S12.7: Multiple fractures of cervical spine
The cervical vertebra are numbered from top to bottom. Most vertebrae consist of a vertebral body and a vertebral arch. The vertebral body bears the weight of the body. The vertebral arches lie on top of one another to form the spinal canal. The spinal cord lies in the vertebral canal.
When a cervical vertebra is broken, surrounding tissue may also be damaged. This includes, for example, the spinal cord, the trachea, large blood vessels, and the gullet.
A broken vertebra may be painful, for example. Usually the head can no longer be moved properly.
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