RESUMEN
[Objective]To compare the neurological improvement of the patients with spinal cord injury without radiographic abnormality (SCIWORA)after primary treatment including operation via anterior/posterior approach and conservative management,and to discuss about evaluating standard for this kind of patients.[Method]Eighty adult cervical SCIWORA patients,72 males and 8 females with an average age of 52.7 years(34 to 74 years)and a follow up period of 53 weeks (48 to 60 weeks),were retrospectively studied. They were divided into the anterior operated,posterior operated and conservative treated groups. The motor and sensory scores and impairment scale of each patient were obtained at least three times by international standard for the neurological classification of spinal cord injury (ASIA standard),and those of their first and final visits to the hospital were retrieved and analyzed. Mann-Whitney U Test and Wilcoxon Rank Sum Test were used in statistic study.[Result]All the patients achieved an average increase of 2 to 5 points of motor scores (P