Fracture Dislocation in the Cervical Spine – A Case Series Analysis of 32 Cases and Review of Literature

• Published in: Journal of Orthopaedic Association of South Indian States 2023-07, Vol.20 (2), p.111-118
• Main Authors: Pillai, Suresh S., Arjun, K., Raj, Amal, Joseph, Nikhil Tom
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 2667-3665; 2667-3673
• DOI: 10.4103/joasis.joasis_28_23

Complex cervical spine injuries result from road traffic accidents, fall from height, diving in the swimming pool, fall along with the ladder etc. This is a major cause of disability, morbidity and mortality and dependence. Most of these injuries are preventable by proper care, social reforms, teaching civic sense to students at an early age, adoption of safety measures while climbing heights, enforcement of traffic rules, building up of infrastructure, educating the people and mandatory emergency room service for the offenders. Fracture dislocations of the cervical spine mostly flexion distraction injuries. Dislocations can range from perched facets, unilateral facet dislocations to bilateral facet dislocations and spondyloptosis. These result in varying degrees of neurological deficit. The recovery of these patients depend on the initial magnitude of the injury, the safe transport of the victim to the trauma centre, careful management of the injuries and rehabilitation. Here a case series of 32 patients with varying degrees of fracture dislocations of the cervical spine are analyzed retrospectively.