Duraplasty for Acute Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury

Inclusion Criteria: * In initial hospitalization for recent (less than 24 hours) acute, traumatic spinal cord injury at a participating site * Diagnosis of acute, traumatic spinal cord injury * AIS grade A - C * C3 - T10 neurological level of injury on ISNCSCI exam * Imaging showing cord compression * Surgical decompression initiated within 24 hours after injury * At sites where lumbar drain placement is standard of care: placement of lumbar drain * Able to cooperate in the completion of standardized neurological examinations Exclusion Criteria: * Injury arising from penetrating mechanism * Pregnancy * In custody * Under psychiatric hold * Presence of traumatic durotomy severe enough to preclude study treatment or procedures, in the opinion of the treating surgeon * Extensive polytrauma as determined by ISS score of \>25 * History of prior spinal cord injury * Concomitant non-traumatic spinal cord injury (e.g. infection or tumor) * Significant concomitant head injury as defined by a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) \<14 or a clinically significant abnormality on a head CT (head CT required only for patients suspected to have a brain injury at the discretion of the investigator) * GCS Motor score \< 6 * Pre-existing neurologic or mental disorder which would preclude accurate evaluation and follow-up (i.e. Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, unstable psychiatric disorder with hallucinations and/or delusions or schizophrenia) * The treating surgeon deems that an anterior-only a…