<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the strategy of damage control in clinical
treatment of
multiple injuries headed by
cervical spinal cord injury.</p><p><b>
METHODS</b>A retrospective
analysis was performed in 32
patients. Cervical fractures associated with
tetraplegia occurred in 18
patients, traumatic
intervertebral disk hernia associated with
tetraplegia in 2
patients, and cervical fractures and dislocation associated with
tetraplegia in 12
patients. Seventeen cases were combined with
craniocerebral injury, 7 combined with pulmonary
contusion, multi-fractures of
rib or
hemopneumothorax, 2 combined with pelvic fracture and other 8 combined with fracture of
limbs. The neural function was assessed by the American
Spinal Injury Association (
ASIA) scale.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Thirty-one
patients were followed up for an average of 14 months. Of them, 10 got complete recovery, 13 obtained improvement of more than one
ASIA grade, 8 did not improve, and 1 died.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>For the
emergency treatment of
multiple injuries headed by
cervical spinal cord injury, the damage control strategy is the principle to follow. The final operations are preferably performed within 5 to 10 days after
injury so as to raise the successful rate of remedy.</p>