Cervical spine injuries from high-velocity forces: a pathoanatomic and radiologic study. J Spinal Disord 1996 Feb;9(1):1-7
Date
02/01/1996Pubmed ID
8727450Scopus ID
2-s2.0-0029868860 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 32 CitationsAbstract
The detailed analysis of the radiologic and pathoanatomic data from 10 human cadaver head-neck complexes defined the type and extent of expected cervical spine injuries after high-velocity flexion-compression loads to the cranium. All specimens demonstrated multiple injuries with both contiguous and noncontiguous patterns. Although all preparations showed evidence of axial compression, a multiplicity of other force vectors, including noncontiguous occurrences of flexion, extension, and shear, were documented. These findings indicate that the injury pattern is not a sequential process but a reaction to changes in the segmental interrelations of the various vertebral column components, including varying vector applications of injurious forces at the segmental level. The presence of moderate or severe spondylotic alterations restricted the distal transmission of injury forces with the principal injury patterns occurring at or proximal to the initial level of severe spondylotic involvement. These data emphasize the need for increased awareness of the presence of multiple cervical spine injuries, both contiguous and noncontiguous, and that separate levels of compromise may not share similar mechanisms of injury.
Author List
Cusick JF, Yoganandan N, Pintar F, Gardon MAuthors
Joseph F. Cusick MD Adjunct Professor in the Neurosurgery department at Medical College of WisconsinFrank A. Pintar PhD Chair, Professor in the Biomedical Engineering department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Narayan Yoganandan PhD Professor in the Neurosurgery department at Medical College of Wisconsin
MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AgedCervical Vertebrae
Humans
Middle Aged
Spinal Cord Injuries
Tomography, X-Ray Computed
