The follow-up of surgical treatment of cervical spinal cord injury without fracture and dislocation

Objective:To reveal the influence of timing of surgery on the outcome of cervical spinal cord injury without fracture and dislocation.Method:118 cases were treated surgically and obtained follow up with average 30 3 months and 74 cases had follow up over one year,46 3 months on an average.Result:(1)There were 70 patients who appeared complete qudriplasia when they were injured.42 cases only experienced numbness and weakness on extremities when they had accident.The rest of 6 patients felt numb and weak on upper limbs and had paraplagia on lower limbs.There was no difference statistically on conservative,short and long term operative outcome among three groups.(2)All patients had some very limited and uncertain recovery after an average 21 3 months of conservative treatment.There was a significant difference on outcome between conservative and surgical treatment.(3)The long term outcome between patients who had operation within 12 months after the injury and who had operation beyond 12 months was statistically different.The long term outcome of patients having surgery within 12 months was much better than those beyond 12 months.Conclusion:For the cervical spinal cord injury without fracture and dislocation:(1)The condition of spinal cord function has no influence on the long term recovery of spinal cord.(2)The effect of operative treatment is significantly superior to the conservative.(3)The timing of surgery has important effect on the late recovery of spinal cord.The best timing of surgery should be within 2 months after the injury.For the latest timing should not be beyond 12 months otherwise the long term outcome of spinal cord function will be spoiled.