[Diagnostics and Treatment of Cervical Spine Trauma in Pediatric Patients : Recommendations from the Pediatric Spinal Trauma Group]

Overview

Journal Unfallchirurg

Date 2020 Mar 28

PMID 32215667

Citations 3

Authors

Holger Meinig

Stefan Matschke

Michael Ruf

Tobias Pitzen

Alexander Disch

Jan-Sven Jarvers

Christian Herren

Thomas Weiss

Matthias K Jung

Hauke Ruther

Thomas Welk

Andreas Badke

Oliver Gonschorek

Christoph E Heyde

Frank Kandziora

Christian Knop

Philipp Kobbe

Matti Scholz

Holger Siekmann

Ulrich Spiegl

Peter Strohm

Christoph Struwind

Michael Kreinest

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Severe cervical spine injuries in children under the age of 17 years are rare. Recommendations or even guidelines for the diagnostics and treatment of such injuries in children are currently not available.

Objective: The aim of the study was to formulate recommendations for diagnostics and treatment of injuries of the cervical spine in pediatric patients.

Material And Methods: First, a search of primary and secondary literature on the topic complex of diagnostics and treatment of cervical spine injuries in children was carried out. An appropriate internal literature database was defined and maintained. Second, within the framework of 9 meetings from April 2017 to December 2019 the members of the Pediatric Spinal Trauma Group of the Spine Section of the German Society for Orthopaedics and Trauma (DGOU) systematically formulated recommendations for the diagnostics and treatment of injuries of the cervical spine in pediatric patients by a consensus process.

Results: Recommendation for the diagnostics and treatment for injuries of the cervical spine could be formulated for three age groups (age group I: 0-6 years; age group II: 7-9 years; age group III: 10-16 years). The diagnostic and therapeutic principles known from adult patients suffering from injuries to the cervical spine cannot be easily transferred to pediatric patients.

Conclusion: Injuries to the pediatric spine are rare and should be treated in specialized spine centers. Pediatric patients with a stable cardiopulmonary status should undergo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) if a spinal trauma is suspected. Classification systems and therapeutic recommendations for injuries to the cervical spine known from adult patients could also be used for adolescent patients. This is not possible for children under the age of 10 years. Only few classification systems exist for this age group. Basic principles of the treatment of spinal trauma in children is the restoration of spinal stability and correct anatomical relationships as well as the protection of all neural structures.

Citing Articles

Paediatric spine injuries in the thoracic and lumbar spine-results of the German multicentre CHILDSPINE study.

Herren C, Jarvers J, Jung M, Blume C, Meinig H, Ruf M Eur Spine J. 2023; 33(4):1574-1584.

PMID: 37466720 DOI: 10.1007/s00586-023-07822-1.

Pediatric cervical spine injuries-results of the German multicenter CHILDSPINE study.

Jarvers J, Herren C, Jung M, Blume C, Meinig H, Ruf M Eur Spine J. 2023; 32(4):1291-1299.

PMID: 36757616 DOI: 10.1007/s00586-023-07532-8.

Necessity of Immediate MRI Imaging in the Acute Care of Severely Injured Patients.

Popp D, Kerschbaum M, Mahr D, Thiedemann C, Ernstberger A, Wiesinger I Medicina (Kaunas). 2021; 57(9).

PMID: 34577905 PMC: 8470916. DOI: 10.3390/medicina57090982.

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