Features of the tactics of surgical treatment of flexion-distraction injuries of the subaxial cervical spine

Abstract

Objective. To analyze results of surgical treatment and correction of deformities associated with flexion-distraction injuries of the subaxial cervical spine. Material and Methods. A retrospective analysis of treatment results in 78 patients who underwent anterior and combined stabilization of subaxial dislocations in 2010–2016 was carried out. The data of clinical examination and of MRI and MSCT studies were subjected to statistical processing. Results. Significant (p < 0.05) loss of the achieved intraoperative correction of shearing and kyphotic types of deformities was noted after 3 months in the group of patients with unilateral and bilateral articular process fractures treated by anterior spinal fusion. Conclusion. Unilateral or bilateral articular process fractures accompanied by bilateral dislocations at the level of damaged spinal segment are risk factors for the loss of post-traumatic deformity correction achieved after isolated anterior stabilization.

Keywords

• anterior fusion
• bilateral subaxial dislocations
• anterior cervical plate
• interlocked dislocation