Therapeutic options to treate subaxial cervical fracture-dislocation with locked-facet / 中国矫形外科杂志

ABSTRACT

[Objective]To evaluate a simple,safty and effective therapeutic option to treate subaxial cervical fracture-dislocation with locked-facet.[Method]With the patients being awake and supervized under X-ray fluoroscopy,the authors used the early and continued closed skull traction-reduction to treate 16 cases of traumatic subaxial cervical fracture-dislocation with locked-facet.Before the beginning of the treatment,all the patients were taken for X-ray plain films and MRI/CT examinations as well as American Spinal Injury Association(ASIA) neurological function grade.The dynamic ASIA neurological function scale and X-ray fluoroscopy examnations were asked during the skull traction–reduction procedures.The average interval from the traumatic events to begin to skull traction–reduction was 31 hours(6-52 hours).The authors would continue the skull traction to maintain the anatomy position as soon as they succeeded in reducing the dislocation with locked-facet,forthmore they would take the anterior operation or combinations with anterior and posterior operations during the best condition.[Result]The MRI scans showed that there were 8 disc hernations and 5 disc disruptions at the dislocation levels before traction–reduction procedures.The ASIA scale were 7 grade C,5 grade D and 4 grade E,respectively.All the 16 cases succeeded in reduction as well as no neurological deterioration occurred.The postreduction MRI scans showed that 2 disc herations had converted to nearly normal disc position and another 4 disc hernations remained unchanged.Accordingly,2 disc disruption remained unchanged and another case had converted to disc hernation.The average traction weight was 19 kg(10~32 kg) and average traction time was 53 minutes(30~135 minutes).[Conclusion]Under the intensive dynamic ASIA neurological function grade and X-Ray fluoroscopy examnations,with the patients being awake and co-operation,the early and continued closed skull traction-reduction and then performing elective anterior or anterior-posterior surgery depending on the patient's overall and local status to treate subaxial cervical fracture-dislocation with locked-facet is safe and effective.