A Safe Surgical Procedure for Old Distractive Flexion Injuries of the Subaxial Cervical Spine

Abstract

Study DesignRetrospective review.PurposeTo describe a safe and effective surgical procedure for old distractive flexion (DF) injuries of the subaxial cervical spine.Overview of LiteratureSurgical treatment is required in old cases when a progression of the kyphotic deformity and/or persistent neck pain and/or the appearance of new neurological symptoms are observed. Since surgical treatment is more complicated and dangerous in old cases than in acute distractive-flexion cases, the indications for surgery and the selection of the surgical procedure must be carefully conducted.MethodsTo identify a safe and effective surgical procedure, the procedure selected, reason(s) for its selection, and associated neurological complications were investigated in 13 patients with old cervical DF injuries.ResultsNo neurological complications were observed in nine patients (DF stage 2 or 3) who underwent the anterior-posterior-anterior (A-P-A) method and two patients (DF stage 1) who underwent the posterior method. It was initially planned that two patients (DF stage 2) who underwent the P-A method would be treated using the Posterior method alone; however, anterior discectomy was added to the procedure after the development of a severe spinal cord disorder.ConclusionsThe A-P-A method (anterior discectomy, posterior release and/or partial facetectomy, reduction and instrumentation, anterior bone grafting) is considered to be a suitable surgical procedure for old cervical DF injuries.

Keywords

• Old cervical spine injuries
• Distractive flexion injuries
• Post-traumatic deformity
• Circumferential release
• Delayed presentation