[Surgical treatment of cervical spine injuries in childhood with special reference to the morphological and functional characteristics of the cervical vertebrae].

Over a period of 13 years 26 children with cervical spine injuries were treated, aged between 3 and 16 years, corresponding to a share of 10 per cent of all cervical injuries from 1969 to 1982. Surgical stabilisation of traumatic vertebra segments was performed in 6 children because of permanent segment instabilities. In case of mobile luxations and luxation fractures, different operative treatments and special morphological and functional features of cervical spine in childhood are discussed. Clinical and radiological long-term results of early surgical stabilisation are presented.