UMEM Educational Pearls

Title: Cervical Cord Neuropraxia (CCN)

Category: Orthopedics

Keywords: Spinal Cord injury (PubMed Search)

Posted: 7/13/2014 by Brian Corwell, MD (Updated: 7/23/2014)
Click here to contact Brian Corwell, MD

Cervical Cord Neuropraxia (CCN)

A concussion of the spinal cord as a result of an on-field collision.

A transient motor and/or sensory disturbance, lasting less than 24 hours.

A distinct and separate entity from spinal cord injury resulting in quadriplegia

Incidence 7.3 per 10,000 athletes

Approx. 50% of players experiencing CCN who return to play, have a second episode

The risk of this second episode is inversely proportional to the size of the cervical bony canal

Athletes with narrow canal diameter are more likely to have a 2nd episode

Those with normal canal diameter (14 mm on MRI) have a 5% risk

Those with a narrow canal (9 mm or less)) have a greater than 50% risk.

Whether repeat episodes lead to permanent spinal cord injury is unknown

Bell, Gordon. Return to play after Cervical Cord Neuroplraxia.2014