Cervical spine fractures in patients with ankylosing spondylitis: Importance of early management

IntroductionAnkylosing spondylitis (AS) affects 0.5% of the population. Alteration of the biomechanical properties of the spine related to AS explains the high prevalence of traumatic vertebral fractures and risk of instability. At admission, 65% of patients present neurological signs. There are no reported studies regarding secondary neurological deterioration. The aim of this study was to evaluate the rate of secondary neurological deterioration before surgical treatment of spine fracture in a context of AS.MethodsThis retrospective cases series consisted of patients admitted for traumatic cervical spine fractures or luxation in a context of AS between June 2007 and December 2012. Clinical status was evaluated using Frankel classification at time of trauma, at admission to the neurosurgery ward, as well as before and after surgery. Delay between trauma and admission, and between admission and surgery was recorded. Causes of morbidity, mortality and surgical management were discussed.ResultsDuring the study period, seven patients were admitted for traumatic cervical spine fracture or luxation. All patients were autonomous before trauma. Between trauma and transfer to neurosurgery ward, the status of four patients worsened. Mean delay between trauma and admission was 12.9 days (range 1 to 60 days). Between admission to neurosurgery ward and surgical treatment, two more patients worsened and only two patients remained autonomous. Mean delay between admission and surgery was 15.7 h (range 2 to 24 h). Neurological deterioration was due to both deterioration during transfer despite immobilization with a rigid cervical collar and failure of X-ray to reveal any fractures, in two and three cases respectively. After surgery, clinical status remained unchanged in two patients, four patients improved, and one patient worsened. Two patients died from respiratory failure a few days after surgery due to neurological deterioration. Five patients had a delayed diagnosis (> 24 h).ConclusionCervical spine fracture in AS is a serious condition with high instability. Our series emphasizes the necessity of early surgical treatment because of risk of secondary neurological deterioration in cases of delayed treatment. CT scan must be the gold standard for exploration of these patients.     

Cervical epidural hematoma without fracture in a patient with ankylosing spondylitis. A case report

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is an inflammatory disease involving the axial spine. Alterations in vertebral biomechanics leave the spine sensitive to traumas which, though minimal, may cause serious neurological lesions, particularly in long term AS patients with a completely ankylosed spine, who are more prone to suffer spine fractures. A 62-year-old man with a long-term AS suffered a minor trauma resulting in a cervical epidural hematoma from C2 to C7, leading to paraplegia. On the diagnosis of hematoma, he underwent C3-C7 left hemilaminectomies, to remove the hematoma. We could find no cause for the hematoma. The patient's condition improved, and he was eventually able to perform all his activities independently. Even though traumatic spinal epidural hematoma (SHE) of the ankylosed spine may occur in the absence of fracture, it is commonly associated with traumatic fracture or dislocation of the spine, particularly the cervical spine. In all the published series of SEH in AS, we could only find one more case of this pathology at the cervical spine without a fracture. Neurologic recovery can be successful if decompression is performed early. SHE must be considered after trauma to an ankylosed spine when there is neurological deterioration despite the absence of fracture. A good outcome depends on the early diagnosis and surgery.     

Spinal fractures in patients with ankylosing spinal disorders: a systematic review of the literature on treatment, neurological status and complications

The ankylosed spine is prone to fracture after minor trauma due to its changed biomechanical properties. Although many case reports and small series have been published on patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) suffering spine fractures, solid data on clinical outcome are rare. In advanced diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH), ossification of spinal ligaments also leads to ankylosis. The prevalence of AS is stable, but since DISH may become more widespread due to its association with age, obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus, a systematic review of the literature was conducted to increase the current knowledge on treatment, neurological status and complications of patients with preexisting ankylosed spines sustaining spinal trauma. A literature search was performed to obtain all relevant articles concerning the outcome of patients with AS or DISH admitted with spinal fractures. Predefined parameters were extracted from the papers and pooled to study the effect of treatment on neurological status and complications. Ninety-three articles were included, representing 345 AS patients and 55 DISH patients. Most fractures were localized in the cervical spine and resulted from low energy impact. Delayed diagnosis often occurred due to patient and doctor related factors. On admission 67.2% of the AS patients and 40.0% of the DISH patients demonstrated neurologic deficits, while secondary neurological deterioration occurred frequently. Surgical or nonoperative treatment did not alter the neurological prospective for most patients. The complication rate was 51.1% in AS patients and 32.7% in DISH patients. The overall mortality within 3 months after injury was 17.7% in AS and 20.0% in DISH. This review suggests that the clinical outcome of patients with fractures in previously ankylosed spines, due to AS or DISH, is considerably worse compared to the general trauma population. Considering the potential increase in prevalence of DISH cases, this condition may render a new challenge for physicians treating spinal injuries.     

