A protocol for methylprednisolone shock therapy within 8 hours of spinal cord injury

Methylprednisolone shock therapy is recognized worldwide as an effective treatment for early spinal cord injury, which can save damaged spinal cord cells at an early stage, reduce the release of inflammatory mediators, reduce the secondary damage to the spinal cord, promote spinal cord recovery, and reduce the degree of disability and the incidence of disability. In many developed countries, Methylprednisolone shock therapy program has been applied in the first aid way, so in the spinal cord injury within 8 hours, the conditions must be used shock therapy program. Specifically as follows: the first hour: the first step: methylprednisolone dosage = body weight (kg) × 30mg Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region People’s Hospital, Department of Spine Surgery, He Yongxiong use of the drug concentration: 50mg / ml Drug use time: 15 minutes infusion is completed, such as 70 kg patient: methylprednisolone dosage = 70 × 30 = 2100 (mg) with the amount of liquid = 2100 mg / 50 mg = 42 ml Infusion rate: = 42 ml / 15 minutes = 2.8 ml / minute × 60 minutes = 160 ml / h (injection pump control) Step 2: Saline 500 ml 45 minutes to drip finished (infusion pump control) 2-24 hours: methylprednisolone dosage = body weight (kg) × 5.4 mg × 23 hours to use the concentration of the drug: 50 mg / ml Time of use of the drug: 23 hours infusion is completed (infusion pump control) such as 70 kg patient: methylprednisolone dosage = 70 × 5.4 × 23 = 8800 (mg) Dispensing liquid volume = 8800 mg /50 mg = 176 ml Infusion rate: = 176 ml/23 hours = 7.6 ml/hour [methylprednisolone adverse reactions] Fluid and electrolyte disorders: sodium retention, some patients have heart failure, Hypertension, fluid retention, potassium loss, hypokalemic alkalosis. Musculoskeletal system : Steroid myopathy, muscle weakness, osteoporosis, pathologic fractures, vertebral compression fractures, aseptic necrosis. Gastrointestinal tract : Peptic ulcer perforation or bleeding, pancreatitis, esophagitis, intestinal perforation may occur. Skin : Impairment of wound healing, petechiae, ecchymoses. Metabolic : Negative nitrogen balance due to protein isomerization. Nervous system : Increased intracranial pressure, pseudotumor cerebri. Endocrine system : Menstrual disorders, Cushing’s disease, pituitary-adrenal axis suppression, decreased glucose tolerance, latent diabetic episodes, increased need for insulin or oral hypoglycemic drugs in diabetic patients, inhibition of growth and development in children. Eye: Cataract under the posterior chamber capsule, increased intraocular pressure, protruding eyeballs. Immune system: Masking of infection, latent infection episodes, opportunistic infections, anaphylactic reactions, inhibition of skin test response.