title: Severe injuries to the cervical cord and spine: neurosurgical management in the acute and early stage.
abstract: The controversy of long standing in the management of cervical cord and spine injury in the acute stage ranges from an attitude of neurosurgical nihilism on the one hand, to indiscriminate, incompetent and routine "explorative" or "diagnostic" laminectomies on the other. Judicious neurosurgical management in the acute stage tends to overcome and eliminate the ill-advised extreme attitudes by careful neurological and neuroradiological diagnostic assessment. The indications and contraindications for surgical treatment are carefully weighed in each case and are based on neurosurgical criteria and experience. This communication is a summary of methods and experience evolved in the diagnostic and surgical management in the acute stage. Indications, contraindications and techniques are presented in detail.
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D005596:Fractures, Closed / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D004204:Joint Dislocations / Q000601:surgery; D007796:Laminectomy; D009192:Myelography; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D013124:Spinal Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D013129:Spinal Puncture; D013256:Steroids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014143:Traction / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D013256:Steroids