强直性脊柱炎脊柱骨折的特点及诊断

目的：探讨强直性脊柱炎脊柱骨折的特点，为其临床诊断与治疗提供参考。方法：回顾性分析1994年1月～2001年10月收治的19例强直性脊柱炎脊柱骨折病例。结果：所有19例患者均符合强直性脊柱炎的诊断标准，其中17例骨折前有平均20．6年的强直性脊柱炎病史，另2例方确诊有强直性脊柱炎。19例中15例有外伤史，其中9例为平地跌倒或扭伤，另4例无外伤史。损伤机制：过伸伤7例，垂直挤压伤2例，侧屈损伤l例，屈曲伤1例，4例不详。颈椎骨折11例，9例发生在C5～C7；包括剪力骨折lO例，应力骨折1例。胸腰椎骨折8例，7例为应力骨折，均发生在T10～L2，1例为L3剪力骨折。19例中经椎间隙骨折12例，经椎体骨折7例。三柱骨折16例，骨折伴脱位5例。9例并发脊髓损伤，其中8例为颈椎骨折。外伤至诊断为骨折的间隔时间为10h～7个月，平均29．6d。2例曾被误诊为脊柱结核。结论：导致强直性脊柱炎患者发生脊柱骨折的外力往往较轻。损伤机制多为过伸伤。骨折好发于下颈椎及胸腰段。剪力骨折多发生在颈椎，大多为三柱骨折，容易伴发脱位，脊髓损伤的发生率较高；应力骨折多发生在胸腰段，脊髓损伤不多见。此类骨折多为经椎间隙骨折，易发生诊断延误。     

Fracture luxation of the cervical spine in patients with ankylosing spondylitis: six cases

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Treatment of cervical spine fracture in patients with ankylosing spondylitis is difficult. Biomechanical changes related to ossified ankylosing spondylitis spine make cervical spine fractures highly unstable. They cover the entire width of the spine inducing multidirectional instability and the risk of neurological injuries. Treatment is more difficult that in the nonossified spine. Different treatments have been proposed including anterior stabilization, posterior stabilization, or both. METHODS: We reviewed retrospectively six cases of cervical fracture dislocation in patients with ankylosing spondylitis. RESULTS: There were five cases of C6C7 fracture dislocation and one case of C4C5 fracture dislocation. Four patients had neurological impairment at diagnosis. All patients underwent surgery. Two had anterior stabilization: one patient died and the other achieved bone healing. Four patients had anterior and posterior stabilization combined with a cervical brace for three months, for two and a halo cast for two, others because of persistent instability, with neurological injury in one. A neurological improvement was obtained in four patients. One patient was lost to follow-up. CONCLUSION: Surgical management of selected patients with ankylosing spondylitis and cervical spine fractures is challenging. Combined anterior and posterior stabilization should be considered for these fractures. A cervical brace must be associated with surgical treatment. With appropriate management, outcome can be favorable.     

