Spinal cord injury

A spinal cord injury (SCI) is generally defined as a damage to any part of the spinal cord or nerves at the end of the spinal canal, affecting some body functions, depending on the specific site in which the injury occurred and the severity of the injury itself. While specialized literature has been primarily devoted to the medical aspects-in particular factors associated with as well as trends in mortality and causes of death of people affected by SCI-lesser attention has been paid to the ethical issues related to, and originating from, SCI situations. Against this backdrop and the lack of dedicated debates on the ethical issues, this contribution indicates and explores both the main aspects whose impact may be ethically sensitive and the possible solutions addressing them in the context of repairing strategies.