TITLE:
Treatment of Spinal Cord Injury of Lower Cervical Spine in Parakou Teaching Hospital of Benin Republic from 2009 to 2019
AUTHORS:
Kouassi Jean Marie Maurin Kisito Quenum, Comlan Doleagbenou, Oumar Coulibaly, Bernice Hountondji Quenum, Yelian Patrice Houndje, Wilfried Dossou, Olatoundji Holden Fatigba
KEYWORDS:
Trauma, Cervical Spinal Cord Injury, Cervical Spine, CHUD-B/A
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Modern Neurosurgery,
Vol.16 No.1,
December
31,
2025
ABSTRACT: Introduction: Cervical Spine Injuries (CSI) include disc-ligamentous and/or bone lesions of the cervical spine with or without neurological disorders that occur as a result of a wounding action. Emergency care of these patients is correlated to the vital and functional prognosis. Objectives: Report our management of spinal cord injury and spine injury due to trauma in the lower cervical spine. Patients and methods: This was a cross-sectional, descriptive, analytical study with retrospective and prospective collection of data from January 2009 to June 30, 2019 about 95 patients. Included patients admitted for traumatic spinal cord and spine injuries at lower cervical level with radiology including plain X-ray, CT scan and MRI if necessary. Results: The frequency of lower cervical level injury is 50.2% of traumatic spine disorders. The average age of the patients was 33.91 ± 14.51 years and the sex ratio was 11.33. The etiologies are dominated by road traffic accidents (52.25%). The lesions were graded on grade A (38.74%) according to Franckel Scale. Severe sprains were diagnosed in 25.49% of cases. Lesions predominated at C5-C6 levels (33.33%). The surgery was performed in 20 patients. Recovery was effective in 39 patients (41.1%) and death was observed in 16.22% of cases. Conclusion: Spinal cord traumatic injury of the lower cervical spine is serious and a real public health problem. Prevention remains the best treatment.