强直性脊柱炎脊柱骨折的治疗

目的 了解强且性脊柱炎(AS)脊柱骨折治疗的特点及注意事项。方法对19例AS脊柱骨折病例进行回顾性分析硬随访,19例中颈椎骨折11例,9例发生在C5-7间;胸腰椎骨折8例,7例为应力骨折,均发生存T10-L2间。二柱骨折16例。9例并发脊髓损伤,其中8例为颈椎骨折。所有19例患者均接受了手术治疗。颈椎骨折或脱位采用了4种手术方式,其中9例做了前路间盘切除或椎体次全切除、椎间值骨加钢板内固定术。胸腰椎骨折也做了4种术式,其中5例的术式为后路长节段固定加前、后联合融合,结果术岳18例患者获得了平均46．4个月的随访。并发脊髓损伤的9例患者,术后8例的神经功能有恢复。18例患者的骨折部位均已骨性愈合一术中并发脊髓损伤2例,因脑血管意外死亡1例,并发肺炎2例。结论 AS脊柱骨折好发于下颈椎及胸腰段,大多为三柱骨折,颈椎骨折并发脊髓损伤的发生率较高。胸腰椎多为应力骨折一手术治疗可使大多数患者的骨折愈合良好,神经功能有不同程度的恢复。对颈椎骨折患者,可采用前路椎体问植骨、钢板内固定的术式;而对于胸腰椎骨折,主张后路长节段固定,前、后联合植骨融合,术中及术后均可能出现并发症,应注意预防或避免。     

Wirbels?ulenfraktur bei ankylosierender Spondylitis

Introduction

The ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a systemic rheumatic disease, which affects the skeleton, joints and internal organs. Attributed to the augmented rigidity of the spine and the concomitant impairment of compensatory mechanism minor force might cause spine fractures. Multilevel stabilization and dorsoventral instrumentation is a well ?C established procedure. This study was to evaluate the surgical outcome of 119?patients with AS associated spine fractures.

Methods

From 07/96 to 01/10, 119?patients with 129 spine fractures due to AS were treated in our department. Data were collected retrospectively. In all patients the operative treatment of the fracture was either performed by ventral and/or dorsal spondylodesis.

Results

The median age was 67?years (37?C95). There were 51 cervical, 55 thoracic and 23 lumbar spine fractures. On initial presentation no fractures in 18?patients (15%) and stable fractures in 15?patients (13%) were detected, which further secondarily dislocated. Thus, in 28% of the patients the injury was assessed falsely. 47% of the fractures were preceded by a trivial trauma in domestic surrounding. 61 patients (51%) developed either an incomplete or a complete paraplegia. In 32?patients ventral instrumentation, in 82?patients dorsal and in 15?patients dorsoventral instrumentation were performed. 14% developed postoperative wound infection an in 15% revision surgery due to implant loosening or insufficient stabilization was required.

Conclusion

Early diagnostic of AS associated spine fractures using conventional radiographs and computed tomography scans is important for the detection and adequate treatment. A great amount of spine fractures are obviously either under diagnosed or underestimated, initially. A secondary dislocation of the fracture might result in severe neurological complications up to paraplegia.     

Traumatic instability in the previously fused cervical spine.

The effect of fused segments in the cervical spine has been documented to cause chronic changes in adjacent levels. This article reports an association between the presence of fused cervical segments and the predisposition to acute, traumatic instability at adjacent levels. Patients with cervical fractures were reviewed during a 12-year period. Fifteen patients were identified who sustained cervical fractures in the presence of previously fused segments. The presence of fusion was reviewed for its effect of neurologic injury, delay in diagnosis, and patterns of fractures. The diagnostic studies used to document instability were reviewed. We found that preexisting cervical fusions often result in a delay of diagnosis because of altered anatomy and atypical fracture patterns. The fractures occurred within one or two levels from the fused segment. There are different fracture patterns associated with fusions in the upper cervical spine and those fusions in the lower cervical spine. The presence of fusions significantly affected treatment choices in this group of patients.     

