SUBAXIAL CERVICAL SPINE FRACTURES

Course overview

THE SUBAXIAL CERVICAL SPINE CONSISTS OF LEVELS C3 THROUGH C7 AND INCLUDES BOTH THE BONY ANATOMY AS WELL AS THE LIGAMENTOUS ANATOMY. INJURIES TO THE SUBAXIAL CERVICAL SPINE CAN BE BONY, SOFT TISSUE, OR A COMBINATION OF THE TWO. THE PURPOSE OF THIS ACTIVITY IS TO REVIEW THE DIFFERENT MORPHOLOGIES OF SUBAXIAL CERVICAL SPINE FRACTURES AS WELL AS THE DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO MANAGEMENT. SPECIAL TOPICS DISCUSSED INCLUDE PEDIATRIC CERVICAL SPINE TRAUMA, CERVICAL SPINE TRAUMA IN ATHLETES, AND CERVICAL SPINE TRAUMA IN AN ANKYLOSED SPINE. THIS ACTIVITY ASSISTS THE CLINICAL TEAM IN EVALUATION, TREATMENT, AND AN INTERPROFESSIONAL MANAGEMENT OF THESE FRACTURES.