Operative Timing in Cervical Spine Trauma.

Study design: Narrative review.

Objective: To review existing literature regarding surgical timing in cervical trauma with a focus on acute traumatic central cord syndrome.

Summary of background data: Traumatic central cord syndrome is the most common incomplete spinal cord injury. Substantial basic science literature has proposed ischemic and secondary injury-driven mechanisms underpinning the urgency of operative intervention. However, only recently has a relative consensus emerged in the clinical literature regarding the safety, efficacy, and necessity of early operative intervention for acute traumatic central cord syndrome.

Methods: A literature search was conducted of studies in PubMed Central and Cochrane Database related to timing in cervical spine trauma.

Conclusions: Recently, several major systematic reviews and consensus statements have endorsed the importance and safety of early (<24 h) operative decompression in the setting of traumatic spinal cord injury. Despite decades of conflicting data, a similar trend appears to be emerging for traumatic central cord syndrome. These clinical developments join a large body of basic science work regarding the importance of early decompressive surgery in relieving acute ischemic insult and minimizing the effects of secondary injury. However, further work is needed to delineate optimal surgical timing, especially regarding "ultra-early" (<8 h) protocols, and to aid in creating accelerated screening pathways.