Spinal fractures in patients with ankylosing spondylitis

Thirty-one consecutive patients with ankylosing spondylitis and spinal fractures were reviewed. There were 6 women and 25 men with a mean age of 60±11 years; 19 had cervical and 12 had thoracolumbar injuries. Of the patients with cervical fracture, two had an additional cervical fracture and one had an additional thoracic fracture. Three trauma mechanisms were identified: high-energy trauma in 13 patients, low-energy trauma in 13 and insufficiency fracture in 5. One-third of the patients suffered immediate neurological impairment, a further one-third developed neurological impairment before coming for treatment and only one-third remained intact. Two patients with thoracolumbar fractures had deteriorated neurologically due to displacements during surgery at other hospitals. All patients were treated operatively except the two patients with two-level cervical fractures, who were managed in halo vests. In the cervical spine both anterior and posterior approaches were employed. In the thoracolumbar spine the majority of the patients were initially treated using a posterior approach only. Complications were common. Of the 27 patients with neurological compromise, 10 had remained unchanged; 12 had improved one Frankel grade; 4 had improved by two Frankel grades; 1 had improved by four Frankel grades. We conclude that even minor trauma can cause fracture in an ankylosed spine. A high proportion of patients with spinal fractures and ankylosing spondylitis have neurological damage. The risk of late neurological deterioration is substantial. As the condition is very rare and the treatment is demanding and associated with a very high risk of complications, the treatment of these patients should be centralised in special spinal trauma units. A combined approach that stabilises the spine from both sides is probably beneficial.     

Verzögerte Diagnose einer Odontoidfraktur nach Schleudertrauma der Halswirbelsäule

Fractures of the odontoid process represent about 10-20% of all diagnosed cervical spine fractures. Approximately 35% of these fractures are classified as Type II according to Anderson and D'Alonzo. They can be potentially unstable especially if combined with a dens displacement of over 6 mm. In severe cervical spine trauma, these fractures do not usually cause difficulties in diagnosis. However, in whiplash injuries, which are very common and only rarely associated with such fractures, the surgical management can be complicated if they are underestimated. These patients can present without significant neurological deficits or the situation can be complicated due to intoxication or additional trauma. Under these circumstances in particular, the diagnosis can be delayed or missed, if no strict protocols for diagnostic effort in all whiplash injuries are employed. A case of delayed diagnosis of an odontoid fracture in a neurological asymptomatic patient after whiplash injury is presented.     

Thoracic aortic pseudoaneurysm after spine trauma in ankylosing spondylitis. Case report

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a rheumatic disease characterized by consolidation of the articulating surfaces and inflammation of the vertebral column. Because of its associated spine stiffness and secondary osteoporosis, patients with this disorder are at increased risk of vertebral fractures. Ankylosing spondylitis presents a significant challenge to spine surgeons because of its complex effects on the spine, extraarticular organ manifestations, and potential neurological and functional sequelae. Traumatic thoracic and lumbar spine injuries in this patient population may be associated with injury to the aorta either due to direct mechanical trauma or to blunt forces associated with the spine fracture. This complication and association is thought to be the result of pathophysiological changes that cause the aorta to become firmly adherent to the anterior longitudinal ligament. The authors present a case of AS in a patient with a thoracic spine fracture and in whom a delayed thoracic aortic pseudoaneurysm ruptured. To the best of the authors' knowledge, only five cases of this complex condition have been reported since 1980. Recognition of the potential for aortic injury in patients with AS should prompt early investigation of the aorta in cases involving numerous fractures and assist in surgical planning to avoid this lethal injury.     

Ankylosing spondylitis. Therapy and complications of 34 spine fractures]

BACKGROUND: Spine fractures in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) are extremely unstable and associated with a high complication rate. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the therapy and complications of these fractures in AS for a better understanding and management. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 32 patients with 34 traumatic spine fractures were treated from 1981 to 2002. Cause of trauma, fracture site, and neurological examination were assessed. Analyses of the management of the treatment and complications were performed. RESULTS: Banal traumas resulted mostly in spinal fractures at the C 5/6 and C 6/7 level. Two patients were treated conservatively, while the others were stabilized operatively. Before therapy was undertaken, six patients suffered from a cervical radiculopathy, ten patients had an incomplete and two a complete paraplegia. After therapy, neurological status improved in eight patients, but one had a deterioration of neurological symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Dorsal or combined dorsoventral stabilization of these fractures is necessary for better mobilization of these patients and to avoid further complications.     

