title: Cervical spinal cord injury in children.
abstract: We examined 19 children under 10 years of age with cervical spinal cord injury using clinical records and radiographs. The children were divided into two groups: Eight had immediate and complete spinal cord injury, and 11 had incomplete or partial spinal cord injury. Those with complete spinal cord injury were injured in motor vehicle accidents with a proximal spinal cord injury. Eighty-eight percent had cervical spine fractures/instability with a distraction pattern of injury. Half had associated trauma. The mortality rate was 25%, and those who survived showed no neurologic improvement. Most of the children with partial spinal cord injury were injured at birth. Many had no radiographic evidence of cervical fracture. One-quarter had associated trauma. The neurologic improvement averaged 1.9 Frankel grades. Half of both groups required posterior cervical fusion, and there was a significant complication rate. Eight-eight percent developed scoliosis, and 71% developed hip subluxation.
authors: Section of Orthopaedics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
authors: F A
authors: FA
authors: Farley
authors: R N
authors: RN
authors: Hensinger
authors: J E
authors: JE
authors: Herzenberg
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001720:Birth Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006617:Hip Dislocation / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007738:Kyphosis / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008824:Michigan / Q000453:epidemiology; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000453:epidemiology; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012600:Scoliosis / Q000209:etiology; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000145:classification / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery