Difficulties of recruitment

Venous Thromboembolic Disease (VTE) in SCI patients is very common, its prevalence is 60 to 80% against 10-20% in the general population.

The risk of VTE is very important in the first weeks after spinal cord injury, and then declines with a prevalence of VTE slightly higher than the general population after 12 weeks. However there is no prospective study of incidence of VTE in SCI patients after 3 months. The investigators wish to conduct such a study during the year following spinal cord injury with performing venous Doppler ultrasound of the lower limbs 6, 9 and 12 months of the initial injuryassociated with a standardized clinical assessment, to know the incidence of VTE and determine prognostic factors for VTE.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age greater than 18 years.
• Patients having paraplegia or tetraplegia from C2 levels and above S1
• Paraplegia and tetraplegia of traumatic or non progressive SCI from traumatic or medical origin (ischemic, post-surgical, myelitis, benign tumor)
• Informed consent signed.
• stabilized respiratory situation with absence of chronic hypoxemia (hypoxemia being characterized by PaO2 steady state <7.33 kPa)
• Patient not amputated.
• Absence of heart failure with ejection fraction below 30%
• Lack of solid neoplasia or progressive lymphoid haemopathy for 5 years, or myeloproliferative disorders (including polycythemia and thrombocythemia).
• No personal history of VTE and / or thrombophilia before the injury.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Unstabilized respiratory situation with presence of chronic hypoxemia (hypoxemia being characterized by PaO2 steady state <7.33 kPa)
• Amputated Patient.
• Patients with heart failure with ejection fraction below 30%
• Solid neoplasia or progressive lymphoid haemopathy for 5 years, or myeloproliferative disorders (including polycythemia and thrombocythemia).
• Personal history of VTE and / or thrombophilia before the injury.
• Can not to follow during the study period
• Pregnant women
• Patient Refusal