Most fractures of the cervical spine are considered stable and treated with a rigid cervical collar. However no studies have to date been published addressing the length of treatment. There seems to be a significant dissimilarity between hospitals within and between countries with the length of collar treatment varying from 6 to 12 weeks. At the neurosurgical department at Oslo University Hospital, Ullevål the standard length of treatment for a stable cervical fracture is 12 weeks. This study seeks to establish whether 6 weeks of collar treatment for a specific subtype of stable fractures in the cervical spine is sufficient.
The investigators will include 150 patients with a stable cervical fractures of vertebra C3-C7 with a Subaxial Cervical Spine Injury Severity (SLIC) Score 1-3 and randomize them in to two similar groups. One group will be treated with a cervical collar for 6 weeks and the other group will be treated for 12 weeks. There will be a clinical check up and a CT scan at 1, 6, 12 and 26 weeks after the initial injury. The investigators will compare the results between the two groups when it comes to fracture healing (CT based), level of function, pain and the length of sick leave with a total of 6 months of follow up.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
32
The two groups of patients will similar in every way and will be treated with the same type of cervical collar - the only difference will be the length of treatment
Neurosurgical department, Oslo university hospital, Ullevål
Oslo, Norway
Fracture healing
The fracture healing will be assessed based on CT scans at 6 months
Time frame: 6 months
Visual analogue scale - neck pain and radiculopathy
Pain will be assessed at 6 months based on the Visual Analogue Scale and the use of pain medication will be recorded at 6 months
Time frame: 6 months
Level of function
Level of function will be assessed at 6 months using the Neck Disability Index and the Karnofsky Performance Scale Index and by registering the length of sick leave at 6 months
Time frame: 6 months
Treatment failure
Treatment failure will be recorded in both arms at 6 months. Defined as the need for surgery in both groups or the need to extend the use of collar from 6 to 12 weeks in the 6 weeks group
Time frame: 6 months
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