title: Clinical Influence of Cervical Spinal Canal Stenosis on Neurological Outcome after Traumatic Cervical Spinal Cord Injury without Major Fracture or Dislocation.
abstract: METHODS
  Retrospective case series.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To clarify the influence of cervical spinal canal stenosis (CSCS) on neurological functional recovery after traumatic cervical spinal cord injury (CSCI) without major fracture or dislocation.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The biomechanical etiology of traumatic CSCI remains under discussion and its relationship with CSCS is one of the most controversial issues in the clinical management of traumatic CSCI.
  
  
  METHODS
  To obtain a relatively uniform background, patients non-surgically treated for an acute C3-4 level CSCI without major fracture or dislocation were selected. We analyzed 58 subjects with traumatic CSCI using T2-weighted mid-sagittal magnetic resonance imaging. The sagittal diameter of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) column, degree of canal stenosis, and neurologic outcomes in motor function, including improvement rate, were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significant relationships between sagittal diameter of the CSF column at the C3-4 segment and their American Spinal Injury Association motor scores at both admission and discharge. Moreover, no significant relationships were observed between the sagittal diameter of the CSF column at the C3-4 segment and their neurological recovery during the following period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  No relationships between pre-existing CSCS and neurological outcomes were evident after traumatic CSCI. These results suggest that decompression surgery might not be recommended for traumatic CSCI without major fracture or dislocation despite pre-existing CSCS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Spinal Injuries Center, Iizuka, Japan.
authors.forename: Tsuneaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takao
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Seiji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Okada
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Spinal Injuries Center, Iizuka, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuichiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Morishita
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Spinal Injuries Center, Iizuka, Japan.
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Maeda
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Kensuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kubota
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Spinal Injuries Center, Iizuka, Japan.
authors.forename: Ryosuke
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ideta
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Spinal Injuries Center, Iizuka, Japan.
authors.forename: Eiji
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Spinal Injuries Center, Iizuka, Japan.
authors.forename: Itaru
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Yugue
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Spinal Injuries Center, Iizuka, Japan.
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kawano
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Spinal Injuries Center, Iizuka, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sakai
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Spinal Injuries Center, Iizuka, Japan.
authors.forename: Takayoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ueta
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Spinal Injuries Center, Iizuka, Japan.
authors.forename: Keiichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shiba
keywords: Cervical spinal canal stenosis; Cervical spinal cord injury without major fracture or dislocation; Magnetic resonance imaging; Neurological outcome