Chapter Ten: Orthoses for spinal trauma and postoperative care Flashcards
Orthotic treatment of spinal trauma may be indicated only with what type of fractures
Stable spinal fractures with the exception of upper cervical spine and bilateral facet fractures.
In, general how can you telll if the injury is stable or not?
If the integrity of the anterior and/or posterior ligamentous complex is compromised, the injury is unstable.
What is a Jefferson’s fracture?
Fracture of the ring of the first cervical vertebra.
Typically C1 is split into multiple fragments and the injury is unstable in all anatomical planes.
How can a Jefferson’s fracture occur?
Axial load applied to the top of th ehead and transferred through the condyles of the occiput
With the absence of external support, what can happen to a patient with a Jefferson’s fracture?
Neurologic damage because motion of the head is not constrained.
What is a hangman’s fracture?
A fracture through the pedicles of C2 that separates the posterior neural arch from the vertebral body.
This fracture is unstable in all anatomical planes.
What is the mechanism of injury for a hangman fracture?
Hyperextension followed by distraction, also called traumatic spondylolisthesis.
Odontoid fractures are caused by what?
A combination of shear and compression oading and may result from a blow to the back of the head.
What are the different types of odontoid fractures?
Type I: Fracture is through the tip of the odontoid
Type II: odontoid fracture is through the base of the odontoid
Type III: Fracture line is through the body of the vertebra.
Which of the odontoid fractures are stable or unstable?
Type I stable
Type II and III unstable
Compression fractures in the region of C3-7 are caused how?
hyperflexion injuries where the endplates of the vertebra may be damaged and the vertebral body fractures.
What is the most common level of compression fractures in the region of C3-7?
C5
What is bad about the fracture at C5?
The brachial plexus could be involved.
Hyperextension injuries of the cervical vertebra are usually what?
Due to whiplash
Soft-tissue injuries, and the anterior longitudinal ligament may be ruptured.
Facet joint dislocations involve what?
Disruption of the joint capsule and possibly the posterior ligament.
Unilateral facet fractures are caused by what?
Lateral flexion and rotation and result in narrowing of the spinal canal and neural foramen.
What is an example of an event that could cause a unilateral facet fracture and may result in what?
Shoulder belt injury from a motor vehicle accident. The vertebral body is usually dislocated less than 50% anteriorly and 75% of patients have no neurologic involvement. However it may result in isolated paralysis, such as Brown-Sequard syndrome.
In bilateral facet dislocations, what are disrupted?
Facet capsules
Posterior ligament
Intervertebral disc
What is the mechanism of injury for bilateral facet dislocations?
Severe flexion with some rotation with the vertebral body displaced by more than half of its anterior-posterior dimension.
What percent of patients have neurologic lesions due to bilateral facet dislocations?
85%
What is the most common level of injury of bilateral facet dislocations?
C5-6
What are risk factors for Bilateral facet dislocations?
Spondylosis
Degenerative disc disease
Decreased ROM
Age over 50 years.
What are Thoracic compression fractures?
Impaction of the anterior aspect of the vertebral body
What is the mechanism of injury for thoracic compression fractures?
Flexion and compression of the affected segments.
What has to be intact for thoracic compression fractures to be stable?
Anterior and posterior longitudinal igaments as well as the posterior ligmentous complex
The spinous process must not be separated.
If the anterior column of the spine alone is injured, what was the mechanism of injury?
Flexion followed by compression
If the anterior and middle columns are injured, causing a burst fracture, what was the mechanism of injury?
Compression followed by flexion
The posterior and middle columns can be injured through what?
Flexion followed by distraction, they can be through bone or soft tissue or both.
Fractures through soft tissue are usually treated how/
Surgery
The chance fracture often results from what/
A motor vehicle accident, referred to as a lap belt injury. It could also be caused by the abdomen hitting a solid object.