We present the case of rare extreme dislocation of subaxial cervical spine, which was challenging regarding type and time of surgery. A 22-year-old patient was injured in a traffic accident, from very beginning with signs of spinal shock. Severe traumatic C6/C7 dislocation with resulting transection of the spinal cord was diagnosed with MDCT imaging. The main dilemmas regarding the surgical treatment of this injury referred to the timing of surgery and the choice of surgical approach. We decided to perform posterior surgery at first stage. Postoperative her condition get worsening and on the 16th postoperative day came to the fatal outcome. Despite all the available protocols, in our case, the decision had to be made on the basis of individual multidisciplinary assessment, bearing in mind the mechanism of the injury and the clinical presentation of the injured patient.
Keywords: surgical approach; timing of the surgical procedure; transection of the spinal cord; traumatic C6/C7 dislocation.
Published by Oxford University Press and JSCR Publishing Ltd. © The Author(s) 2024.