Traumatic Jumped Cervical Facets in Adult Patients: A Case Series

Danielle E Chipman; Thomas J Ryan; Christopher Lucasti; David Kowalski; Emily K Vallee; Maxwell M Scott; Alexander Yunke; Lindsey D Clark; Joseph M Kowalski

doi:10.1097/BSD.0000000000001864

Traumatic Jumped Cervical Facets in Adult Patients: A Case Series

Clin Spine Surg. 2025 Jun 19. doi: 10.1097/BSD.0000000000001864. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Danielle E Chipman¹, Thomas J Ryan¹, Christopher Lucasti², David Kowalski², Emily K Vallee¹, Maxwell M Scott¹, Alexander Yunke¹, Lindsey D Clark², Joseph M Kowalski²

Affiliations

¹ Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.
² Department of Orthopaedics, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Science, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY.

PMID: 40536239
DOI: 10.1097/BSD.0000000000001864

Abstract

Study design: Retrospective case series.

Objective: The objective of this study is to report on the demographics, symptoms, and treatment course of a series of adult trauma patients who presented with jumped facets.

Summary of background data: Jumped facets are rare traumatic cervical spine injuries that result in significant instability. These can be unilateral or bilateral, and they are often associated with serious spinal cord injuries.

Methods: All patients over 18 years old who presented at a single level 1 trauma center between September 2015 to March 2023 with a cervical spine injury were identified. Patients were included if they had jumped facets diagnosed on computed tomography (CT) scans. Patients were excluded if they were under 18 years old and/or did not have a diagnosis of jumped facets. Demographics, cervical spine characteristics, American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) impairment scale scores, treatment course, and intrahospital data for all patients were collected.

Results: Of the 554 patients identified, 11 patients met the final inclusion and exclusion criteria. The average age of the participants was 50.6 ± 22.1 years; 72.7% were male. The most common mechanism of injury, 9 (81.8%) patients, was a motor vehicle crash (MVC). All injury levels fell between levels C4 and C7. Six (54.5%) patients had motor and sensory deficits. Two (18.2%) patients had an ASIA score of A. All patients underwent surgical treatment, and 7 (63.6%) patients were treated with both an anterior and posterior approach. Patients spent a median of 12.0 (IQR: 10.0) days in the hospital.

Conclusions: In this series of patients, the majority of patients who sustained jumped facets were middle-aged men who were involved in an MVC. While most patients did not have complete spinal cord injuries, all patients underwent urgent reduction and stabilization. Therefore, in an attempt to best help patients regain as much function as possible, we recommend prompt reduction and stabilization.

Level of evidence: Level IV.

Keywords: cervical spine; facet dislocation; jumped facet; trauma.