Spinal Cord Injury Center Design Guide
July 1990 (Rev. Jan. 2004)
The Spinal Cord Injury Patient
One who has sustained a lesion of the spinal cord or cauda equina resulting in either
paraplegia or quadriplegia. Paraplegia involves the loss of nerve control from the waist
down. Quadriplegia involves loss of nerve control from the neck or shoulders down.
Most patients are without control of the legs, lower torso, bowel and bladder control.
Most quadriplegics are also without upper torso, arms and hands control, intrinsic hand
articulation, and there may be respiratory control problems as well. The Intensive
Rehab and Sustaining Care populations have a greater number of paraplegics while the
Long-Term population has a majority of quadriplegics.
It can be assumed that each SCI patient will require a conveyance in order to
compensate for lost mobility. Paraplegics can be expected to use standard wheelchairs
while quadriplegics are more likely to use electric wheelchairs. Lack of mobility,
coupled with the loss of sensation often leads to decubitus ulcer (pressure sore) which
can temporarily confine a patient to a gurney.
Due to the nature of their injury and to the length of time required for rehabilitation, SCI
patients tend to have relatively long hospital stays. After rehabilitation is accomplished,
SCI patients often require readmissions for preventative and curative purposes, and
there will always be at least an outpatient relationship between the SCI patient and the
SCI Center.
Office of Facilities Management
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