Broken Neck Or Cervical Fracture
An Overview:
The cervical portion of the neck comprises seven vertebrae that connect the head to the spine and shoulders and support the head. It also acts as a bridge to transmit neural messages. Therefore a cervical neck fracture may pose a massive risk of paralysis.
Usually, neck injuries are due to forced trauma resulting from an accident, fall, or sports injury. If you have a cervical fracture, you will have pain, possibly some swelling, pins, needles, and numbness in your arms. You should not move your neck and seek immediate medical attention.
What immediate actions should be taken after a cervical injury?
The neck should be immediately immobilised, typically by an ambulance crew using a hard collar. This prevents any additional injury to the spinal cord.
Dr Sherief Elsayed attends emergency cases as a priority and takes the best measures for cervical fracture treatment to prevent further damage to the spine and nervous system
Cervical fracture (broken neck) diagnosis and evaluation
The doctor will suggest immediate scanning tests such as X-rays, CT, and MRI to assess bone and nerve damage. The evaluation process will aim to identify:
- How bad the damage is.
- How many bones have broken (one or several)
- The stability of the fracture
- The need for non-operative / operative treatment
Emergency support and treatment is necessary. Dr Sherief Elsayed is an experienced surgeon to handle emergency cases like neck breaks. He immediately studies the diagnosis and prepares a treatment plan to take the best action in favour of the patient.
Treatment
Non-operative measures for treating cervical fractures typically include immobilization – either in a hard collar (eg. Miami collar, Philadelphia collar) or sometimes in a halo-jacket – a cumbersome but necessary piece of equipment.
If surgery is required, the surgical approach will depend on the injured structures – at the front of the neck, back of the neck, or both.
Cervical fusion surgery – The term fusion refers to binding broken pieces into one. The surgeon will fuse the broken vertebrae into one structure using screws and plates to stabilise the cervical neck.
In neck fractures, there is a possibility of nerve compression that could lead to paralysis of the arms and legs as well as bladder, bowel, or sexual dysfunction.
Dr Sherief Elsayed is a highly experienced spine surgeon specialising in complex spine surgeries like cervical fractures.
Book an appointment by calling 8001999 to connect with Dr Sherief Elsayed.
