The aim of the study was to analyse the risk of symptomatic myelopathy after minor trauma in patients with asymptomatic spondylotic cervical spinal cord encroachment (ASCCE). In a cohort of 199 patients with ASCCE, previously followed prospectively in a study investigating progression into symptomatic myelopathy, the authors looked retrospectively for traumatic episodes that may have involved i...

BACKGROUND The best method for radiographic "clearance" of the cervical spine in obtunded patients prior to removal of cervical immobilization devices remains debated. Dynamic radiographs or MRI are thought to demonstrate unstable injuries, but can be expensive and cumbersome to obtain. An upright lateral cervical radiograph (ULCR) was performed in selected patients to investigate whether this ...

INTRODUCTION In blunt trauma, comatose patients (Glasgow Coma Scale score 3 to 8) with a negative comprehensive cervical spine (CS) computed tomography assessment and no apparent spinal deficit, CS clearance strategies (magnetic resonance imaging [MRI] and prolonged cervical collar use) are controversial. METHODS We conducted a literature review to delineate risks for coma, CS instability, pr...

introduction sub axial cervical spine dislocations are common and managing these cases by closed reduction is successful in the majority of cases. however, treatment of old and neglected cases is difficult and the results may vary in terms of neurological and functional outcomes. case presentation we present two cases of traumatic bilateral cervical facet dislocation with no neurological defici...

STUDY OBJECTIVE Although many adult algorithms for evaluating cervical spine injury use computed tomography (CT) as the initial screening modality, this may not be appropriate in low-risk children, considering radiation risks. We determine the optimal initial evaluation strategy for cervical spine injury in pediatric blunt trauma. METHODS We constructed a decision analysis tree for a hypothet...

Purpose To report indications, outcomes and complications of instrumented cervical spinal fusion in a consecutive series of children at major university hospitals. Methods A retrospective, single surgeon series identified 35 consecutive children with a mean follow-up (FU) of 2.5 years undergoing instrumented cervical spinal fusion between 2005 and 2015. Results The main indications were ske...

STUDY DESIGN Surface electromyography measurements of the upper trapezius muscles were performed in patients with a chronic whiplash-associated disorder Grade 2 and those with nonspecific neck pain. OBJECTIVE To determine the etiologic relation between acceleration-deceleration trauma and the presence of cervical muscle dysfunction in the chronic stage of whiplash-associated disorder. SUMMA...

BACKGROUND To perform a risk analysis study to determine the probability of a spinal fracture being of malignant origin in patients presenting at a level I trauma centre emergency room after trauma. PATIENTS AND METHODS Data from 334 consecutive patients were retrospectively obtained from 1993 to 2003. They were divided into two groups: group 1--(benign) traumatic fractures; and group 2--mali...

OBJECT The current standard of practice for clearance of the cervical spine in obtunded patients suffering blunt trauma is to use CT and an adjuvant imaging modality (such as MR imaging). The objective of this study was to determine the comparative effectiveness of multislice helical CT alone to diagnose acute unstable cervical spine injury following blunt trauma. METHODS The authors performe...

Blunt or nonpenetrating trauma to the head and neck occasionally results in damage to the cervical segment of the internal carotid artery. This may produce neurologic signs and symptoms that mimic acute craniocerebral injury. The mortality and morbidity associated with these injuries are alarmingly high. These injuries may be missed if one relies only on computed tomography. Angiography is stil...