A follow-up study of nineteen patients early treated for traumatic lesions of the cervical spine with associated neural deficits is presented.
Mannitol, predonin, cytochrome C, neurotropic vitamins, etc. were administrated.
Operation was performed in thirteen patients on one day to fourty days after injury. The objectives of these procedures were to reduce the dislocation by Roger's technique and wiring of the spinous processes or to stabilize the cervical spine by interbody fusion.
Two of the nineteen patients died after acute complete transverse cord lesions. Three died in five months to one year after injury.
Five cases of postmortem examination on spinal cord are reported. Four cases were studied the patterns of the spinal vasculature by mean of injection of micropaque solution through the vertebral arteries.
In all cord injuries there were combinations of both of vascular and direct damage. Four cases showed a longer segment of the cord involved than was expected by vascular disturbances or by compression and crushing alone. In one case with the syndrome of acute anterior spinal cord injury the damage which involved the posterior, lateral and central portion of the cord was observed.
