Management of cervical spine injuries in patients with ankylosing spondylitis

Eleven patients with ankylosing spondylitis and traumatic fracture/dislocation of the spine were identified in a retrospective review of all cases of cervical spine injury treated on the neurosurgical service over a 10-year period. Injury was most often secondary to minor trauma or a motor-vehicle accident, and the level of vertebral involvement was most frequently between C-5 and T-1. Neurological symptoms at presentation ranged from neck pain alone to complete loss of function distal to the level of injury. Initial routine treatment consisted of axial traction for realignment with the minimal weight needed to accomplish this, taking into account the flexion deformity. All patients underwent pluridirectional tomography and/or computerized tomography to delineate the exact sites of injury. Three patients died shortly after admission due to pulmonary complications. The remaining eight patients underwent early posterior stabilization and mobilization in a halo or cervicothoracic brace to achieve fusion. Neurological improvement was achieved in six of these eight cases. The experience described here supports the initiation of axial traction as initial therapy for cervical injuries followed by early surgical stabilization in patients with ankylosing spondylitis. The difficulty of maintaining spinal alignment and the devastating pulmonary problems attendant on conservative management may be obviated by early fusion.