Estimates show that each year in the
United States, approximately 11.000 people
are affected by spinal cord injury (SCI),
indicating a serious public health problem. In
Brazil, in 2007, the Unified Health System
(SUS) served 832,858 users, who were
hospitalized for external causes, one of the
leading causes of SCI.1 The LM is an assault to
the spinal cord, in which the level and degree
of damage determine the extent and severity
of injuries and sensory, with an impact on
respiratory function, urinary, sexual and
bowel.
2