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Lower cervical spine of a young male adult
who sustained a dislocation with complete tetraplegia in a motor
vehicle accident. Several closed reduction attempts were done
without lasting success. The patient died from massive aspiration of
blood from a stress ulcus hemorrhage. This paramedian sagittal
section shows the anterior subluxation of the upper vertebra from
which the annulus fibrosus and the periosteum and posterior
longitudinal ligaments are stripped along the entire posterior
surface of the vertebra, forming a triangular pouch into which large
hinged disc fragments are dislodged. A small triangular ridge from
the lower posterior endplate of the upper vertebra effectively traps
the disc fragments. Axial traction obviously would increase spinal
cord compression. Note also the hemorrhage posteriorly in the disc
above the fracture and the complete rupture of the inter–laminar
ligamentum flavum. |
©2000 Wolfgang Rauschning, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor of Clinical Anatomy
Academic
University Hospital
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
Uppsala, Sweden
Reproduction without permission is prohibited
http://www.akademiska.se/
