Spine Trauma
A 68-year-old man falls down stairs and is brought to the emergency department with neck pain and inability to move. He is immobilized in a cervical collar per ATLS protocol. CT cervical spine reveals a fracture through the base of the odontoid process (dens) with 4mm posterior displacement. MRI shows no spinal cord compression but demonstrates disruption of the transverse atlantal ligament (TAL). He is neurologically intact. The injury is classified as Anderson-D'Alonzo Type II odontoid fracture. Regarding cervical spine fractures:
Mark each as TRUE or FALSE
Type II odontoid fractures occur at the base of the dens and have the highest nonunion rate among od...
The transverse atlantal ligament (TAL) is the primary stabilizer of the atlantoaxial joint, and its ...
Jefferson fractures are burst fractures of the C1 ring, and lateral mass overhang greater than 7mm o...
The Subaxial Injury Classification (SLIC) score guides treatment of C3-C7 injuries, with scores less...
Hangman's fractures are bilateral fractures through the pars interarticularis of C2 and are paradoxi...
Answer the questions to see explanations
Click T (True) or F (False) for each option