Unstable uncomplicated injury of cervicothoracic junction. A clinical case report and literature review

The management of patients with injuries of the cervicothoracic junction is a challenging issue nowadays, and the surgery technique is under discussion. This is explained by the complexity of the approach due to the gross anatomy of the area as well as the need for providing good mechanical stability of the spine-implant system with a small contact area of the bone with the metal construction due to small sizes of the vertebras and the severity of possible complications.Surgical interventions with anterior and posterior approaches as well as combination surgeries are worth distinguishing among other reconstructive surgeries for this type of injuries. The choice of instrumentation and the appropriate type of surgical approach to the bodies of cervicothoracic junction vertebras depends on the type of injury, the patient’s anatomic features, and certainly the operating surgeon’s experience. The clinical case we report about is an example of successful surgical reconstruction for a rare injury - uncomplicated dislocation fracture in cervicothoracic junction. Pre-surgical planning enabled finding a surgical approach best suited to the patient’s anatomy. The repositioning and stabilizing potentials of the isolated ventral surgery for unstable injury of the cervicothoracic junction were delivered in the patient completely. The outcome involved optimal functional results with the complete recovery of the spine axis and stability with no post-surgery complications.