Cervical corpectomy in delayed presentation of irreducible cervical dislocation: experience with eight cases

Abstract

Objective

To describe a single-staged procedure for the management of neglected subaxial cervical spine injuries.

Methods

Between January 2012 and December 2014, 12 patients presented to us with healed cervical sub axial dislocations. The deformities could not be reduced using skull traction. Eight were operated with anterior cervical corpectomy. American spinal injury Association (ASIA) grade, Neck Disability index (NDI), and Visual analog scale (VAS) score were recorded throughout the patient course and CT was done at 12 months for assessment of fusion.

Results

Four patients improved from ASIA C to ASIA D, two patients improved from ASIA B to ASIA E, one patient improved from ASIA D to ASIA E and one patient remained static at ASIA B. All patients except one showed evidence of fusion on CT scan at 12 months. NDI improved from preoperative range (18–32, mean 25) to postoperative range (8–16 mean, 11.25), VAS from preoperative range (3–6, mean 4.25) to postoperative range (1–3, mean 1.75).

Conclusions

Single-stage in situ fixation does not disrupt ongoing natural healing and has good clinical and radiological outcomes.

Keywords:

• Neglected
• irreducible
• cervical spine
• fracture dislocation
• single staged
• corpectomy

Disclosure statement

The authors do not have any conflict of interest.