Citation

Thom DR, Hurt HH, Smith TA, Rehman I. Annu. Proc. Assoc. Adv. Automot. Med. 1995; 39: 163-175.

Affiliation

Head Protection Research Laboratory and School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Calif, USA

Copyright

(Copyright © 1995, Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Autopsy data from 304 fatally injured motorcyclists (60 helmeted and 244 unhelmeted) were analyzed for the incidence, location, and mechanism of injury to the upper cervical spine, atlas and axis. Findings include 160 incidences of subluxation, 35 dislocations and 28 fractures. The mechanism and relationship of these injuries to head impacts, head and neck motion, and closely related injuries were examined. The neck motions most often associated with atlas or axis injury were hyperextension and lateral bending. Previous research examined the incidence of basilar skull fractures in a sample of 304 fatally injured motorcyclists (Thom and Hurt, 1993). Injuries to the base of the skull and adjacent cervical spine were encountered frequently. In the present work, this data set is examined for the incidence, location, and mechanism of injury to the upper cervical spine, atlas and axis. In addition, adjacent neural and vascular injuries are reported.

Language: en