Epidemiology of traumatic spinal cord inury: 1988-1996. The purpose of this study was to determine the demographic and epidemiological characteristics of traumatic spinal cord injured patients, in order to provide information which traumatic SCI, who had been admitted to Uludağ Üniversity Medical School Physical Medicine and Rehabalitation Clinic between 1988 and 1996 were reviewed retrospectively. There were 75 male (66.4%) and 38 female (33.6%) spinal cord injured patients, the male: female ratio being 2:1. The mean age at the time of injury was 33+14.1, being 34.1+14.1 for malesa nd 30.9+14.1 for females. SCI was most prevalent between 15-29 years (41.6%). 41.6 % of patients had been classified as Frankel A. (42.5%) the patient were incomplete paraglegic, (26.5%) complete paraglegic, (15.9%) incomplete tetraplegic and (15.0%) complete paraplegic. Paraplegia accounted for 69.0% of the subjects while tetraplegia accounted for the remaining 31.0%. Anatomically, patients (31.0) had cervical, (5.3%) thoracal 1-6, (33.8%) thoracal 7-12, and (30.0%) had lomber 1 or lower lesions. Traffic accident was the leading cause, accounting for 45.1% of all subjects. Fall from a tree was the second most common cause (15.9%). These are followed by fall from height (12.4%) and others. The average hospital stay was 4.07+.26 months, being 4.3+2.9 months for those who were tetraplegic and 3.7+2.3 months for paraplegic. This duration was 6.76+1.73 months for complete SCI and 3.23+1.73 for incomplete SCI. Our data revealed that SCI, resulting mostly from traffic accidents or falls from trees, affects young and productive people. Local SCI centers providing a comprehensive rehabilitation programwhich facillates community reintegration of these young people are needed.