What does "high paraplegia" mean?

Quadriplegia refers to a severe disability state caused by damage to the spinal cord in the cervical or upper thoracic segments, leading to complete or partial loss of motor, sensory, and autonomic functions below the level of injury. This type of injury usually occurs between the C1 and T12 levels of the spinal cord, affecting the movement and sensation of all four limbs; thus, it is also called tetraplegia or quadriplegia. Specifically, when a complete transverse injury occurs at the spinal cord level above the second thoracic vertebra, it results in quadriplegia. This kind of injury causes complete loss of sensory, motor, and reflex functions below the level of injury, as well as total dysfunction of the bladder and anal sphincter muscles.

Common causes of quadriplegia include trauma, spinal cord lesions, compression due to vertebral tumors, and congenital diseases. Since the spinal cord is an important neural pathway connecting the brain and the body, recovery after injury is often very difficult, and sometimes impossible.

Patients with quadriplegia often require long-term care from others, have limited ability to perform activities of daily living, and may even experience impaired maintenance of vital signs such as respiration and cardiovascular function.