[Cervical sprains and cervical herniated discs (author's transl)].

The cervical spine, containing twenty-articulations, is particularly exposed to sprains. Benign cases are those in which both spinal stability is not affected and only subjective neurovascular complaints are present. Management essentially involves constant volontary immobilization of the cervical spine with or without apparatus (Postural training). The severity of the sprains results from the possibility of either vertebral instability or objective neurovascular complications. Bony instability can be detected on dynamic radiographs based on precise criteria defined by physiologic study of normal spinal movements. When a persistant vascular syndrome involving the vertebro-basilar arteries is observed, vertebral arteriography may be indicated. Likewise, the presence of a thoracic outlet syndrome may required sub-clavian arteriography. Metrizamide myelography is used to explore neurologic lesions. The author concluded that only severe cervical sprains required surgical intervention. A prolapsed cervical disc, revealed by discography and especially metrizamide myelography, most often requires an anterior approach to surgery.