Neurological and skeletal outcomes in 113 patients with closed injuries to the cervical spinal cord

Neurological and skeletal outcomes were evaluated in 113 patients for one year following closed lower cervical spinal cord injuries. The extent of neurological recovery did not depend on surgical versus nonsurgical management, or the degree of spinal angulation, vertebral displacement, spinal stenosis, or inferred mechanism of injury based on the initial plain cervical x-rays. Assessment of skeletal outcomes demonstrated significantly less vertebral angulation, more rapid stabilization, and less anterior callus formation among the patients in the surgical group. In addition, the surgical patients had marginally shorter lengths of hospitalization.