Surgical Treatment For Cervical Hyperextension Injuries

Objective To explore the methods and efficacy of surgical treatment cervical hyperextension injuries.Methods From march, 2005 to October, 2006, 47 cases of cervical hyperextension injury were treated in our department. They were followed up and analyzed retrospectively. According to the operative methods, there were 3 groups: anterior approach, posterior approach, combined approach. Their therapeutic effects were compared respectively.Results After follow-ups for 6 to 12 months,preoperative and postoperative Frankel classifications and ASIA (American Spinal Injury Association) grades were compared between the 3 groups. It was found that neural function improved significantly in the 3 groups after operation. The anterior approach and combined approach groups had significantly better outcome in neural function than the posterior approach group (p<0.05).The combined group had the fullest decompression, but its prognosis was not significantly different from that of the anterior approach group (p>0.05).Conclusions Anterior decompression-graft-internal fixation is the preferred consideration to treat hyperextension injury of cervical spine, and the posterior approach is only the secondary choice. The combined approach should be carefully selected under appropriate conditions.