Concomitant cervical fractures without neurological symptoms: a case report

Ir J Med Sci. 2016 Nov;185(4):977-980. doi: 10.1007/s11845-016-1438-2. Epub 2016 Mar 11.

Abstract

Background: Non-contiguous spinal fractures are rare and most frequently occur in a fall from a height, or high energy trauma such as a road traffic accident (Reid, J Trauma 27:980-986, 1987). Cervical spine fractures tend to occur at two levels, one-third of injuries occur at the level of C2, and one-half of injuries occur at the level of C6 or at C7 (Wittenberg, Spine 27:254-257, 2002). The most devastating and fatal cervical spine injuries occur in upper cervical levels, either at craniocervical junction C1 or C2.

Case report: The case we present is of a young man involved in a road traffic accident in Ireland who had a concomitant non-displaced C2 vertebral body fracture and a C6-C7 fracture dislocation. The patient had no neurological symptoms.

Conclusion: Following concurrent ACDF at C6/7 and peg screw fixation of C2 through the same incision the patient made a full recovery.

Keywords: Cervical; Fractures; Multilevel; Non-contiguous; Trauma.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Accidents, Traffic
  • Cervical Vertebrae / injuries*
  • Cervical Vertebrae / surgery
  • Decompression, Surgical / methods
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Ireland
  • Male
  • Spinal Fractures / surgery*
  • Spinal Fusion / methods
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Young Adult