Cervical Spine Injuries Most Commonly Occur in Traffic Accidents

Abstract

The spine is made up of vertebrae, ring-shaped bones that line up in a row to form the spinal canal. Inside the spinal canal is the spinal cord - a bundle of nerve fibers and cells that conduct nerve impulses from the brain to various parts of the body and vice versa. The individual nerves that exit the spinal canal are separated from the spinal cord. In vertebral fractures, bone fragments can injure the spinal cord, leading to partial or complete muscle loss and loss of sensation below the level of the injury. The spinal cord can be damaged at the very moment of the vertebral injury, but also later when moving and carrying the injured person. Injuries occur when direct physical force damages the vertebrae, ligaments or discs of the spine, causing crushing, crushing or rupture of brain tissue, and penetrating brain injuries. Such injuries can also lead to vascular damage leading to ischemia or hematoma causing additional damage. All types of injuries can cause brain edema which further reduces blood flow and oxygenation