Dens fracture with concurrent subaxial cervical spine injury in patients with ankylosing spondylitis

Odontoid process fractures in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) are rare and their finding together with subaxial cervical spine injury is a great exception. Neither the mechanism of such a combined cervical spine injury nor its surgical treatment has so far been reported in the relevant literature (MEDLINE). The authors present two such cases, one in a 30- and the other in a 74-year-old man. Both AS patients showed a common mechanism of injury sustained in a car accident, which involved hitting a solid barrier at 60 to 70 kilometres per hour, resulting in hyperextension of the cervical spine. In both patients the fractures were stabilised from the anterior approach: the dens fractures with one or two screws by the Magerl-B?hler method and the subaxial fractures with long-plate and screw fixation. At 2 post-operative years complete bone union of the subaxial spine was recorded in both patients; complete healing of the dens fracture was achieved in one patient while in the other partial fibrous union of the dens fracture occurred.     

Risk factors for cervical spine injury

IntroductionThe early recognition of cervical spine injury remains a top priority of acute trauma care. Missed diagnoses can lead to exacerbation of an existing injury and potentially devastating consequences. We sought to identify predictors of cervical spine injury.MethodsTrauma registry records for blunt trauma patients cared for at a Level I Trauma Centre from 1997 to 2002 were examined. Cervical spine injury included all cervical dislocations, fractures, fractures with spinal cord injury, and isolated spinal cord injuries. Univariate and adjusted odds ratios (ORs) were calculated to identify potential risk factors. Variables and two-way interaction terms were subjected to multivariate analysis using backward conditional stepwise logistic regression.ResultsData from 18,644 patients, with 55,609 injuries, were examined. A total of 1255 individuals (6.7%) had cervical spine injuries. Motor Vehicle Collision (MVC) (odds ratio (OR) of 1.61 (1.26, 2.06)), fall (OR of 2.14 (1.63, 2.79)), age <40 (OR of 1.75 (1.38–2.17)), pelvic fracture (OR of 9.18 (6.96, 12.11)), Injury Severity Score (ISS) >15 (OR of 7.55 (6.16–9.25)), were all significant individual predictors of cervical spine injury. Neither facial fracture nor head injury alone were associated with an increased risk of cervical spine injury. Significant interactions between pelvic fracture and fall and pelvic fracture and head injury were associated with a markedly increased risk of cervical spine (OR 19.6 (13.1, 28.8)) and (OR 27.2 (10.0–51.3)).ConclusionsMVC and falls were independently associated with cervical spine injury. Pelvic fracture and fall and pelvic fracture and head injury, had a greater than multiplicative interaction and high risk for cervical spine injury, warranting increased vigilance in the evaluation of patients with this combination of injuries.     

Spinal trauma in DISH and AS: is MRI essential following the detection of vertebral fractures on CT?

BACKGROUNDBoth ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) cause a rigid spine, but through different pathophysiology. Recent data has shown that characteristic fracture patterns may also differ following trauma since the posterior osseous and soft tissue elements are often spared in DISH. CT and MRI are important in diagnosing spine injury, but given the differences between AS and DISH, the utility of obtaining both studies in all patients warrants scrutiny.PURPOSETo assess the prevalence of posterior element injury on CT and MRI in DISH and AS patients with known vertebral body injury detected on CT; to determine whether MRI demonstrates additional injuries in neurologically intact patients presumed to have isolated vertebral body injuries on CT.STUDY DESIGNMulticenter, retrospective, case-control study.PATIENT SAMPLEDISH and AS patients presenting after spine trauma between 2007 and 2017.OUTCOME MEASURESReview of CT and MRI findings at the time of presentation.METHODSOne hundred sixty DISH and 85 AS patients presenting after spine trauma were identified from 2 affiliated academic hospitals serving as level 1 trauma and tertiary referral centers. A diagnosis of DISH or AS was verified by a board-certified emergency radiologist with 3 years of experience. Age, gender, mechanism of injury, fracture type, spine CT and MRI imaging findings, surgical intervention, and neurologic deficit were recorded. The CT and MRI studies were reviewed by the same radiologist for fracture location and type using the AO spine classification. No funding source or conflict of interest was present.RESULTSMedian age was 72 and 79 years old for the AS and DISH groups, respectively. Both were predominantly male (81%) and most presented after a low energy mechanism of injury (74% and 73%). Type C AO spine injuries were seen in 52% of AS patients but only 4% of DISH patients. In patients with known vertebral body injury on CT, additional injury to the posterior elements on CT or MRI in DISH patients was 51% versus 92% in AS patients. However, in patients with an isolated vertebral body fracture on CT and no neurological deficit, MRI identified posterior element injury in only 4/22 (18%) DISH patients compared to 5 of 7 (71%) AS patients. None of the MRI findings in the DISH patients were considered clinically important while all 5 AS patients eventually underwent operative treatment despite having no neurological deficit. Epidural hematoma on MRI was seen in 43% of AS patients as opposed to 5% of DISH patients.CONCLUSIONBased on our small sample size, CT alone may be adequate in DISH patients with isolated vertebral body fractures and no neurologic deficit, but an additional MRI should be considered in the presence of an unclear neurological exam or deficit. MRI should be strongly considered for any AS patient regardless of neurologic status.     

