What type of spinal injury is classified as complete?

A complete spinal injury refers to a condition where there is a total loss of sensory and motor function below the level of the injury due to a complete severing of the spinal cord. This type of injury results in the inability to communicate signals from the brain to the rest of the body beyond the injury site, leading to paralysis and loss of sensation in areas below the level of injury.

In contrast, partial injuries can allow for some degree of function or sensation below the injury site, but complete injuries do not permit any such functions at all. Other options describe scenarios that involve partial damage or do not result in such a total loss of function, making them inconsistent with the definition of a complete spinal injury. Understanding these distinctions is essential in identifying the nature and implications of spinal cord injuries.