Cervical Spine Flashcards
1
Q
Cervical Stability Lines
A
- Anterior column: ALL to mid vertebral body
- Middle column: midvertebral body to PLL
- Posterior column: PLL to supraspinous ligament
Disruption to 2 or more columns indicates an unstable fracture
2
Q
Flexion Forces Fractures
A
- Anterior wedge fracture
- Flexion teardrop fracture
- Clay-shoveler’s fracture
- Odontoid fracture
- Facet dislocation
- Ligamentous injury
3
Q
Extension Force Fractures
A
- Extension teardrop fracture
- Hangman’s fracture
- C1 posterior arch fracture
- Odontoid fracture
- Clay-shoveler’s fracture
4
Q
Verticle Compression Force Fractures
A
- Jefferson ‘burst’ fracture
- Compression fracture
- Burst fracture
5
Q
Other Forces Reslting in Fractures
A
- Unilateral facet dislocation (flex/ext-rotation)
- Pillar fracture (ext, rotation, lateral flex)
- Transverse process fracture (seat belt)
- Clay-shoveler’s fracture (stress)
6
Q
A
C1 Pisterior Arch Fracture
7
Q
A
Bilateral fracture of pedicles = Hangmans Fracture
8
Q
A
Grade 2 Odontoid Fracture
9
Q
A
Possible Odontoid base fracture or Mack Affect
Mack affect = Line of lucency through odontoid caused by the shadow of C1 posterior arch
10
Q
A
Fracture of Spinolamina Junction at C2
11
Q
A
Lamina Fracture
12
Q
A
Tear Drop Fracture at C2
DDx. Limbic bone (unlikely as the bone would not be displaced and smaller)
13
Q
A
- Whiplash or compression injury
- Anterior wedge-shaped vertebrae indicative of a hyper flexion injury
- Kyphotic deformity with large separation of C4-C5
- Tear drop fracture at C4
- Possible clay shovelers fracture at T1
- Facet dislocation at C4-C5
- Highly unstable
14
Q
A
- Anterior displacement of C1 and increase in atlanto-dental interspace
- Disruption of the transverse ligament
- DDx: RA, Psoriatic arthritis, Down Syndrome, Agenesis of posterior arch (congenital), Marfans, Ellos-Danlos
- Atlanto-axial instability
