SURGICAL TREATMENT OF THE CERVICAL SPINE FRACTURE-DISLOCATION WITH AUTOGRAFTS AND POROUS NITI IMPLANS

Abstract

The problem of surgical treatment of the cervical spine fracture- dislocation is discussed. Twenty-three patients with this pathology at the age of 15 to 55 years were surgically treated. Patients underwent clinical, neurological, radiological, and physiological examinations. The abnormality degree of spinal cord conduction was assessed with the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) Impairment Scale. Cervical spine surgical intervention technique consisted in decompressing and stabilizing procedures with autografts from a wing of the ilium, or with porous NiTi implants. The study resulted in conclusion that in case of acute fracturedislocation the anatomical integrity of the spine can be restored, vertebra-medullar conflict – eliminated, and the injured segment – reliably stabilized. In case of neglected fracture-dislocation the reduction of displaced vertebra is impossible. Spinal cord function recovery requires a removal of the compressing substrate and a stabilization of the spine. The fusion with porous NiTi implants allows to prevent the secondary displacement of vertebrae relatively each other due to autograft lysis and to reduce the operation time. The use of autograft is preferable in young patients and patients with individual metal intolerance.