A spinal cord injury (SCI) is damage to the spinal cord that causes temporary or permanent changes in its function. Symptoms may include loss of muscle function, sensation, or autonomic function in the parts of the body served by the spinal cord below the level of the injury. Injury can occur at any level of the spinal cord and can be complete injury, with a total loss of sensation and muscle function, or incomplete, meaning some nervous signals are able to travel past the injured area of the cord. Depending on the location and severity of damage, the symptoms vary, from numbness to paralysis to incontinence. Long term outcomes also ranges widely, from full recovery to permanent tetraplegia (also called quadriplegia) or paraplegia. Complications can include muscle atrophy, pressure sores, infections, and breathing problems.

In the present book, twelve typical literatures about spinal cord injury published on international authoritative journals were selected to introduce the worldwide newest progress, which contains reviews or original researches on spinal cord stimulation, incomplete spinal cord injury, central cord syndrome, prehospital treatment, spinal cord injury without radiographic abnormality and rehabilitation, etc. We hope this book can demonstrate advances in spinal cord injury as well as give references to the researchers, students and other related people.