0
Survival of an internal decapitation and or separation of skull from spinal cord spinal cord?
Wiki User
∙ 14y ago
I believe the most recent numbers for the survival of atlanto-occipital dislocation, more commonly referred to as internal decapitation, are 98 out of 100 people die from this particular trauma. There are people who have survived though and there are invasive surgeries to reattach the skull back to the spine after dislocation.
Wiki User
∙ 14y ago
Add your answer:
Earn +20 pts
What is internal decapitation?
Originally answered by K9dogluvr..... "Internal decapitation is the breaking of the spinal cord without the loss of one's head, breaking the essential nerves controlling the body. It is commonly seen in car accidents in which there was no headrest or one that was not properly adjusted." While the spinal cord is often completely severed due to this injury, that is actually a secondary condition resulting from the internal decapitation, not the definition of the term. Internal decapitation with severence or other immediate spinal cord trauma is actually the intent of hanging a person. If hanging is used to exceute a person, the body's weight actually causes this particular injury, often along with separating the spinal cord from the brain stem in the process, which is what causes the desired instant death. The spinal cord is attached to the brain by way of the brain stem, and usually sits within the spinal column in a bath of cerebrospinal fluid. The spinal cord actually does nothing to hold your head to your body, since any pulling on or compression of the cord itself can cause devestating problems. What actually holds your head to your neck is a combination of tendons, ligaments, muscles and other soft tissues that connect the base of the skull to the two top verterbrae. This two bones are shaped differently than the rest of the verterbrae and provides you with the ability to turn your head without paralyzing yourself. The true clinical definition of internal decapitation actually involves the tendons and ligaments that hold the skull to the top of the spinal column. Essentially what happens is that the shearing forces caused by a trauma to the upper neck cause a type of dislocation of the neck at the worst possble place. One way to think about it is that following this injury the only thing that may be holding a person's head on is skin and the spinal cord, along with some muscles and other soft tissues. Any movement at all could cause tearing, compression, or other trauma to the spinal cord and or brain stem, leading to devestating neurological consequences or death. Believe it or not there have been several people who have survived an internal decapitation. If the condition is quickly suspected or diagnosed, surgical intervention can reattach the skull to the neck, and provided the spinal cord remained intact meaningful recovery is possible. I believe there have been 6 known cases of recovery from internal decapitation, and more than one of those cases resulted in a full recovery with no long term neurological damage. Overall, internal decapitation is an exceedingly rare injury that requres the "perfect storm" of circumstances to occur. Just another example of how amazingly resilient the human body can be. :) Sorry to be long winded, but I am fascinated by medical science.
Is the spinal cord internal or external to the spine?
internal
Can injury to the spinal cord alter a person's internal temperature?
Yes
Is a Siberian tiger an invertebrate?
No its a vertebrate, which means it has an internal skeleton, and a spinal column.
Which animals have internal backbones?
The backbone is internal on all vertebrates as exposure of the spinal column to the environment would result in infection and death.
What is the worst type of open wound?
I don't want to sound facetious, but the first thing that came to mind is a 'Decapitation' - it's fatal! Thereafter I would add the head; neck and spinal injuries and on to the impalement and the evisceration.
Does birds have spinal cord?
Yes, they have a dorsal (at the back) nerve chord as they are vertebrates ( they have an internal skeleton).
How long does it take to die by hanging yourself?
It varies depending on a person's weight and how far they drop down when they step off the platform. It ranges from instant decapitation to taking an hour or so. There are actually three ways that hanging can kill you - decapitation, a broken neck, or suffocation. Decapitation results from a very long drop. People have recovered from hanging in which their neck is broken, and they are paralyzed for life. Suffocation from hanging can result in convulsions, shock, and dizziness to name a few. The person may also recover and have a condition where the brain enters the spinal cord. This results in death within a few days to a few years.
Why is the formation of nerve plexuses a survival advantage?
Damage to a single spinal nerve will not completely paralyze a limb.
During prenatal development what is the correct order in which the internal systems begin to form?
brain,spinal cord,heart and respiration
Is it true that a human head stays alive for some time after decapitation?
of coarse not. decapatation always follows immediate death. it sorta like when your hanging someone. if their neck snaps and the spinal cord is separated from the rest of the body they are gone. but really i doubt its medically possible
Why don't cats have backbones?
Cats DO have backbones! Cats are vertebrates, and like all vertebrates, they have an internal skeleton which includes the spinal column.
