[Fractures of the lower cervical spine. Surgical methods and long-term outcome]

Between 1980 until 1996 we operated altogether 327 patients because of a discoligamentous or osseous injury of the lower cervical spine. In a retrospective examination we evaluated the type of the injuries, the mechanism of the accidents, the neurological status on admission and the postoperative result. With regard to the long-term results we re-investigated 170 patients who have been operated on in our Department of Neurosurgery. In none of the patients we could find a neurological deterioration after the operation. The prognosis for patients with an incomplete and complete transversal syndrome is worse concerning a regression of the neurological deficit. The ventral spondylodesis in the technique according to Cloward-Crock, Robinson and Smith and Bailey-Badgley with ventral plate fixation provided the best results and we recommend these techniques for injuries of the lower cervical spine.