Anterior Spinal Stabilization and Fusion in Cervical Spinal Trauma

Abstract

Objective: It was to find out the efficacy and benefits of anterior cervical spinal stabilization procedu-res in cases of cervical trauma.
Material and Methods: It is a prospective study of 30 cases of Cervical Spinal Trauma in which anterior cervical spinal stabilization and fusion was performed. Study span is three years i.e from July 2005 to June 2008 with follow up period of one year and it was carried out in the Department of Neurosurgery, Quaid-e-Azam Medical College / Bahawal Victoria Hospital Bahawalpur.
Results: 30 cases of cervical spinal trauma were included in the this study. Age range was 15 years to 40 years. Twenty three (23) were males and seven (7)) were females with male to female ratio of 3.2:1. Most common cause of cervical spinal injury was road traffic accidents and most common site of traumatic involvement was C5/C6 cervical spinal level. All the patients were belonging to poor and middle socio-economic class. Nine (9) patients sustained complete cervical cord injury and they were quadriplegic and remaining twenty one (21) patients were quadripretic as a result of partial cervical cord injury. All patients were assessed clinically and radiologically. Plain X-rays of cervical spine, AP and LAT. views, C-T scan and MRI of cervical spine were obtained to get information of injuries in detail. In almost all the cases, anterior two columns of spine were disrupted resulting in instability and cord compression. In all the cases cervical traction was applied to get alignment of the cervical column first and then anterior fixation and fusion was performed. All patients were mobilized early after surgery.
Outcome: Nine (9) cases with complete cord injury did not improve neurologically after surgery. Eleven (11) patients with partial cord injury and power of G 3/5 before surgery improved to G 4+/5 after surgery and ten (10) patients with power G 2/5 before surgery improve to G 3/5 after surgery. All patients were out of bed early, to prevent the complications of being and ridden for long time.
Conclusion: Anterior cervical spinal fixation and fusion is an excellent way of cervical spinal stabilization in cases of cervical trauma. Patients improve Neurologically with these procedures and they are mobilized early from the beds to prevent complications of being bed ridden for longer periods of time.