Associated injury levels similar across most levels of cervical spine

Miller, CP. Spine. 2011. doi: 10.1097/BRS.0b013e3181f550a6

Cervical spine injuries could possibly be grouped together when other possible associated injuries are being considered, according to the study from researchers in Boston.

Christopher P. Miller, MD, and his fellow researchers reviewed radiographic reports of patients who underwent 13,896 CT scans of the cervical spine within a 10-year period. Those patients who had acute, nonpenetrating fractures of the cervical spine were investigated further for any associated traumatic pathology, such as those that impacted other organ systems or noncontiguous spine injuries.

The researchers reported 492 of the CT scans displayed acute fractures and/or dislocations. Sixty percent of these patients sustained at least one additional injury. Fifty-seven percent of the patients were found to have extraspinal injuries, with 19% of patients displaying noncontiguous spinal trauma.

Occipital condyle and C7 fractures were found to display significantly higher rates of associated injury than those recorded for other cervical segments.

“For patients with a known history of cervical spine trauma, the frequencies of associated injuries were similar across all levels of the cervical spine with the exception of the injuries to the craniocervical junctions,” the authors wrote. “Further elucidation of these injury patterns will likely be useful for facilitating the expedient evaluation and proper management of these individuals.”