C2 Fractures eMedicine Orthopedics

Description: Cervical spine (C-spine) injuries are the most feared of all spinal injuries because of the potential for significant deleterious sequelae. Correlation is noted between the level of injury and morbidity/mortality (ie, the higher the level of the C-spine injury - the higher the morbidity and mortality). Craniocervical junction injuries are the deadliest. As many as 10% of unconscious patients who present to the emergency department following a motor vehicle accident (MVA) have C-spine pathology. MVAs and falls are responsible for the bulk of C2 fractures. The clinical manifestations range from asymptomatic to frank paralysis. This article focuses on the uniqueness of and the most common types of traumatic C2 (axis) fractures.
Igor Boyarsky, DO, Gary Godorov, MD