Diagnosis of cervical spine injury in motor vehicle crash victims: how many X-rays are enough?

As delay in diagnosing unstable cervical spine injuries unnecessarily exposes patients to risk of neurologic injury, it is often recommended that complex radiologic investigations be performed on alert patients with neck pain, tenderness, or neurologic deficit despite normal plain radiographs. The optimal investigation of patients unable to reliably provide such information is less clear. How many X-rays are enough to clear the cervical spine? In order to answer this question, a retrospective review of 775 motor vehicle crash (MVC) victims was conducted. Ninety-two (12%) sustained cervical spine injury. Sixteen of these injuries were missed initially and, in a further 18 cases, the lateral cervical spine X-ray was wrongly interpreted as positive. Fifty-five per cent of patients with cervical injury had a Glasgow Coma Score (GCS) of less than 15 on admission. Lateral radiographic visualization of the complete cervical spine (including a swimmer's view as required) had a sensitivity of 83% and a specificity of 97%. The addition of open mouth (OM) and anteroposterior (AP) views detected all patients with unstable fractures except one man with a head injury who was unable to provide clinical clues to the diagnosis, but who suffered no additional harm as a result. A single lateral X-ray of the cervical spine is inadequate to exclude cervical spine injury in severely traumatized patients and the addition of OM and AP views still failed to identify unstable fractures in one of 385 patients in this series of MVC victims with GCS less than 15.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Acute respiratory compromise associated with flexed cervical traction after C2 fractures

STUDY DESIGN: Acute respiratory compromise is occasionally observed in a subgroup of patients with upper spinal injuries involving the C2 vertebrae. A retrospective review was performed to identify fracture types and risk factors for early respiratory deterioration following injury to the upper cervical spine. OBJECTIVES: To examine the frequency of respiratory complications encountered following traction manipulation of specific upper cervical spinal injuries involving the C2 vertebrae. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Major complications related to cervical skeletal traction are uncommon. Respiratory compromise with occasional mortality has been observed. Risk factors for acute respiratory failure are unknown. METHODS: The medical records of 166 consecutive patients with fractures of the C2 vertebrae admitted between January 1994 and July 1998 to a regional spinal cord injury center were examined. Demographic data, injury subtype, fracture displacement, respiratory status, treatment method, and outcome at discharge were examined. Patients with comorbidities compromising respiratory function were excluded. RESULTS: One hundred fifty-five patients met the inclusion criteria of this study. Sixty-one patients had Type II odontoid fractures of which 53 were displaced (32 posteriorly and 21 anteriorly). In addition, there were 21 patients with Type III odontoid fractures, 33 with axis C2 body fractures, 32 with Hangman's fractures, and eight patients with an os odontoideum. Thirteen of 32 patients with posteriorly displaced odontoid fractures experienced acute respiratory compromise following reduction with cervical skeletal traction and immobilization, while only three of the remaining 123 patients had respiratory difficulties. Respiratory distress as a consequence of cervical spine fractures resulted in three deaths. Two of these patients had posteriorly displaced Type II odontoid fractures whose airway could not be emergently intubated. CONCLUSION: Frequent respiratory deterioration (40% of patients) during acute management of posteriorly displaced Type II odontoid fractures after reduction was observed. Physicians must be aware that cervical flexion in the treatment of posteriorly displaced odontoid fractures may significantly increase the risk of airway obstruction due to the presence of acute retropharyngeal swelling. This may be avoided with elective nasotracheal intubation in this upper cervical spine fracture subtype.     

