Burden of traumatic spinal cord injury in Africa: a scoping review protocol

Abstract

Trauma accounts for about 90% of spinal cord injuries worldwide. Traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) is recognized as a neurotrauma of global health priority due to the preventability of the injuries and the specialized and expensive medical and surgical care they necessitate. This study protocol guides the comprehensive and exhaustive review of the literature concerning the epidemiology, management and outcomes of TSCIs in Africa. This protocol follows the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols guidelines. The search strategy was performed primarily on PubMed and OVID Embase. A secondary literature search was carried out on African Journal Online and Google Scholar. All observational studies on the prevalence/incidence, presentation, management and outcomes of TSCIs in African countries were included. The following study types were excluded: literature reviews, meta-analyses, case reports, abstract-only articles, conference proceedings, randomized control trials and letters to the editor. Our outcomes include incidence of TSCIs in Africa, mechanisms of injury, different imaging and treatment modalities offered (e.g. conservative vs. operative intervention), clinical outcomes following TSCIs in Africa and challenges regarding the management of TSCIs in African surgical centres. This study aims to provide region-specific data that will guide and inform local practices regarding TSCIs. It will also map out areas that need more research and areas amenable to intervention by global health stakeholders.