The surgery for a fractured neck bone is a cervical fusion.
A cervical fusion is a surgical procedure in which the fractured vertebrae is stabilized and joined together using metal screws, rods or plates and often with bone graft material as well to promote healing.
The cervical fusion to fix a fractured neck bone is done with the aim to decompress your spinal cord and stabilize your neck by fusing your broken neck bones together.
Broken necks are always a medical emergency no matter how small the broken neck injury is.
Symptoms of a broken neck are not always obvious right away and sometimes may not even appear on imaging tests.
Delaying treatment for a broken neck or broken bone in your neck can cause the condition to get worse and increase recovery time.
A fractured neck can be healed and it's important to seek medical attention for any neck fracture as some can be more serious than others and while minor neck fractures often require just a neck brace or collar to heal, more severe neck fractures will often require surgery to treat.
What a doctor does for a fractured neck depends on the severity of the neck fracture.
For minor neck fractures the doctor will put a neck brace or collar on your neck to keep the neck still and the bones in place while they heal within 6 to 8 weeks.
More severe neck fractures will often require surgery to stabilize your spine and restore neck function and spinal cord function.
Other treatments for a neck fracture are traction, that limits movement and can take up to 12 weeks.
A neck fracture is painful and the pain from a neck fracture can be moderate pain to severe pain depending on how bad the neck was fractured.
The pain with a neck fracture can also get worse with movement and spread to your arms and shoulders.
Other symptoms of a broken neck are swelling and or bruising at the back of your neck and weakness in your legs and or arms.
In severe enough cases you can be paralyzed from a neck fracture.
If the neck fracture also damages the spinal cord in your neck area it can cause paralysis and lead to loss of movement or sensation below the neck.
The primary concern with a neck fracture is the potential for spinal cord injury, which can lead to paralysis, but it depends on the location of the damage and severity.
A neck fracture or broken neck can take up to 6 months to heal although some less severe neck fractures may heal within 6 to 12 weeks.
Minor neck fractures often heal within 6 to 8 weeks, severe neck fractures might require traction and take up to 12 to 14 weeks to heal and complex neck fractures may even require surgery, a rigid cast or combination of treatments and take 6 months to fully heal.
A broken neck does sometimes affect the brain because your spinal cord runs through your neck and directly connects to your brain.
A severe neck injury or severe broken neck can damage your spinal cord and cause neurological impairments, which include brain function disruption which can vary depending on the location and severity of the neck injury.
The higher up your neck injury occurs the greater the potential impact the neck injury has on your brain.
The survival rate of a broken neck is around 90 percent to 95 percent with prompt medical attention.
In severe cases the broken neck could cause death even instantly or near instantly but for less severe broken necks if you get prompt medical attention you have a high chance of surviving the broken neck.
A neck fracture is always considered serious as it can cause paralysis or even death if left untreated in some cases.
If you suspect a neck fracture you should always seek medical attention even if it's a not a very severe neck fracture.
Symptoms of a neck fracture include extreme neck pain, swelling and even loss of feeling in the legs and arms.
If someone has broken their neck or you suspect a neck fracture you should not move the person unless they are in immediate danger.
When you fracture your neck you shouldn't be moved and if possible call for an ambulance and should seek medical attention right away.
If you suspect a small neck fracture you can often get to the ER on your own or with someone else but be careful to not move your neck and keep your neck and head supported.
A neck fracture may be a minor hairline crack, or it may be a major break.
The neck fracture can be very serious if the nerves or the spinal cord are also damaged.
Having a fractured or broken neck is often very painful and can make movement of your head difficult or even impossible.
Depending on the level of damage to your spinal cord, the neck fracture or broken neck can also affect other parts of your body, such as a difficulty or inability to move your arms and legs.
Paralysis which is possible from a neck fracture may be temporary or even permanent in some cases.
A fractured or broken neck can be healed and fixed although there is currently no reliable way of mending severed nerves.
A stable c-spine vertebral injury that hasn't affected your spinal cord will have a very high likelihood for full recovery with the right treatment.
The chances of surviving a broken neck or neck fracture are pretty good when you get prompt medical attention.
People with an upper cervical fracture with dens involvement have a 20% risk of mortality at three months.
And people with an upper cervical fracture without dens involvement (20%) and those with a lower cervical fracture (19%) had similar risks of mortality at three months.