Treatment for Old Fracture-Dislocations of the Cervical Spine

The purposes of surgical treatment for fracture-dislocations of cervical spine are stabilization of cervical spine and the expectation of recovery of neurological functions. We prefer the anterior interbody fusion for these cases after pre-operative reduction of cervical spine achieved by means of skull traction. However, in old cases it is very difficult to reduce the injured spine by means of skull traction. In addition, because of neck pain, restriction of mobility of cervical spine and possibility of delayed myelopathy it is desired to do anterior interbody fusion in reduced position.We have treated 7 cases of such old fracture-dislocations of middle or lower cervical spine. All cases had neck pain, restriction of mobility of cervical spine and mild neuological symptoms. We performed anterior interbody fusion in these 7 cases and the results were excellent.