Application Of Cervical Traction Research Articles

Grisel\u2019s syndrome: a case report on this rare pediatric disease and its anesthetic challenges

BackgroundGrisel’s syndrome is a non-traumatic atlantoaxial subluxation associated with inflammatory conditions of the head and neck, which occurs primarily in children. Increased flexibility of the ligaments during inflammation is implicated in the pathogenesis of the subluxation between the axis and atlas. The potential sequelae may be severe, and early diagnosis and treatment of Grisel’s syndrome can prevent tragic outcomes.Case presentationWe present a case of torticollis in an 8-year-old child. She had a two-week history of a streptococcal throat infection. The patient was treated with several different methods of conservative care, including muscle relaxation, cervical halter traction, and Halo application. However, the torticollis persisted. The patient then required surgical correction involving cervical spine fusion. She had no complications and experienced no reoccurrence of the torticollis to date.ConclusionGrisel’s syndrome is a pathology for which conservative management is successful in most cases. Cases requiring surgical intervention are rarely documented in the literature. Our case is significant, as in spite of aggressive conservative management, the patient required surgical correction. Patients requiring surgical management of Grisel’s syndrome may require additional anesthetic exposure for diagnostic interventions like magnetic resonance imaging or neck manipulations for closed reduction. We discuss the features of Grisel’s syndrome and specific anesthetic management considerations for procedures such as magnetic resonance imaging, application of cervical traction, and surgical correction of torticollis.

Evaluation of effect of home cervical traction on patients with cervical spondylotic radiculopathy

Background: Patients with cervical spondylotic radiculopathy is more responding by application of cervical traction with NSAIDs, exercise and ADL than treating with NSAIDs, exercise and ADL.Objectives: Study is to know the effect of home cervical traction on patients with cervical spondylotic radiculopathy.Materials & Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted in the department of physical medicine and rehabilitation, BSMMU during the period of 3-9-2012 to 2-9-2013 to find out the effect of home cervical traction on patient with cervical spondylotic radiculopathy.Results: A total of 120 patients with cervical spondylotic radiculopathy attended the department. Sixty patients was treated with NSAID, Isometric neck muscle strengthening exercise, Activity of daily living advice (ADL) and soft cervical collar, other 60 patients was treated with NSAID, Isometric neck muscle strengthening exercise, Activity of daily living advice (ADL) and soft cervical collar with home cervical traction. The patients were treated for 6 weeks. There was marked improvement in both groups after treatment. But there was significant difference regarding improvement in treatment with home cervical traction (p=0.432).Conclusion: So, it can be concluded that the home cervical traction is effective in cervical spondylotic radiculopathy. Male and female ratio was 1.9:.6. In respect of occupation the maximum patient was housewife (27.5%) followed by businessman (25. 8%). Highest number of patients is in the 41-50 years age group.KYAMC Journal Vol. 9, No.-2, July 2018, Page 65-68

Modulation of the Flexor Carpi Radialis H Reflex Induced by Cervical Traction.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of cervical traction on flexor carpi radialis H reflex amplitude in ten healthy men who were held in a fixed supine position. Cervical traction at intensities of 3, 6, and 9 kgf was applied for one minute and the H reflexes were evoked before, during and after the application of traction. At each intensity tested, cervical traction showed the tendency of facilitating the H reflex, and, especially, the H reflex amplitude during and after the application of cervical traction at an intensity of 3 kgf was significantly greater than that under the condition where no traction was applied. Cervical traction of greater intensity tended to have a stronger facilitatory effect on H reflex amplitude. These results were opposite to the findings in a previous study concerning the soleus H reflex performed by the same experimental procedure. These results suggest that a facilitatory mechanism and an inhibitory mechanism interact and the sum of these mechanisms modulates the gain of the FCR H reflex pathway. Flexor reflex afferents may play a role in the facilitatory mechanism.

The Statics of Cervical Traction

The statics of a sliding body was used to study the distribution of forces during the application of cervical traction in supine patients. This theoretical analysis was completed using a dynamometer to determine the static friction between bed surface and patient head. Therefore, we measured the head weight in 12 inpatients and the minimum force that causes impending motion of the head on the bed surface. The static friction coefficient was calculated from the ratio of the two quantities. The forces acting on the cervical spine were determined by inserting the former data into a specifically designed algorithm that forecasted a progressively increasing traction angle. The coefficient of static friction was 0.62, whereas the maximum available force acting on the cervical spine was obtained with a 35 degrees traction inclination. In contrast, the forces dissipated by the plane progressively decreased with larger angles.