Case characteristics and surgical efficacy in elderly patients over 65 years of age with cervical spinal cord injury without fracture and dislocation: a retrospective study

• Published in: BMC musculoskeletal disorders 2024-11, Vol.25 (1), p.921-12, Article 921
• Main Authors: Feng, Ningning, Xu, Luchun, Yu, Xing, Guan, Jianbin, Zhao, He, Li, Wenhao, Qiu, Ziye, Jiang, Guozheng
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Aged patients; Aged, 80 and over; Analysis; Canals (anatomy); Care and treatment; Cervical spinal cord injury without fracture and dislocation; Cervical Vertebrae - diagnostic imaging; Cervical Vertebrae - injuries; Cervical Vertebrae - surgery; Comparative analysis; Conservative Treatment; Decompression; Decompression, Surgical - methods; Diagnosis; Dislocation; Edema; Elderly patients; Female; Females; Follow-Up Studies; Fractures; Humans; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Medical imaging; Middle age; Motor ability; Older people; Operation time; Patients; Postoperative period; Recovery of Function; Retrospective Studies; Spinal cord injuries; Spinal Cord Injuries - diagnostic imaging; Spinal Cord Injuries - surgery; Spine; Surgery; Surgical treatment; Trauma; Treatment Outcome; Type 2 diabetes
• ISSN: 1471-2474; 1471-2474
• DOI: 10.1186/s12891-024-08055-z

The outcomes of surgical and conservative treatment in elderly patients with cervical spinal cord injury without fracture and dislocation (CSCIWFD) were evaluated over medium- and long-term follow-up periods and the case characteristics were analysed. Data from 39 elderly patients over 65 years of age with CSCIWFD who were admitted to our hospital between January 2010 and June 2022 were retrospectively analysed. Neurological recovery was assessed using the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) grading criteria and the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score at admission, after surgery, and at the final follow-up. Post-injury imaging data were used to evaluate potential underlying lesions and injury types. In the surgical treatment group, the sagittal and transverse diameters of the cervical spinal canal were measured using magnetic resonance imaging at admission and the final follow-up to effectively assess spinal cord decompression. At the final follow-up, the JOA score of the 21 patients who underwent surgical treatment was significantly higher than that of the patients who received conservative treatment (P