Spine
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Closed, indirect fractures and dislocations of the lower cervical spine occur in families or groups within which there is a spectrum of anatomic damage to a cervical motion segment. This study of 165 cases demonstrates the various spectra of injury, called phylogenies, and develops a classification based on the mechanism of injury. ⋯ The probability of an associated neurologic lesion relates directly to the type and severity of cervical spine injury. With use of the classification, it is possible to formulate a rational treatment plan for injuries to the cervical spine.