[Injuries of the cervical spine between C2 and C7 without medullary lesions (author's transl)]

In the last 20 years all instable injuries of the cervical spine between C2 and C7 were treated by reduction with traction followed by anterior intersomatic arthrodesis. For traction Vincke's tong appeared as the most reliable. For arthrodesis, Cloward's technique and material were used, after 10 days. Cylindric bone graft gave a good stability and fusion was always obtained in two or three months. This method is simpler and much safer than reduction and fixation by posterior approach if the vascular and neurological danger are taken into account, especially in the cases without neurological troubles. Functional result have been evaluated in 118 cases; clinical and radiological measurement show that the limitation of flexion and extension after arthrodesis are not troublesome. Rotation is not hardly limited (9 p. 100 average). It can be concluded that stiffness is not an argument against arthrodesis.