Subaxial cervical spine fractures in ankylosing spondylitis: management and outcomes from a 10-year population-based cohort.
Rydning, Pål Nicolay Fougner PNF; Linnerud, Hege H; Mirzamohammadi, Jalal J; et al.
This 10-year population-based cohort included 132 subaxial cervical spine fractures in 127 patients with ankylosing spondylitis (median age 70; 88% male), most from low-energy falls; 94% were AO type B or C and 20% had cervical spinal cord injury. Primary management was surgical in 67% and conservative in 33% (14% of conservatively managed patients required delayed surgery); revision surgery occurred in 9% and 90-day mortality was 16%, which was associated with older age, higher ASA class, and in-hospital pneumonia but not with cord injury or treatment modality.