Citation

Heiden JS, Weiss MH, Rosenberg AW, Kurze T, Apuzzo ML. J. Neurosurg. 1975; 42(5): 575-579.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1975, American Association of Neurological Surgeons)

DOI

10.3171/jns.1975.42.5.0575

PMID

1151455

Abstract

The authors present a series of 38 civilian patients with cervical gunshot injuries, and compare neurological recovery in patients with complete lesions and patients with incomplete lesions according to whether therapy was surgical or nonsurgical. In patients with incomplete injury, ultimate recovery was a function of the initial injury more than surgical or nonsurgical therapy; nor did patients with complete lesions show significant change in outcome with either mode of therapy. Cord pathology at laminectomy rarely provided a clue about neurological recovery, and fural decompression did not alter neurological outcome. The authors conclude that the sole indication for routine surgical intervention appears to be progressive neurological deficit.

Language: en