Chance fracture
Revision as of 12:42, 24 October 2020 by Rossdonaldson1 (talk | contribs)
Chance fracture (Flexion-distraction injuries)
- Common mechanism: seat belt serves as axis of rotation with failure of middle and posterior columns
- Most common at T12-L2 due to spinal curvature and mechanism
- Pure bony injury from posterior to anterior through:
- Spinous process
- Pedicles
- Vertebral body
- Unstable
- Seat Belt Injury: lap belt worn above the pelvic bones without a shoulder harness
- Mechanism: minor anterior vertebral compression with failure of the middle and posterior columns
- May be misdiagnosed as anterior compression fracture, which is usually stable
- Intra-abdominal injuries more commonly associated than neuro deficits
- Obtain sagittally reconstructed CT if suspect lap-belt mechanism or flexion-distraction