CALL US CONTACT TELEHEALTH FORUM Cervical Spine Fractures and Dislocations Home/Conditions/Spine Fractures/Cervical Spine Fractures and Dislocations Overview of Cervical Spine Fractures & Dislocations Fractures of the neck are not uncommon but can be devastating. Normally, they occur with a fall onto the head. The momentum causes so much force to the neck that the supporting structures such as the discs and facets fail. Bone can fracture too. The total force can cause cervical spine fractures and dislocations where one vertebra slides too far on another. The spinal cord cannot take twisting, traction, compression and shear forces and develops damage. Nerve injury and paralysis can occur. Thankfully-paralysis does not occur every time and on many occasions, cervical spine fractures and dislocations can be stabilized and the patient can recover some if not all function. Nondisplaced fractures (those fractures that don’t pull apart at the site of the break) can be treated in a neck collar or CTO (cervico-thoracic orthosis). Fractures that are displaced typically need surgical fixation. Injuries to the disc and facet can occur with a significant fall or ejection from a car without breaking a bone. Seat belts are vitally important! If there is instability such as if one vertebra misaligns on another or there is too much movement between the segments with motion, surgery is warranted. Are you suffering from symptoms of a cervical spine fracture? Would you like to consult with Dr. Corenman about your condition? You can set up a long distance consultation to discuss your current X-rays and/or MRIs for a clinical case review. REQUEST A SECOND OPINION (Please keep reading below for more information on this condition.) Most of the time, the surgery is an anterior cervical decompression and fusion- ACDF (see that section for description of the procedure). For more problematic cases involving cervical spine fractures and dislocations, a corpectomy is necessary which is a modification of the ACDF. There are times that a posterior surgery is necessary to stabilize the neck. If there has been a spinal cord injury, the rehabilitation will initially be based upon surgically stabilizing the spine so no further injury can occur. Then an inpatient rehab facility will be necessary such as Craig Hospital in Denver. For more information on cervical spine fractures and dislocations, or for additional resources on orthopedic spine surgery, please contact Dr. Donald Corenman, Vail, Aspen, Denver and Grand Junction, Colorado area spine specialist and neck doctor. Related Content Cervical Radiculopathy or Pinched Nerve in the Neck Cervical Herniated Disc Arthritis of the Neck and Back Cervical Deformity Cervical Degenerative Kyphosis Cervical Degenerative Spondylolisthesis Cervical Central Stenosis & Myelopathy Chronic Radiculopathy Cervical Degenerative Disc Disease Cervical Degenerative Facet Disease Cervical Spine Instability How to Describe Your History and Symptoms of Neck, Shoulder and Arm Pain Best Questions to Ask When Interviewing a Spine Surgeon or Neurosurgeon When to Have Neck Surgery (Click to Enlarge Image) This is an intraoperative picture of a reduction and fusion of a dislocated facet with the screws and plates holding the reduction. Get a Second Opinion from Dr. Corenman REQUEST A LONG DISTANCE CONSULT ASK A QUESTION About the Author: Donald Corenman, MD, DC Donald Corenman, MD, DC is a highly-regarded spine surgeon, considered an expert in the area of neck and back pain. Trained as both a Medical Doctor and Doctor of Chiropractic, Dr. Corenman earned academic appointments as Clinical Assistant Professor and Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, and his research on spine surgery and rehabilitation has resulted in the publication of multiple peer-reviewed articles and two books. Lower Back Mid-Back Neck Anatomy Diagnostics For Your Doctor Visit Preoperative Information Neck Conditions Cervical Radiculopathy or Pinched Nerve in the Neck Cervical Herniated Disc Arthritis of the Neck and Back Cervical Deformity Cervical Degenerative Kyphosis Chronic Radiculopathy Chronic Radiculopathy Degenerative Spondylolisthesis Cervical Cervical Central Stenosis and Myelopathy Cervical Degenerative Disc Disease Cervical Degenerative Facet Disease Degenerative Spondylolisthesis Cervical Central Cord Syndrome Cervical Spine Instability Cervical Spine Fractures and Dislocations Failure of Cervical Artificial Disc Replacements Failed Spine Surgery Syndrome-Neck Progressive Slip of Cervical Vertebra after a Posterior Laminectomy Surgery (Iatrogenic Instability) Isolated Disc Resorption-Cervical Spine (IDR) Klippel Feil Syndrome (Congenital Synostosis of Cervical Vertebra) Spinal Cord Injuries Thoracic Outlet Syndrome Vertebrobasilar Artery Syndrome Chiari Malformation Type I (Arnold Chiari Syndrome) Other Causes of Pain Surgical Non-Surgical Nerve Entrapment / Compression Pre & Post Op CONTACT Donald Corenman, MD, DC 910 Honoapiiliani Hwy Suite 7-267 Lahaina, HI 96761 Long-Distance Consults: 888-888-5310 RECENT TOPICS Compressed left C5-C6 nerve with pain at shoulder Herniated disc in T Spine 5-6 weeks post L5/S1 MD my symptoms are very developed before 8 days to today (very dramatic) A lot of sign and symptoms of cervical pinched the cord PHYSICIAN RATING See all Reviews Disclaimer This website is for educational purposes only. Do not try to diagnose or treat yourself based solely upon reading this material. For a medical diagnosis, please see a qualified professional. Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy | Industry Relationships Hawaii and Colorado spine surgeon and back pain specialist, Dr. Donald Corenman is among few spine surgeons with a chiropractic background.. He has conducted research on the spine for both surgery and rehabilitation and has published multiple books, many papers and lectured worldwide. Copyright 2021 | Donald Corenman, MD, DC | All Rights Reserved Facebook Twitter YouTube LinkedIn Flickr