Spinal fracture

Spinal fracture
Lateral spine X-ray showing osteoporotic wedge fractures of L1/2
Classification and external resources
ICD-10	S32.0-S32.1
ICD-9-CM	805
eMedicine	article/248236
MeSH	D016103

CASH Orthosis.

A spinal fracture, also called a vertebral fracture or a broken back, is a fracture affecting the vertebrae of the spinal column.

Types

• Cervical fracture
  • Fracture of C1, including Jefferson fracture
  • Fracture of C2, including Hangman's fracture
  • Flexion teardrop fracture – a fracture of the anteroinferior aspect of a cervical vertebral
• Clay-shoveler fracture – fracture through the spinous process of a vertebra occurring at any of the lower cervical or upper thoracic vertebrae
• Burst fracture – in which a vertebra breaks from a high-energy axial load
• Compression fracture – a collapse of a vertebra, often in the form of wedge fractures due to larger compression anteriorly
• Chance fracture – compression injury to the anterior portion of a vertebral body with concomitant distraction injury to posterior elements
• Holdsworth fracture – an unstable fracture dislocation of the thoracolumbar junction of the spine

Vertebral fractures of the thoracic vertebrae, lumbar vertebrae or Sacrum are usually associated with major trauma and can cause spinal cord damage that results in neurological deficit.^[1]

References