Rachis: Immobilisation et plaies cervicales par balle

Unstable Cervical Spine Fracture After Penetrating Neck Injury: A Rare Entity in an Analysis of 1,069 Patients

Lustenberger T. et All.
JTrauma. 2011;70:870–872

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En gros pas besoin de mettre en place une minerve en cas de plaie du cou sauf si le blessé est incosncient ou présente des signes neurologiques périphériques.

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Background: The value of cervical spine immobilization after penetrating trauma to the neck is the subject of lively debate. The purpose of this study was to review the epidemiology of unstable cervical spine injuries (CSI) after penetrating neck trauma in a large cohort of patients.

Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of patients admitted with penetrating neck injuries to a Level I trauma center from January 1996 through December 2008. A penetrating neck injury was defined as a gunshot wound (GSW) or stab wound (SW) between the clavicles and the base of the skull. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to investigate associations between injury mechanisms, the presence of CSI instability, and mortality. Risk factors independently associated with the presence of a CSI were identified.

Results: A total of 1,069 patients met inclusion criteria, of which 463 patients (43.3%) and 606 patients (56.7%) were sustaining GSW and SW, respectively. Overall, 65 patients (6.1%) were diagnosed with a CSI with a significantly higher incidence after GSWs compared with SWs (12.1% vs. 1.5%; p < 0.001). In four patients (0.4%), the CSI was considered unstable, all of them following GSW. All patients with unstable CSI had obvious neurologic deficits or altered mental status at the time of admission. Risk factors independently associated with the presence of a CSI were GSW to the neck and a Glasgow Coma Scale score.

Conclusion: The overall incidence of unstable CSI after penetrating trauma to the neck is exceedingly low at 0.4%. Following GSW to the neck, an unstable CSI was noted in

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Détail de la publication:

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In four patients (0.4%), the CSI was considered unstable, all of them after GSW to the neck (0.9% for GSW vs. 0% for SW; p = 0.035). All patients with unstable CSI had obvious neurologic deficits or altered mental status at the time of initial presentation: two patients presented with tetraplegia and two patients had a GCS score of 3 on admission with subsequent brain death during their SICU stay. Stabilization of the spine was performed in both patients with tetraplegia but was without significant neurologic recovery after surgery.