Cervical Spine Trauma

Traumatic injuries to the cervical spine are often difficult to detect and are associated with substantial
morbidity and mortality. Along with standard trauma radiographs, a thorough physical examination
and meticulous documentation are of the utmost importance because many neurologic injuries evolve
over time. Although many injuries to the cervical spine can be treated nonoperatively, any injuries with
neurologic deficits, instability, or ligamentous injury require instrumentation and fusion. It is crucial to recognize injuries to the cervical spine and the different treatment options. Computed tomography
can be very helpful in defining the bony injury and evaluating the spinal canal, whereas magnetic
resonance imaging can better evaluate the spinal cord and assess ligamentous injury. (Journal of
Surgical Orthopaedic Advances 14(1):8–16, 2005)
Key words: cervical spine, management, trauma