Magerl et al developed a classification for injuries to the thoracic and lumbar spine using a scheme similar to that used for the AO fracture classification. The Type C fractures involve (a) injury to the anterior and posterior elements together with (b) rotation. The authors are from multiple institutions in Europe and North America.
Type C injuries cause complete loss of the tensile strength of the spine. These injuries are unstable in axial torque and may be superimposed on Type A and/or Type B injuries. They result in the highest rate of neurological deficits and require surgical stabilization.
Major subtypes:
(1) compression injuries (Type A) with rotation
(2) flexion-distraction injuries (Type B1 and B2) with rotation
(3) hyperextension-shear (Type B3) with rotation
(4) mixed rotation and shear
|
Major Subtype |
Minor Subtype |
Subdivider |
Classification |
|
Type A with rotation |
|
|
C1 |
|
|
rotational wedge fracture |
|
C1.1 |
|
|
rotational split fracture |
|
C1.2 |
|
|
|
rotational sagittal split fracture |
C1.2.1 |
|
|
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rotational coronal split fracture |
C1.2.2 |
|
|
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rotational pincer fracture |
C1.2.3 |
|
|
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vertebral body separation |
C1.2.4 |
|
|
rotational burst fractures |
|
C1.3 |
|
|
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incomplete rotational burst fracture |
C1.3.1 |
|
|
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rotational burst-split fracture |
C1.3.2 |
|
|
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complete rotational burst fracture |
C1.3.3 |
|
Type B with rotation |
|
|
C2 |
|
|
Type B1 with rotation |
|
C2.1 |
|
|
|
rotational flexion subluxation |
C2.1.1 |
|
|
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rotational flexion subluxation with unilateral articular process fracture |
C2.1.2 |
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unilateral dislocation |
C2.1.3 |
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|
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rotational anterior dislocation with or without fracture of articular processes |
C2.1.4 |
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C2.1.1 or C2.1.2 with Type A fracture |
C2.1.5 |
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C2.1.3 with Type A fracture |
C2.1.6 |
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C2.1.4 with Type A fracture |
C2.1.7 |
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Type B2 with rotation |
|
C2.2 |
|
|
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rotational transverse bicolumnar fracture |
C2.2.1 |
|
|
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unilateral flexion spondylolysis with disruption of the disc |
C2.2.2 |
|
|
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unilateral flexion spondylolysis with type A fracture |
C2.2.3 |
|
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Type B3 with rotation |
|
C2.3 |
|
|
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rotational hyper-extension-subluxation with/without fracture of posterior vertebral elements |
C2.3.1 |
|
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unilateral hyper-extension-spondylolysis |
C2.3.2 |
|
|
|
posterior dislocation with rotation |
C2.3.3 |
|
rotational-shear |
|
|
C3 |
|
|
slice fracture |
|
C3.1 |
|
|
oblique fracture |
|
C3.2 |
Specialty: Surgery, orthopedic, Emergency Medicine, Critical Care, Surgery, general
ICD-10: ,