Spinal fractures in patients with diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis: Clinical characteristics by fracture level

BackgroundDiffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) makes the spine prone to unstable fractures with neurological deterioration. This study was conducted to assess clinical and radiographic features of spinal fractures in DISH by the level of spinal injury, and to evaluate the optimal treatment for each level.MethodsA multicenter retrospective study over a 5-year period, including 46 patients (35 males; 11 females) with a mean age of 77.2 ± 9.7 years at the time of injury. By fracture level, there were 7 cervical (15.2%), 25 thoracic (54.3%), and 14 lumbar (30.4%) fractures. We recorded the cause of injury, whether diagnosis was delayed, and neurological status by Frankel grade. Ossification and fracture patterns were assessed by CT-multi-planar reconstruction (MPR).ResultsNeurological status immediately after the cervical-spine injury was C (28.6%) or E (71.4%); after thoracic injury, C (12.0%) or E (88.0%); and after lumbar injury, D (21.4%) or E (78.6%). Inability to walk at admission was more frequent in patients with a spinal-cord injury above the lumbar level (P = .033). Vertebral-body fractures were observed in 14.3% of the cervical injuries, 80.0% of the thoracic injuries, and 50.0% of the lumbar injuries (P = .004). Most patients with a cervical fracture had a disc-level fracture (85.7%). Posterior-column ankylosis was observed in 14.3% of the cervical-fracture group, 72.0% of the thoracic-fracture group, and 78.6% of the lumbar-fracture group (P = .008).ConclusionOssification and fracture patterns in patients with DISH varied distinctly by the level of spinal injury. Intervertebral-disc fractures were frequently observed in the cervical spine. Delayed diagnosis, vertebral-body fracture, and posterior-column ankylosis were observed in the thoracolumbar spine. This study recommends 3 above and 3 below fusion, to avoid instrumentation failure in the fixation of spinal fracture in patients with DISH.     

Complications of fractures of the cervical spine in ankylosing spondylitis

Five patients with ankylosing spondylitis who suffered severe neurologic complications after fracture of the cervical spine are presented. All developed delayed neurologic complications, ranging from 2 to 35 days after the initial injury (mean, 15.8 days). The diagnosis was delayed in four, and in three this delay contributed to morbidity. All fractures occurred in the lower cervical spine (C5 to C7). In three patients, the fracture was the result of minor trauma. A high index of suspicion, an appreciation of the extreme instability of these fractures, and prompt rigid immobilization with a halo vest or case in the alignment of preexisting kyphosis are all important factors in preventing neurologic complications.     

Occurrence of massive gluteal muscle necrosis following transcatheter angiographic embolization (TAE) to control pelvic hemorrhage in 6 patients

BACKGROUND: An association between cervical fractures and thoracolumbar fractures after blunt trauma has long been assumed, but not adequately demonstrated. We sought to determine the actual association between these injuries in a large nationwide data set. METHODS: The National Trauma Databank (NTDB) was queried for victims of blunt vehicular trauma with at least minimal injury. An odds ratio was calculated for the association between cervical spine fractures and thoracolumbar fractures. RESULTS: Overall 190,183 NTDB patient records met the criteria of a motor vehicle crash with more than minimal injury. Of these 7.51% (14,292) had cervical spine fractures, 4.73% (8,996) had thoracic spine fractures, 5.93% (11,280) had lumbar spine fractures, and 9.79% (18,623) had either thoracic or lumbar fractures. Of patients with a cervical spine fracture, 13.06% (2,433) also had a thoracic or lumbar fracture, whereas among patients without cervical spine fracture only 6.91% (11,859) had a thoracolumbar fracture. The odds ratio (OR) for a thoracolumbar fracture in the presence of a cervical spine fracture was 2.02 (p < 0.0001) (95% confidence interval 1.9318-2.1201). CONCLUSION: These data confirm a strong association between cervical spine fractures and thoracolumbar fractures after blunt vehicular trauma, and support the practice of imaging the complete spine when a cervical fracture is identified.