Evidence map›Paper›PMID 10767788›Full record

ArticleAnnals of surgery2000

The devastating potential of blunt vertebral arterial injuries.

W L Biffl, E E Moore, J P Elliott, C Ray, P J Offner, R J Franciose, K E Brega, J M Burch

Open access · greenAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Annals of surgery, 2000. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 105 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
105citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
12.3field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

105 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 399 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Cervical spine fracture patterns associated with blunt cerebrovascular injuries: A literature review and meta-analysis.European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society · 2026
    Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Endovascular management of bilateral traumatic internal carotid artery dissections: A case report.Journal of vascular surgery cases and innovative techniques · 2026
    Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Review
  9. Traumatic vertebral artery transection injury: illustrative case.Journal of neurosurgery. Case lessons · 2025
    Article
  10. Review
  11. Change in management for digital subtraction angiography-identified false-positive traumatic vertebral artery injury.Interventional neuroradiology : journal of peritherapeutic neuroradiology, surgical procedures and related neurosciences · 2025
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  12. Article
  13. Review
  14. Review
  15. Article
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  19. Extreme dislocation of the cervical spine-case report.Journal of surgical case reports · 2024
    Article
  20. Article

45 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

W L BifflDepartments of Surgery, Neurosurgery, and Interventional Radiology, Denver Health Medical Center, Denver, CO 80204-4507, USA. wbiffl@dhha.org
E E Moore
J P Elliott
C Ray
P J Offner
R J Franciose
K E Brega
J M Burch
University of Colorado Denver · USDenver Health Medical Center · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo formulate management guidelines for blunt vertebral arterial injury (BVI). SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Compared with carotid arterial injuries, BVIs have been considered innocuous. Although screening for BVI has been advocated, particularly in patients with cervical spine injuries, the appropriate therapy of lesions is controversial.

methodsIn 1996 an aggressive arteriographic screening protocol for blunt cerebrovascular injuries was initiated. A prospective database of all screened patients has been maintained. Analysis of injury mechanisms and patterns, BVI grades, treatment, and outcomes was performed.

resultsThirty-eight patients (0.53% of blunt trauma admissions) were diagnosed with 47 BVIs during a 3.5-year period. Motor vehicle crash was the most common mechanism, and associated injuries were common. Cervical spine injuries were present in 71% of patients, but there was no predilection for cervical vertebral level or fracture pattern. The incidence of posterior circulation stroke was 24%, and the BVI-attributable death rate was 8%. Stroke incidence and neurologic outcome were independent of BVI injury grade. In patients treated with systemic heparin, fewer overall had a poor neurologic outcome, and fewer had a poor outcome after stroke. Trends associated with heparin therapy included fewer injuries progressing to a higher injury grade, fewer patients in whom stroke developed, and fewer patients deteriorating neurologically from diagnosis to discharge.

conclusionsBlunt vertebral arterial injuries are more common than previously reported. Screening patients based on injury mechanisms and patterns will diagnose asymptomatic injuries, allowing the institution of therapy before stroke. Systemic anticoagulation appears to be effective therapy: it is associated with improved neurologic outcome in patients with and without stroke, and it appears to prevent progression to a higher injury grade, stroke, and deterioration in neurologic status.

Indexed as

AdultAngiography, Digital SubtractionAnticoagulantsCarotid Artery InjuriesCervical VertebraeDatabases, FactualFemaleHeparinHumansIncidenceMaleProspective StudiesStrokeTrauma Severity IndicesVertebral ArteryWounds, NonpenetratingAnticoagulantsHeparin

Identifiers

PMID10767788
PMCPMC1421054
OpenAlexW1995298567

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.