Cervical spine fractures
Updates to Article Attributes
Body
was changed:
Cervical spine fractures can occursoccur secondary to exaggerated flexion or extension, or because of direct trauma or axial loading.
The cervical spine is susceptible to injury because it is highly mobile with relatively small vertebral bodies and supports the head which is both heavy and acts as a leaverlever.
There are many types of cervical spine fracture, some of which are unstable; general indicators of instability include:
- more than one vertebral column involvement
- increased or reduced disc space height
- increased interspinous distance
- facet joint widening
- vertebral compression greater than 25%
Mechanism of injury
- hyperflexion - commonest mechanism
- hyperextension
- axial compression
- lateral flexion
- complex injuries
-<p><strong>Cervical spine fractures</strong> can occurs secondary to exaggerated flexion or extension, or because of direct trauma or axial loading.</p><p>The <a href="/articles/cervical-spine" title="cervical spine">cervical spine</a> is susceptible to injury because it is highly mobile with relatively small <a href="/articles/vertebral-bodies" title="vertebral bodies">vertebral bodies</a> and supports the head which is both heavy and acts as a leaver. </p><p>There are many types of cervical spine fracture, some of which are unstable; general indicators of instability include: </p><ul>-<li>more than one <a href="/articles/vertebral-column" title="vertebral column">vertebral column</a> involvement</li>-<li>increased or reduced <a href="/articles/disc-space-height" title="disc space height">disc space height</a>-</li>-<li>increased <a href="/articles/interspinous-distance" title="interspinous distance">interspinous distance</a>-</li>-<li><a href="/articles/facet-joint-widening" title="facet joint widening">facet joint widening</a></li>-<li>-<a href="/articles/vertebral-compression" title="vertebral compression">vertebral compression</a> greater than 25%</li>- +<p><strong>Cervical spine fractures</strong> can occur secondary to exaggerated flexion or extension, or because of direct trauma or axial loading.</p><p>The <a href="/articles/cervical-spine" title="cervical spine">cervical spine</a> is susceptible to injury because it is highly mobile with relatively small <a href="/articles/vertebral-bodies" title="vertebral bodies">vertebral bodies</a> and supports the head which is both heavy and acts as a lever. </p><p>There are many types of cervical spine fracture, some of which are unstable; general indicators of instability include: </p><ul>
- +<li>more than one <a href="/articles/vertebral-column" title="vertebral column">vertebral column</a> involvement</li>
- +<li>increased or reduced <a href="/articles/disc-space-height" title="disc space height">disc space height</a>
- +</li>
- +<li>increased <a href="/articles/interspinous-distance" title="interspinous distance">interspinous distance</a>
- +</li>
- +<li><a href="/articles/facet-joint-widening" title="facet joint widening">facet joint widening</a></li>
- +<li>
- +<a href="/articles/vertebral-compression" title="vertebral compression">vertebral compression</a> greater than 25%</li>
-<li><a href="/articles/flexion-teardrop-fracture" title="flexion teardrop fracture" style="COLOR: rgb(63,117,216); TEXT-DECORATION: none">flexion teardrop fracture</a></li>-<li><a href="/articles/clay-shoveler-fracture-2" title="Clay-shoveler fracture">clay-shoveler fracture</a></li>-<li>- +<li><a href="/articles/flexion-teardrop-fracture" title="flexion teardrop fracture" style="COLOR: rgb(63,117,216); TEXT-DECORATION: none">flexion teardrop fracture</a></li>
- +<li><a href="/articles/clay-shoveler-fracture-2" title="Clay-shoveler fracture">clay-shoveler fracture</a></li>
