). Why it matters »
DermatomeThe patch of skin served by a single spinal nerve. Mapping where sensation stops helps pinpoint the injury level.
DiscectomyRemoving a damaged or herniated disc. In the neck it is almost always paired with a fusion (ACDF). Decompression procedures »
DME (durable medical equipment)Insurance's term for reusable medical gear: wheelchairs, cushions, shower chairs, lifts, hospital beds. The category you'll fight insurers over. Getting it covered »
DVT / PE (deep vein thrombosis / pulmonary embolism)A blood clot in a leg vein (DVT) that can travel to the lungs (PE) — a real early risk after SCI. Signs & prevention »
Dysphagia (after anterior neck surgery)Swallowing difficulty, very common in the first days after a front-of-neck fusion because the esophagus was moved aside. Usually fades in weeks; persistent cases need a swallow evaluation. More »
Facet joint / facet dislocationThe paired small joints at the back of each spinal segment. A "jumped" or "locked" facet is a dislocation where one slides over the other, often with cord injury; it is pulled back into line with traction or surgery. How surgeons decide »
FES (functional electrical stimulation)Using small electrical currents to make paralyzed muscles contract, for exercise (e.g., FES cycling) or function. More »
FoleyEveryday name for an indwelling urethral catheter (held in by a small balloon).
ForaminotomyWidening the small opening (foramen) where a single nerve root leaves the spine, to relieve a pinched root. Not a stabilizing operation. Decompression procedures »
Fusion (spinal fusion, arthrodesis)Getting two or more vertebrae to grow into one solid bone, using bone graft held still by hardware. The metal is scaffolding; the fusion is the bone that forms over 3–12 months. Named by the levels locked ("C2–C7"). The full map »
Halo vestA ring pinned to the skull, connected by uprights to a padded vest: the most rigid brace there is. Used instead of surgery for some C1–C2 fractures, usually 8–12 weeks. Avoided in most people over about 65. Collars & halos »
Hardware / instrumentationThe metal and plastic used to hold the spine: screws, rods, plates, cages, hooks, and wires. Modern hardware is titanium alloy, cobalt-chrome, or PEEK, and is MRI-conditional. MRI, airports & hardware facts »
Heterotopic ossification (HO)Abnormal bone that forms in soft tissue around joints (often hips/knees) after SCI, causing swelling and lost motion. Signs »
Interbody fusion (PLIF, TLIF, ALIF, LLIF/XLIF, OLIF)Lumbar fusions where the disc is removed and a cage is placed between the vertebral bodies, named for the direction the surgeon enters: from the back (PLIF), back-and-side (TLIF), front through the abdomen (ALIF), or flank (LLIF/XLIF, OLIF). Each one explained »
Intermittent catheterization (IC)Draining the bladder with a single-use catheter several times a day, then removing it — often the healthiest long-term option. How-to »
IRF (inpatient rehabilitation facility)An intensive rehab hospital (usually 3+ therapy hours a day) where most people go after the acute hospital. Compare facilities »
Kyphoplasty / vertebroplastyBone cement injected into a collapsed, osteoporotic vertebral body (kyphoplasty first inflates a balloon to restore height). For painful compression fractures in a stable spine, which years after SCI can come from a hard transfer. Weak bone »
Kyphosis / scoliosisKyphosis is a forward bend of the spine; scoliosis is a sideways curve. Post-traumatic kyphosis can follow a fracture or a failed fusion; neuromuscular scoliosis develops in nearly all children injured before their growth spurt. Deformity surgery »
LaminectomyRemoving the lamina, the bony roof of the spinal canal, from the back to make room for the cord. Because it destabilizes the spine, after trauma it is almost always paired with a fusion. Decompression procedures »
LaminoplastyHinging the lamina open like a door and propping it, which enlarges the canal without fusing. Good for chronic narrowing in a stable neck; rarely used for unstable trauma. Posterior neck surgery »
Lateral mass screwThe short screw used at C3–C6 in posterior neck fusions, angled up and out into the block of bone beside each facet joint to stay clear of the vertebral artery. The rods of a C2–C7 fusion are anchored by these. Posterior cervical fusion »
Lumbopelvic (spinopelvic) fixationAnchoring the low spine to the hip bones with iliac or S2-alar-iliac (S2AI) screws, for sacral fractures and long fusions. With an added iliosacral screw it is called triangular osteosynthesis. Prominent pelvic hardware is a pressure-injury risk in a chair. Sacrum & pelvis »
Minimally invasive / percutaneous fixation (MIS)The same screws and rods placed through small stab incisions under X-ray or navigation instead of a long open incision. Common for thoracolumbar fractures; sometimes done without a fusion and removed later. More »
Model SystemOne of the federally designated SCI Centers of Excellence for specialized care and research. The 18 centers »
Motion segment / levelTwo vertebrae plus the disc and facet joints between them. Fusions are described by the segments they lock: "C5–C6" is one, "C2–C7" is five. Vertebrae are numbered C1–C7 (neck), T1–T12 (mid-back), L1–L5 (low back), S1–S5 (sacrum). The map »
Neurogenic bladder / bowelBladder or bowel that doesn't work normally because the nerve signals are disrupted — nearly universal after SCI, and manageable. Bladder » · Bowel »
Neuropathic painBurning, stabbing, or electric "nerve pain," often below the injury, from the damaged nervous system itself. Treated differently than ordinary pain. Options »
Occipitocervical fusionA plate on the back of the skull joined by rods to screws in the upper neck, for instability between the skull and C1–C2. The stiffest neck construct: almost no nodding or turning from the upper neck. Upper neck surgery »
Odontoid (dens) fractureA break through the peg of bone on C2 that C1 pivots around, common in falls in older adults. Treated with a collar, a halo, a single screw up through the peg, or a C1–C2 fusion. More »
Orthostatic hypotensionBlood pressure dropping (dizziness, fainting) when you sit or stand up, common early on. Managing it »
OT (occupational therapy)Therapy focused on doing daily tasks — hand function, dressing, bathing, adaptive tools, home setup.
