ArticleGlobal spine journal2023
The Incidence, Characteristics and Outcomes of Vertebral Artery Injury Associated with Cervical Spine Trauma: A Systematic Review.
Article in Global spine journal, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
12 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 22 citations in OpenAlex.
- Traumatic vertebral artery occlusion is associated with high rates of recanalization: insights from a systematic review and meta-analysis.Neurosurgical review · 2025Pooled it
- Article
- Vertebral artery dissection and homonymous hemianopsia after a cervical spine fracture in a polytrauma patient with hypoplastic contralateral vertebral artery: a case report.Journal of trauma and injury · 2026Article
- A unique management strategy to bilateral vertebral artery occlusion following cervical trauma: illustrative case.Journal of neurosurgery. Case lessons · 2025Article
- Impact of tracheostomy timing on postoperative outcomes following anterior cervical discectomy and fusion for sub-axial cervical fractures: A retrospective analysis.Journal of orthopaedics · 2025Article
- Traumatic Vertebral Artery Injury: Diagnosis, Natural History, and Key Considerations for Management.Journal of clinical medicine · 2025Review
- [Which diagnostic tests are indicated in the emergency department after trauma to the cervical spine?]Unfallchirurgie (Heidelberg, Germany) · 2025Review
- 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 · 2025Article
- Blunt Traumatic Vertebral Artery Injury After Cervical Fracture Dislocation: A Systematic Review of the Literature.Cureus · 2024Review
- A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Vertebral Artery Injury After Cervical Spine Trauma.Global spine journal · 2024Review
- Clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with concomitant cervical spine trauma and vertebral artery injury: A literature review and retrospective analysis.Journal of craniovertebral junction & spineArticle
- Incidence and outcomes of posterior circulation stroke following traumatic vertebral artery injury: A 6-year single-center retrospective cohort study.Journal of craniovertebral junction & spineArticle
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
7 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
STUDY
designSystematic Review.
objectivesVertebral Artery Injury (VAI) is a potentially serious complication of cervical spine fractures. As many patients can be asymptomatic at the time of injury, the identification and diagnosis of VAI can often prove difficult. Due to the high rates of morbidity and mortality associated with VAI, high clinical suspicion is paramount. The purpose of this review is to elucidate incidence, diagnosis, treatment and outcomes of VAI associated with cervical spine injuries.
methodsA systematic search of electronic databases was performed using 'PUBMED', 'EMBASE','Medline (OVID)', and 'Web of Science, for articles pertaining to traumatic cervical fractures with associated VAI.
results24 studies were included in this systematic review. Data was included from 48 744 patients. In regards to the demographics of the focus groups that highlighted information on VAI, the mean average age was 46.6 (32.1-62.6). 75.1% (169/225) were male and 24.9% (56/225) were female. Overall incidence of VAI was 596/11 479 (5.19%). 190/420 (45.2%) of patients with VAI had fractures involving the transverse foramina. The right vertebral artery was the most commonly injured 114/234 (48.7%). V3 was the most common section injured (16/36 (44.4%)). Grade I was the most common (103/218 (47.2%)) injury noted. Collective acute hospital mortality rate was 32/226 (14.2%), ranging from 0-26.2% across studies.
conclusionVAI secondary to cervical spine trauma has a notable incidence and high associated mortality rates. The current available literature is limited by a low quality of evidence. In order to optimise diagnostic protocols and treatment strategies, in addition to reducing mortality rates associated with VAI, robust quantitative and qualitative studies are needed.
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