Alternative Names & Classifications:
Broken Neck (CLINICAL), Cervical Spine Fracture (CLINICAL)
Description
A cervical spine fracture is a catastrophic injury involving a break in the skeletal structure of the neck. It is caused by high-energy trauma such as diving into shallow water, severe car crashes, or traumatic falls directly onto the head. The extreme danger of a broken neck is that displaced bone fragments can slice into the spinal cord, leading to permanent paralysis or death.