Surgical treatment was desirable to improve neuromuscular function in patients with sustained 3 years fracture-dislocation of lower cervical spine: A case report

To investigate the changes in neuromuscular function of anterior approach combined with subtotal vertebral body resection and titanium mesh cage (TMC) internal fixation for the old fracture-dislocated lower cervical spine. A 56-year-old female was admitted to the hospital with neck pain and numbness of the left upper extremity for 3 years due to a fall injury from a height, which worsened for 20 days. Although 3 years had passed, the patient still had significant left limb numbness and decreased muscle strength. Eventually, the patient was diagnosed with the old fracture-dislocation type injury of C6 and C7. C6 was II-degree anterior dislocation and the bilateral joint process was locked, C7 was burst fracture, and C5 was spinal cord segment injury. Then, the operation of the anterior approach combined with subtotal vertebral body resection and TMC internal fixation was performed under general anesthesia. Postoperative symptoms were significantly improved. And during five-year of follow-up, no adverse reactions and complications were reported. Although cervical fracture and dislocation combined with cervical spinal cord injury had persisted for many years, surgical treatment was necessary. The anterior approach combined with subtotal vertebral body resection and TMC internal fixation was desirable to improve neuromuscular function for the old fracture-dislocation of the lower cervical spine, which has some guiding effects on the clinical treatment.