Oxygen myelography for cervical spinal cord injuries

Abstract

Oxygen myelographies were performed on 15 patients with cervical spinal cord injuries, in seven of whom narrowing of the spinal cord was caused by a fracture-dislocation. In eight the fracture was of bursting type, and the neurological involement in these was more severe than in the former type. The main findings in seven early myelograms were swelling of the cord (3/7) and non-visualization of the spinal canal at the injury level (6/7). The main findings in eight late myelograms were narrowing of the cord (5/8) and anterior stretching of the cord over the obstructing bony ridge.