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Case Reports
. 2011 Oct;20(10):1589-92.
doi: 10.1007/s00586-011-1858-7. Epub 2011 Jul 28.

A traumatic, high-energy and unstable fracture of the C5 vertebra managed with kyphoplasty: a previously unreported case

Nasir A Quraishi  1 , Sherief Elsayed
Affiliations
Case Reports

A traumatic, high-energy and unstable fracture of the C5 vertebra managed with kyphoplasty: a previously unreported case

Nasir A Quraishi et al. Eur Spine J. 2011 Oct.

Abstract

Unstable cervical fractures commonly require fusion surgery. We present a case of an unstable cervical fracture (AO classification A2.2) affecting the fifth cervical vertebra which was managed by kyphoplasty to achieve a pain-free, functional and stable outcome. The decision to undertake a kyphoplasty procedure was made in the hope of preserving motion and limiting the degree of future adjacent segment disease. We believe this to be the first case of the use of kyphoplasty to be published in the literature in relation to a traumatic cervical fracture. Additionally, at one-year follow-up the patient reports no pain, a near full range of motion in the cervical spine and no neurological deficit.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Preoperative (a) sagittal CT showing the flexion compression fracture of C5 (A2.2), (b) sagittal T2-weighted MRI with slight kyphosis at the C5 level
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Sagittal CT showing (a) preoperative C5 fracture with kyphotic angle 13.7° and (b) postoperative reduction of kyphotic angle to 10.2° and (c) good cement filling seen on postoperative coronal CT
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Sagittal CT showing (a) preoperative C5 fracture and measurements (in mm) of vertebral body height (anterior vertebral height (AVH) 10.4, middle vertebral height (MVH) 5.1, posterior vertebral height (PVH) 16.2 and (b) postoperative CT with improvements in vertebral body height (AVH 12.8, MVH 9.3, PVH 16.6)
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Sagittal T2-weighted MRI showing (a) preoperative C5 kyphosis of 13.7° and (b) at one-year stage, this was maintained at 9.7°
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

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