Cruciate paralysis: a clinical and radiographic analysis of injuries to the cervicomedullary junction.

Fourteen patients with superior cervical spinal cord injuries and the clinical signs and symptoms of cruciate paralysis are presented. This rare injury pattern is characterized by weakness of the upper extremities with little or no compromise of lower-extremity function following trauma to the superior spinal cord. Anatomically, cruciate paralysis is thought to represent selective injury to descending corticospinal tracts as they decussate at the cervicomedullary junction. The clinical and radiographic findings of each patient are outlined and the incidence and natural history of the injury syndrome, including a review of the literature, are presented.