title: Section II: General orthopaedics. Anterior cervical fusion for trauma.
abstract: Anterior bone grafts of 24 injured cervical spines were reviewed with respect to early postoperative instability and eventual malunion. Spinal redislocation or graft extrusion occurred in 21% representing failure to attain early stability. In 38%, the late complication of kyphotic malunion occurred, averaging 21%. The Yale instability criteria were fulfilled in 15 cases and mechanical complications developed in 87% of these. When posterior instability was present, the mechanical complication rate rose to 92%. Early stabilization of most neck injuries is not achieved by the anterior bone graft and its use as a means of "stabilization" is unsubstantiated by clinical experience.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016025:Bone Transplantation; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007738:Kyphosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011859:Radiography; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000379:methods*; D013124:Spinal Injuries / Q000601:surgery; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous / Q000009:adverse effects