Upper cervical spine injuries in elderly patients.
BACKGROUND
Elderly patients may sustain upper cervical spine injury without neurological symptoms or radiographic evidence of fracture.


OBJECTIVE
This review discusses the prevalence and presentations of upper cervical spine injury in the elderly, and the use of imaging in the evaluation of such injuries.


CONCLUSIONS
Typically, upper cervical spine injuries are caused by hyperextension in patients with degenerative changes of the senescent spine. Multiplanar imaging of the cervical spine in elderly patients with persistent post-traumatic head and neck symptoms, even after seemingly minor trauma, is decisive.
Walid
M Sami
MS
Medical Center of Central Georgia, Macon, USA. mswalid@yahoo.com
Zaytseva
Nadezhda V
NV
D000368:Aged; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000293:injuries*; D006801:Humans; D012307:Risk Factors; D013124:Spinal Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy