title: The prognosis and the treatment of patients with a C3/4 spinal cord injury.
abstract: Twenty patients with a C3/4 spinal cord injury have been treated in our hospital since 1974. There were 15 new patients. The average follow up period was 68 months, ranging from 7 to 162 months. The 15 new cases were classified as Frankel A in nine cases, B in one, and C in five. Frankel A or B were usually accompanied by either an unstable spinal fracture or by spinal canal stenosis at the C3/4 level. Twelve patients received surgery. At the most recent follow up, eight of the 15 patients (53.3%) had improved according to Frankel's classification. Five, all Frankel A on remission, have died between 2 and 156 months after injury. Seven patients required tracheotomy on account of severe respiratory disturbance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hirosaki University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sannohe
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Harata
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ueyama
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ichikawa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000293:injuries*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D015996:Survival Rate