ParaplegiaInjury affecting the legs and possibly the trunk, with the arms spared (thoracic level and below).
Pedicle screwThe workhorse anchor of the thoracic and lumbar spine: a screw driven from the back through the pedicle (the thick stalk of bone) deep into the vertebral body, so one screw grips all three columns. Two per level, joined by rods. Pedicle screws & rods »
PEEK (polyetheretherketone)The strong, slightly flexible plastic most interbody cages are made of. It does not show on X-ray (cages carry tiny metal markers so they can be seen) and causes little MRI artifact. Hardware »
Physiatrist (PM&R doctor)A physical medicine & rehabilitation physician — the doctor who quarterbacks SCI rehab and long-term care. Finding one »
Posterior cervical fusion (PCF)A fusion done from the back of the neck: lateral mass screws at C3–C6, pedicle or pars screws at C2 and C7, two rods, and bone graft along the facets, often with a laminectomy to decompress the cord. The standard operation for a multi-level cervical SCI. Full explanation »
Posterior cord syndromeThe rarest incomplete pattern: movement, pain, and temperature preserved, but position sense and vibration lost — causing unsteady, uncoordinated (ataxic) movement. Full guide »
Pressure injury (pressure ulcer / "bedsore," decubitus)Skin and tissue damage from unrelieved pressure over a bony area — a top cause of hospital readmission, and largely preventable. Prevention »
Proximal junctional kyphosis (PJK)The level just above a long fusion tipping forward under the extra stress it now carries. Watched on X-rays; sometimes needs the fusion extended. Long-term problems »
Pseudarthrosis (nonunion, failed fusion)When the bone never bridges the fused levels, leaving a "false joint." May cause nothing, or pain, loosening, and eventually broken hardware. Smoking is the biggest avoidable cause. Diagnosed by CT or bending X-rays. More »
PT (physical therapy)Therapy for strength, mobility, transfers, wheelchair skills, and walking where possible. More »
Quad cough / assisted coughA caregiver technique pushing on the abdomen to help force out a stronger cough. Technique »
Rods (spinal rods)Titanium or cobalt-chrome bars, usually one on each side of the spine, that connect the screws and hold the alignment while the bone fuses. About 3.5 mm thick in the neck, 5.5–6 mm in the back. A cross-link joins the two rods for extra rigidity. What a C2–C7 two-rod construct looks like »
Sacral sparingPreserved function in the lowest (sacral) segments — sensation or squeeze around the anus. Its presence is what makes an injury "incomplete."
Sip-and-puffA control system operated by sipping or puffing on a straw, letting people with little hand function drive a power chair or use devices.
SpasticityInvoluntary muscle tightness, stiffness, or spasms below the injury. Sometimes useful, sometimes a problem; very treatable. Options »
Spinal instability (three-column model)A spine that can shift and injure the cord. The classic rule divides each vertebra into front, middle, and back columns; break two and it is unstable. Modern scores (TLICS for the back, SLIC for the neck) add ligament damage and the neurological exam to decide on surgery. How surgeons decide »
Spinal shockA temporary "shutdown" right after injury (reflexes gone, muscles flaccid) that masks the true picture for days to weeks. More »
SpondylolisthesisOne vertebra slipped forward on the one below it, from a fracture, wear, or a defect in the bone. Treated with an interbody fusion when it is unstable or pinching nerves. Lumbar fusions »
Suprapubic catheterAn indwelling catheter placed through the lower abdomen into the bladder, instead of through the urethra. Care & changing »
Tenodesis graspA functional pinch created by cocking the wrist back so the fingers curl — how people with C6-level injuries grip without finger muscles. By level »
Tetraplegia (quadriplegia)Injury affecting all four limbs and the trunk (cervical/neck level). Same meaning as quadriplegia.
"Time is spine"The surgical rule of thumb that decompressing a compressed cord early, within 24 hours when possible, gives the best odds of neurological recovery. Now a formal AO Spine guideline recommendation. Why the spine gets stabilized »
Titanium (and MRI)What nearly all modern spinal hardware is made of. It is not magnetic, so MRI is safe under the implant's stated conditions (usually 1.5T and 3T), and archway metal detectors rarely notice it. It does blur MRI images at the fused levels, which matters for syrinx surveillance. Hardware facts »
TLSO / CTO / CTLSO (body jacket, "turtle shell")Molded plastic braces for the thoracic and lumbar spine (TLSO), with a chin-and-chest extension when the neck or upper back is involved (CTO, CTLSO). Worn for stable fractures or after some fusions, typically 8–12 weeks; a custom fit prevents skin problems. Braces »
Traction (Gardner-Wells tongs)Pins in the skull with weights hung from them, used in the ER or ICU to pull a dislocated neck back into line before surgery. Sometimes a reduction in traction decompresses the cord within hours. More »
Transfer / transfer boardMoving between surfaces (bed, chair, car, toilet). A transfer (slide) board bridges the gap. Technique »
UTI (urinary tract infection)Very common after SCI; symptoms can differ (cloudy urine, more spasticity, feeling unwell, AD). When to treat »
Ventilator / trachA machine (via a tracheostomy tube) that breathes for you, needed by some C1–C4 injuries. Vent life »
Vocational rehabilitation (VR)State programs that help with going back to school or work — training, equipment, and accommodations, often free. More »
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