Spontaneous fusion several years after undiagnosed cervical distractive flexion injury: a report of 3 cases

ÜNAL T. C., Aktoklu M., Gel M. S., Dolen D., Dolas I.

British Journal of Neurosurgery, vol.37, no.3, pp.374-376, 2023 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 37 Issue: 3
  • Publication Date: 2023
  • Doi Number: 10.1080/02688697.2020.1767283
  • Journal Name: British Journal of Neurosurgery
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Violence & Abuse Abstracts
  • Page Numbers: pp.374-376
  • Keywords: Cervical spine, distractive flexion injury, spontaneous fusion, subaxial cervical spine, trauma
  • Karadeniz Technical University Affiliated: No

Abstract

We report three cases of spontaneously fused distractive flexion injury (DFI) in the cervical spine detected several years after the trauma. This is the first report in the literature that describes such late presentation of healed DFI. Although injuries are considered highly unstable requiring fusion surgery, all three healed spontaneously without intervention or immobilization. Despite significant misalignment, stability was confirmed with flexion-extension radiographs. All the three patients had no neurologic deficits. The possibility of healed old DFI should be kept in mind for patients who present with neck pain and a history of high-energy trauma.