[Characteristic and surgical treatment of cervicothoracic spine fracture].
OBJECTIVE
To discuss the clinical characteristic and surgical treatment of cervicothoracic spine fracture complicated with spine cord injury.


METHODS
Thirty-eight patients with cervicothoracic fracture and spine cord injury were retrospectively analyzed from January 1998 to January 2007. There were 29 males and 9 females with an average age of 36.4 years ranging from 18 to 58 years. All patient suffered from pain and limitation of motion on cervicothoracic junction. According to American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) grades, 4 cases were in grade A, 13 cases in grade B, 10 cases in grade C, 7 cases in grade D and 4 cases in grade E. All patients were treated with anterior decompressed, bone graft and Zephir plate fixation in cervicothoracic spine.


RESULTS
All patients were followed up for 1 to 10 years, the mean followed up time was 4.5 years. And all patients got complete bone fusion within 4 to 6 months postoperatively. There were no pull-out and breakage of screws or plates. Spinal cord functional recovery improved on average 3.8 degree according AISA standard. Two patients appeared transient hoarse voice after surgery, the symptoms were alleviated from 3 to 6 months after operation. Seven patients were complicated with Horner syndrome preoperatively, and the symptoms were disappeared after operation.


CONCLUSIONS
The clinical situation of cervicothoracic spine fracture with spine cord injury is complicated. And anterior decompressed, bone graft and internal fixation performed on cervicothoracic spine fracture can achieve an efficient and safe clinical outcome.
Hao
Ding-jun
DJ
Department of Spine Surgery, Xi'an Red Cross Hospital, Xi'an 710054, Shaanxi, China.
He
Bao-rong
BR
Wu
Qi-ning
QN
Xu
Zheng-wei
ZW
Wang
Xiao-dong
XD
Guo
Hua
H
Chang
Zhen
Z
Chen
Hai-bo
HB
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery