title: A child who recovered completely after spinal cord injury complicated by C2-3 fracture dislocation: case report.
abstract: METHODS
  This was a case of a child who recovered completely after spinal cord surgery complicated by C2-C3 fracture dislocation.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To clarify the important issue with regard to the diagnosis and treatment of possible spinal cord injury complicated by C2-C3 fracture dislocation in children.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Reports on spinal cord injury complicated by C2-C3 fracture dislocation in children who recovered completely after surgery are very rare. Moreover, there are no reports of cases in which described MRI and magnetic resonance angiography obtained 5 years after surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 4-year-old girl with complete fracture dislocation of C2-C3 and spinal cord injury of Frankel B because of a traffic injury. A middle incision was made in a prone position under general anesthesia, and C2-C3 was fixed with interlaminal wiring according to the McGraw modified method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The postoperative course was excellent, and the patient recovered completely. An MRI performed 5 years after surgery revealed no definitive abnormality in spinal cord and patency of vertebral arteries.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This was a very rare case of spinal cord injury complicated C2-C3 fracture dislocation in children. The present case is of interest in that it demonstrated the possibility of recovery in a child from spinal cord injuries of Frankel B immediately after injury, if complex injuries in multiple organs are controlled by systemic management.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Ehime University School of Medicine, Ehime, Japan. kenshi@m.ehime-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Kenshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sakayama
authors.forename: Teruki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kidani
authors.forename: Yoshiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Matsuda
authors.forename: Yoshifumi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sugawara
authors.forename: Taihoh
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shibata
authors.forename: Haruyasu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D001864:Bone Wires; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000293:injuries*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D004204:Joint Dislocations / Q000601:surgery*; D020127:Recovery of Function; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome