 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (January 2008) |
| Cervical fracture | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Broken neck |
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| A fracture of the base of the dens (a part of C2) as seen on CT | |
| Specialty | Emergency medicine, neurosurgery, orthopedic surgery |
A cervical fracture, commonly called a broken neck, is a fracture of any of the seven cervical vertebrae in the neck. Examples of common causes in humans are traffic collisions and diving into shallow water. Abnormal movement of neck bones or pieces of bone can cause a spinal cord injury, resulting in loss of sensation, paralysis, or usually death soon thereafter (~1 min.), primarily via compromising neurological supply to the respiratory muscles and innervation to the heart.