title: Recovery of nerve root function after complete quadriplegia from cervical spine fractures.
abstract: Thirty-five patients with complete myelopathies secondary to cervical spine fractures from C-4 to C-7 underwent spinal decompressions and fusions between 1975 and 1981. Twenty-five of these patients underwent simultaneous nerve root decompressions, 23 with an accompanying anterior decompression and fusion and 2 with an accompanying posterior fusion. Substantial recovery of nerve root function occurred in 15 of these patients. A posterior reduction and fusion without nerve root decompression was performed in each of the remaining 10 patients. None of these patients demonstrated a significant improvement neurologically. Operation for nerve root decompression is indicated in selected victims of spinal cord injury.
mesh_terms: D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000293:injuries*; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D009408:Nerve Compression Syndromes / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D011379:Prognosis; D011782:Quadriplegia / Q000601:surgery*; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013123:Spinal Fusion; D013126:Spinal Nerve Roots / Q000503:physiopathology*