- +<li>
-<li>-<a href="/articles/bilateral-facet-dislocation" title="bilateral facet dislocation">bilateral facet dislocation</a> (no rotation)</li>-<li>-<a href="/articles/unilateral_facet_dislocation" title="Unilateral facet dislocation">unilateral facet dislocation</a> (with rotation)</li>- +<li>
- +<a href="/articles/bilateral-facet-dislocation" title="bilateral facet dislocation">bilateral facet dislocation</a> (no rotation)</li>
- +<li>
- +<a href="/articles/unilateral_facet_dislocation" title="Unilateral facet dislocation">unilateral facet dislocation</a> (with rotation)</li>
-</li>-<li><a href="/articles/anterior-subluxation" title="anterior subluxation" style="COLOR: rgb(63,117,216); TEXT-DECORATION: none">anterior subluxation</a></li>-<li><a href="/articles/hyperflexion-fracturedislocation" title="hyperflexion fracture-dislocation" style="COLOR: rgb(63,117,216); TEXT-DECORATION: none">hyperflexion fracture-dislocation</a></li>- +</li>
- +<li><a href="/articles/anterior-subluxation" title="anterior subluxation" style="COLOR: rgb(63,117,216); TEXT-DECORATION: none">anterior subluxation</a></li>
- +<li><a href="/articles/hyperflexion-fracturedislocation" title="hyperflexion fracture-dislocation" style="COLOR: rgb(63,117,216); TEXT-DECORATION: none">hyperflexion fracture-dislocation</a></li>
-</li>- +</li>
-<li><a href="/articles/hangman-fracture" title="hangman fracture" style="COLOR: rgb(63,117,216); TEXT-DECORATION: none">hangman fracture</a></li>-<li><a href="/articles/hyperextension-teardrop-fracture" title="Extension teardrop fracture" style="COLOR: rgb(63,117,216); TEXT-DECORATION: none">extension teardrop fracture</a></li>- +<li><a href="/articles/hangman-fracture" title="hangman fracture" style="COLOR: rgb(63,117,216); TEXT-DECORATION: none">hangman fracture</a></li>
- +<li><a href="/articles/hyperextension-teardrop-fracture" title="Extension teardrop fracture" style="COLOR: rgb(63,117,216); TEXT-DECORATION: none">extension teardrop fracture</a></li>
-</li>- +</li>
-<li><a href="/articles/jefferson_fracture" title="Jefferson fracture" style="COLOR: rgb(63,117,216); TEXT-DECORATION: none">Jefferson fracture</a></li>-<li><a href="/articles/burst-fracture" title="burst fracture" style="COLOR: rgb(63,117,216); TEXT-DECORATION: none">burst (compression) fracture</a></li>-<li><a href="/articles/wedge-fracture" title="wedge fracture" style="COLOR: rgb(63,117,216); TEXT-DECORATION: none">wedge fracture</a></li>- +<li><a href="/articles/jefferson_fracture" title="Jefferson fracture" style="COLOR: rgb(63,117,216); TEXT-DECORATION: none">Jefferson fracture</a></li>
- +<li><a href="/articles/burst-fracture" title="burst fracture" style="COLOR: rgb(63,117,216); TEXT-DECORATION: none">burst (compression) fracture</a></li>
- +<li><a href="/articles/wedge-fracture" title="wedge fracture" style="COLOR: rgb(63,117,216); TEXT-DECORATION: none">wedge fracture</a></li>
-</li>- +</li>
-</li>- +</li>
-<li><a href="/articles/odontoid-fracture" title="Odontoid process fracture" style="COLOR: rgb(63,117,216); TEXT-DECORATION: none">odontoid process fracture</a></li>-<li><a href="/articles/atlanto-occipital-dissociation-injuries" title="atlantooccipital dissociation" style="COLOR: rgb(63,117,216); TEXT-DECORATION: none">atlantooccipital dissociation</a></li>- +<li><a href="/articles/odontoid-fracture" title="Odontoid process fracture" style="COLOR: rgb(63,117,216); TEXT-DECORATION: none">odontoid process fracture</a></li>
- +<li><a href="/articles/atlanto-occipital-dissociation-injuries" title="atlantooccipital dissociation" style="COLOR: rgb(63,117,216); TEXT-DECORATION: none">atlantooccipital dissociation</a></li>
-</li>- +</li>
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