Cervical fracture dislocation without neurological abnormality: Rare case reports

Traumatic lower cervical dislocation with spinal cord injury (SCI) can cause long-lasting dysfunction in many organ systems resulting in significant financial burden and functional disability. The patient may come with complete or incomplete neurological deficit. However, there is also possibility of no neurological deficit.

This case reports presented two cases of a 68-year-old man and a 54-year-old man that came to the emergency department after a traffic accident and fell from a height. Surprisingly there was no neurological deficit found on both patients. The patient underwent emergency open reduction and posterior stabilization. Several months later, the neurological function was still excellent, and the pain was absent.

Traumatic cervical dislocation without neurological deficit is rare. Enlargement of the spinal canal is significant when the vertebral body and the shattered posterior arch separate, which may play a protective role on the spinal cord. The neurological deficit did not happen in the first case due to a widening spinal canal. Still, in the second case, the patient's neurological condition remained excellent despite no disruption on the posterior arch after cervical dislocation.

Neurological deficit may not occur in the cervical dislocation with disruption of the posterior arch due to the widening of the spinal canal. This injury should be treated properly to prevent other morbidities and even mortality. The posterior technique for stabilization gives various benefits, such as the safety and familiarity of the procedure and the high success rate.