Early perioperative outcomes after spinal cord injury due to low-energy fall: a retrospective comparative study of 78 patients with rigid versus 183 patients with nonrigid spine.

Although the baseline spinal cord injury severity was similar, patients with rigid spine (n = 78) were older, had higher BMI, more comorbidities, and a longer surgery duration than those without rigid spine.

Multivariable analysis confirmed that having a rigid spine was associated with increased LOS and increased likelihood of pneumonia.