TITLE:
Spinal Cord Injuries without Visible Bone Lesions: Analysis of Four Consecutive Cases
AUTHORS:
Magatte Gaye, Sarah Ntshindj Mutomb, Amadou Ndiasse Kasse, N’famara Sylla, Sagar Diop, Alvin Nah Doe, Aboubacar Sidiki Sangharé, Mouhamadou Habib Sy, Youssoupha Sakho
KEYWORDS:
Spinal Cord Injuries, Trauma, MRI
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Orthopedics,
Vol.8 No.3,
March
9,
2018
ABSTRACT: Objectives: Interest
of this study is to report four cases of spinal cord injuries without bone
lesion. Evolution of the injured patients according to the initial clinic
assessment at admission and the treatment performed are discussed. Materials
and Methods: From January to December 2016, we performed a retrospective
study at the Neurosurgery Department of Hospital General Grand Yoff of Dakar.
Four patients were followed for spinal cord injury without visible bone
lesions. We analyzed the clinical, radiological, therapeutic and evolutionary
data. Trauma caused by stabbing was excluded. Results: In a year, 83
cases of spinal trauma with neurological deficit were hospitalized in the
department. Among them, 4 had spinal cord injuries without visible bone
lesions. The average age was 31.7 years with extremes ranging from 14 to 47
years. The sex ratio of male/female
was 3. We have recorded 2 cases of road traffic accidents, 1 case of fall from
height and 1 case of sports accident. On the neurological level, we found 3
cases of tetraplegia, and 1 brachial monoplegia. Computed tomography in all
patients was normal. All of them benefited from magnetic resonance imaging that
showed spinal cord injury. All patients were under conservative treatment. One
patient fully recovered, two partially and one passed away. Conclusion:
In presence of any post traumatic myelopathy case, the absence of
disco-vertebral lesions should bring to mind the SCIWORA as well as indicate
the realization of magnetic resonance imaging.