Vertical C-2 body fractures are presented in 15 patients with clinical and imaging correlations that suggest the existence of a variety of mechanisms of injury. In these patients, clinical and imaging correlations were derived by: 1) defining the point of impact by clinical examination; 2) defining the point of impact by soft-tissue changes on cranial magnetic resonance (MR) imaging or computerized tomography (CT); 3) obtaining an accurate history of the mechanism of injury; and 4) spine imaging (x-ray studies, CT, and MR imaging) of the C-2 body fracture and surrounding bone and soft tissue. The cases presented involve the region located between the dens and the pars interarticularis of the axis. Although these fractures are rarely reported, they are not uncommon. An elucidation of their pathological anatomy helps to further the understanding of the mechanistic etiology of upper cervical spine trauma. A spectrum of mechanisms of injury causing upper cervical spine fractures was observed. The type of injury incurred is determined predominantly by the force vector applied during impact and the intrinsic strength and anatomy of C-2 and its surrounding spinal elements. From this clinical experience, two types of vertical C-2 body fractures are defined and presented: coronally oriented (Type 1) and sagittally oriented (Type 2). A third type of C-2 body fracture, the horizontal rostral C-2 fracture (Type 3), is added for completeness; this Type 3 fracture is the previously described Type III odontoid process fracture described by Anderson and D'Alonzo.

Because it is often difficult to diagnose accurately the structurally intact cervical spine after acute trauma, a series of patients was evaluated with magnetic resonance (MR) imaging to assess its efficacy for the evaluation and clearance of the cervical spine in a trauma victim in the early posttrauma period. Ultralow-field MR imaging was used to evaluate 174 posttraumatic patients in whom physical findings indicated the potential for spine injury or minor radiographic findings indicated injury. This series includes only those patients who did not appear to harbor disruption of spinal integrity on the basis of a routine x-ray film. None had clinically obvious injury. Of the 174 patients, 62 (36%) had soft-tissue abnormalities identified by MR imaging, including disc interspace disruption in 27 patients (four with ventral and dorsal ligamentous injury, three with ventral ligamentous injury alone, 18 with dorsal ligamentous injury alone, and two without ventral or dorsal ligamentous injury). Isolated ligamentous injury was observed in 35 patients (eight with ventral and dorsal ligamentous injury, five with ventral ligamentous injury alone, and 22 with dorsal ligamentous injury alone). One patient underwent a surgical fusion procedure, 35 patients (including the one treated surgically) were placed in a cervical collar for at least 1 month, and 27 patients were placed in a thermoplastic Minerva jacket for at least 2 months. All had a satisfactory outcome without evidence of instability. The T2-weighted sagittal images were most useful in defining acute soft-tissue injury; axial images were of minimal assistance. Posttraumatic soft-tissue cervical spine injuries and disc herniations (most likely proexisting the trauma) are more common than expected. A negative MR image should be considered as confirmation of a negative or "cleared" subaxial cervical spine. Diagnostic and patient management algorithms may be appropriately tailored by this information. Thus, MR imaging is useful for early acute posttrauma assessment in a very select group of patients.

Careful attention to the support of the pulmonary and cardiovascular systems can reduce the morbidity associated with acute spinal cord injury. Pulmonary function decreases markedly in the immediate postinjury period but improves in the subsequent weeks, allowing most patients with injury levels at C4 and below to be weaned from ventilatory support. Bradycardia and hypotension often accompany acute spinal cord injury, and management strategies are reviewed. The prophylaxis and diagnosis of thromboembolic disease are reviewed.

Background Incidental durotomy is a familiar encounter during surgery for lumbar spinal stenosis. The impact of durotomy on long-term outcomes remains a matter of debate. Objective To determine the impact of durotomy on the long-term outcomes of patients in the Spine Patient Outcomes Research Trial (SPORT). Methods SPORT cohort participants with a confirmed diagnosis of spinal stenosis (SPS), without associated spondylolisthesis, undergoing standard, first-time, open decompressive laminectomy, with or without fusion, were followed from baseline at 6 weeks, and 3, 6, 12 months and yearly thereafter, at 13 spine clinics in 11 US states. Patient data from this prospectively gathered database was reviewed. As of May 2009, the mean follow-up among all analyzed patients was 43.8 months. Results 409 patients underwent first-time open laminectomy with or without fusion. 37 (9%) of these patients had an incidental durotomy. No significant differences were observed with or without durotomy in age, sex, race, body mass index, the prevalence of smoking, diabetes and hypertension, decompression level, number of levels decompressed, or whether or not an additional fusion was performed. The durotomy group had significantly increased operative duration, operative blood loss and inpatient stay. There were however, no differences in incidence of nerve root injury, mortality, additional surgeries, primary outcomes (SF-36 scores of body pain or physical function, or Oswestry disability index) at yearly follow ups to 4 years. Conclusions Incidental durotomy during first time lumbar laminectomy for spinal stenosis did not impact long-term outcomes in affected patients.

No unique morbidity is associated with extremes of subaxial decompression when compared with surgery of lesser extent.