Temporary instrumentation of luxations and fractures of the lower cervicalspine

The anterior interbody fusion with instrumentation seems to be the standard procedure in unstable traumatic lesions of the lower cervical spine. The g oal of this study was to objective the outcome of patients, treated by only temporary stabilisation of the injured motion segment (without bone - graf t fusion). Between 1990 and 1998 155 patients with traumatic lesions of the cervical s pine were treated operatively, in 22 cases transfixation of the injured lev el without bone graft application was performed, an implant - removal was c arried out in 12 patients so long. Only patients were included into the stu dy, who were less then 45 years old at trauma and who had no trauma related osseous or disc encrouchment of the spinal canal. Not included were patien ts with degenerative formations of the cervical spine at time of trauma. Until follow up all patients with implantat removal returned back to work i n their former profession, 11 of 12 patients classified their result as exc ellent or good. No secondary instabilities or postraumatic disc prolapse we re observed. Restmobility in flexion/extension of the injured level was dem onstrated in 8 patients. The preservation of traumatized motion segments may reduce the incidence of degenerative alterations and hypermobilities in adjacent levels. The trans fixation technique in anterior procedures leads to a reduced time of spinal exposure, complications as a result of spinal graft manipulation, pseudart hrosis or donor graft site problems are no more relevant.