Compression of the cervical spine cord after reduction of fracture dislocations. Report of 2 cases.

Two cases of severe neurologic damage after open reduction of locked facet joint dislocations of the cervical spine are described. Both patients had progressive neurologic deterioration after the accident. In both cases, the cause of the neurologic injury was sequestrated disk material compressing the spinal cord. One patient, who was reoperated on as an emergency, recovered after removal of the sequestra, whereas the other patient, who was reoperated on later, remained tetraplegic.