Lecture 11 + DLA 45

Question 1

What are the three types of odontoid fractures?

Answer 1

type I, II, and III

Question 2

What is a type I odontoid fracture?

Answer 2

It is a fracture of the superior part of the dens

it is rare and potentially unstable

Question 3

What is a type II odontoid fracture?

Answer 3

It is a fracture at the base of the dens

unstable and has a high risk of non-union

Question 4

What is a type III odontoid fracture?

Answer 4

it is through the dens and into the lateral mass of the C2

best prognosis for healing

Question 5

Explain hangman’s fracture?

Answer 5

Fracture occurs in the bony column formed by the superior and inferior articular processes of the axis, the pars inter-articularis.

Leads to traumatic spondylolysis of C2 and can also lead to traumatic spondylolisthesis

injury to the spinal cord and/or brain stem is likely

Question 6

What is a Jefferson fracture and why does it occur?

Answer 6

is also known as a burst fracture

this is caused by compression from above (jumping from a height) or a head on injury

does not always result in spinal cord injury, but if the transverse ligament is ruptured, a spinal cord injury is more likely

(the arches of the vertebra break)

Question 7

What is seen in imaging if a wedge or compression fracture occurs?

Answer 7

there is a loss of height of the vertebra

commonly found in the thoracic vertebra (T11-L1)

Question 8

What is a burst fracture?

Answer 8

A burst fracture is a descriptive term for an injury to the
spine where the vertebral body is severely
compressed.

occur when a great deal of force is put on the spine

Can have retropulsed fragments into the spinal canal
that may lead to spinal cord injury

Question 9

What is spondylolysis?

Answer 9

Fracture of the column bones connecting the superior and inferior articular processes (pars interarticularis)

Question 10

What is spondylolisthesis?

Answer 10

This is when a vertebra is slipping anteriorly upon its inferior counterpart

Question 11

What is a herniated disk?

Answer 11

Herniation of nucleus pulposus through degenerated

fibers of the annulus fibrosus

Question 12

Why is herniation most likely to be posterior and lateral?

Answer 12

the annulus fibrosus is thinner

also it lacks the support from the posterior ligament

Question 13

Lumbar epidural anesthesia?

Answer 13

injected into the epidural space

Question 14

sacral/ caudal epidural anesthesia?

Answer 14

injected into the sacral hiatus

Provides a reliable and effective block for operations
which involve low lumbar and sacral dermatomes.

Question 15

what ligament may be torn due to a hyperextension injury or whiplash?

Answer 15

The anterior longitudinal ligament

Question 16

What is klippel-feil syndrome?

Answer 16

The fusion of two cervical vertebra

two or more non-segmented fused cervical vertebrae
facets and spinous processes. Therefore anteroposterior narrowing of the vertebral bodies and
hemivertebrae.

Question 17

What happens during lumbarization of sacral vertebrae?

Answer 17

Incorporation of S1 to lumbar spine

Presence of 6 lumbar-type vertebrae, which may have the following features

Facet joints and intervertebral disc present between S1 and S2

Question 18

What happens during sacralization of lumbar vertebrae?

Answer 18

Incorporation of L5 to the sacrum

Presence of four lumbar type vertebrae, which may have the following features

Hypoplastic or absent facet joints or intervertebral disc between L5 and S1

Question 19

Lumbar epidural anesthesia?

Answer 19

often done to relive pain during pregnancy and control back pain

risk of injecting into the subarachnoid space