Fracture of C2
December 12, 2011 | 20,00 EUR | answered by Dr. med. Ive Dr. Schaaf
Hello,
Last year I broke my second cervical vertebra in a car accident. The fracture was unstable and was fixed with 4 rods and 6 screws. The procedure was done in the USA, as the accident occurred there. Now, the fracture on the left side has not fully healed, meaning there is still a gap visible. The doctors here in Germany are now suggesting that the fixation should be removed regardless of whether the fracture is fully healed. The doctor in America, however, advises against it. I am confused. No doctor wants to give a reasonable answer regarding long-term consequences. I would be very grateful for any assistance, as the fixation limits the movement of my head to 20°/30°.
Thank you in advance.
Good day,
There are probably already two specialists working on it, so it would be presumptuous to want to say something specific from a distance. But perhaps the following will help you:
A still visible gap means that the bone ends have not found each other, and this is unlikely to change with metal after this time. If you are old and not significantly affected, you could accept this and leave the metal in place.
Since there is no chance of healing with metal, metal removal has been recommended to you. I would assume that the fracture has healed to the point where there is no longer an unstable fracture, only this gap remains. If the metal is removed, pressure can be applied to the bone ends, causing the gap to close further.
My recommendation: Let the doctors here in Germany explain to you roughly what I have outlined for you now:
- What happens if the metal stays in place?
- What is the risk of the metal breaking during your lifetime?
- How unstable is the fracture if the metal is removed now?
- Do you need temporary support or are you restricted in your daily life?
- What happens if the gap does not close even after the metal removal?
- Is only metal removal planned, or is also a freshening of the fracture gap intended?
Does this help you further or would you like to ask further questions?
All the best,
Dr. Schaaf
