J Korean Neurosurg Soc.
1996 Feb;25(2):343-351.
Clinical Analysis of Upper Cervical Spine Injuriesur
- Affiliations
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- 1Department of Neurosugery, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Korea.
Abstract
- This review of upper cervical spine injuries includes 51 patients admitted to Korea University Hospital, Seoul during the period 1 Jan. 1990 to 31 Dec. 1994. The incidence of upper cervical injury was 13.6% in the 375 spine injury cases and 31.7% in the 161 cervical spine injuries. The most common type of injury was odontoid fracture, ie. 16 cases or 31.3%. The male-to-female ratio was 2.6:1 and the 4th decade showed peak incidence. 33 cases(64.7%) of the injuries were caused by traffic accidents. The chief complaints on admission were neck pain with limited range of motion in 39 cases(76.5%), motor weakness in 3 cases(5.9%), and sensory disturbance in 2 cases(3.9%). Operative treatment was performed in 23 patients resulted in neurologic improvement in 22 Cases(95.7%) and 28 patients were managed by conservative treatment with 25 cases(89.3%) of neurologic improvement. Mortality rate of the upper cervical spine injury was 3.9%. The above represents our experience with 51 patients suffering from upper cervical injuries. Management and follow-up guidelines are also reviewed.
