2. ?? Classification ??
โข Indications for surgery
โข Optimal time for surgery
โข Best approach for surgery
โข Should be:
โข Comprehensive
โข Reproducible
โข Usable
โข Accurate
5. Anatomic Classification
โข 2 ColumnTheory: Holdsworth 1962
โข Reviewed 1,000 patients: Separated spine into
anterior weight-bearing column (a) and
posterior tension-bearing column (b)
โข Six types: simple wedge, dislocation, rotational
fracture-dislocation, extension, burst, and
shear.
โข Stressed importance of posterior elements
โข If destabilized, must consider surgery
6. Anatomic Classification
โข 3 ColumnTheory: Denis 1983
โข Based on radiographic review of 412 cases
โข Anterior: ALL , anterior 2/3 body
โข Middle: post 1/3 body, PLL
โข Posterior: all structures posterior to PLL
โข Middle column Injury was necessary & create instability.
โข Posterior injury not sufficient to cause instability
7. Denis Classification
โข Divides spinal fractures into minor and major injuries
โข Minor injuries: fractures ofTransverse Process, Pars Interarticularis,
Spinous Process.
โข Major injuries: Wedge Compression, Burst, Seat-belt type & Fracture-
Dislocation.
8. Denis Classification
โข Wedge Compression Fracture:
โข Isolated failure of the anterior column
โข Result from forward flexion
โข Rarely are associated with neurological deficit except in multiple adjacent
vertebral fracture
โข PLC may be disrupted in tension if there is loss ofVB height >50%
9.
10. Denis Classification
โข Burst Fracture:
โข The anterior and middle columns fail from axial load
โข In stable Burst ๏ PLC intact. In Unstable burst ๏ PLC disrupted
โข No relation between canal compromised & neurological defecit.
โข Early Stabilization in:
โข Neurologic Deficits
โข InjuryToThe Posterior Ligament Complex
โข > 30ยฐkyphosis
โข > 50% loss of vertebral body height
โข > 50% canal compromise
14. Denis Classification
โข Fracture-dislocations
โข All three columns have failed in compression, tension, rotation, shear
with translation deformity.
โข At the affected level, one part of the spinal canal has been displaced in
the transverse plane
15.
16. Load-Sharing Classification
โข McCormack Classification:
โข Designed specifically for thoracolumbar burst fracture (1994)
โข Devised method of predicting posterior failure
โข 1-3 points assigned grades to amount ofVB comminution, displacement
of fracture fragments, degree of kyphosis
โข Sum the points for a 3-9 scale
โข < 6 points posterior only
โข > 6 points anterior
<30% 30-60%
>60%
0-1mm 1-2mm >2mm
Comminution
Fragment Displacement
Kyphosis
Correction
<3ยฐ 4-9ยฐ
>10ยฐ
17. AO Classification
โข Review of 1445 cases (Magerl,Gertzbein et al. European Spine Journal 1994)
โข Based on direction of injury force
โข 3 types, 53 injury patterns
18.
19. Thoracolumbar Injury Classification & Severity Score
(TLICS orTLISS)
โข Introduced by the SpineTrauma Study
Group in 2005.
โข Three major injury characteristics:
1. Injury morphology
2. Neurologic status
3. Integrity of the PLC
20.
21. TLICS
โข The total score used to guide treatment:
โข โค 3 points ๏ non-operatively
โข โฅ 5 points ๏ surgical intervention
โข = 4 points ๏ w/ or w/o surgery
22. Example (1)
โข Dx: Compression Fx
โข TLICS
โข Morphology: Compression
โข Neurology: Intact
โข PLC: Intact
โข 1 + 0 + 0 = 1 point ๏ Non-OP
27. Example (6)
โข 18-year-old woman presented with severe mid back pain following a
rollover motor vehicle collision. Patient assessment revealed a normal
neurologic examination with a palpable, tender gap in the
thoracolumbar region.
28. Example (6)
โข Dx:T11-12 fracture-
dislocation with a Chance
fracture atT12
โข TLICS
โข Morphology:Translation
โข Neurology: Intact
โข PLC: Injury
โข 3 + 0 + 3 = 6 points ๏ OP
29. Example (7)
โข A 63-year-old man sustained a 15- foot fall at work and reported
severe back pain. Assessment revealed a normal neurologic
examination with no posterior tenderness, gap, or step-off.
31. AOSpine Classification and Injury Severity System for
Traumatic Fractures of theThoracolumbar Spine
โข This system is being subjected to a rigorous scientific assessment.
โข Based on the evaluation of three basic parameters:
1. Morphologic classification of the fracture
2. Neurologic injury
3. Clinical modifiers
32. AOSpine Classification and Injury Severity System for
Traumatic Fractures of theThoracolumbar Spine
1. Morphologic classification
โข Type A: Compression injuries. Failure of anterior structures under
compression
โข Type B: Failure of the posterior or anterior tension band
โข Type C: Failure of all elements leading to dislocation or displacement.
33. Morphologic classification
โข Type A: Compression injuries.
โข Five subtypes and no further sub-classification.
โข A0 / minor, nonstructural fractures
โข A1 /Wedge-compression
โข A2 / Split
โข A3 / Incomplete burst
โข A4 / Complete burst
34. A0 / minor, nonstructural fractures
โข Do not compromise the structural integrity of the spinal column
36. A2 / Split
โข Fracture of both endplates without involvement of
the posterior wall of the vertebral body.
37. A3 / Incomplete burst
โข Fracture with any involvement of the posterior wall; only a single
endplate fractured.
38. A4 / Complete burst
โข Fracture with any involvement of the posterior wall and both
endplates.
39. AOSpine Classification and Injury Severity System for
Traumatic Fractures of theThoracolumbar Spine
1. Morphologic classification
โข Type A: Compression injuries. Failure of anterior structures under
compression
โข Type B: Failure of the posterior or anterior tension band
โข Type C: Failure of all elements leading to dislocation or displacement.
40. Morphologic classification
โข Type B: Failure of the posterior or anterior tension band
โข There are three subtypes:
โข B1 /Transosseous tension band disruption / Chance fracture
โข B2 / Posterior tension band disruption
โข B3 / Hyperextension
41. B1 /Transosseous tension band disruption / Chance fracture
โข Axial plane horizontal fracture of the anterior and posterior
elements goes through the bone of a single vertebra before
exiting into the soft tissues posteriorly.
43. B2 / Posterior tension band disruption
โข Bony and/or ligamentary failure of the posterior tension band
together with aType A fracture.
44. B3 / Hyperextension
โข Injury through the disk or vertebral body leading to a
hyperextended position of the spinal column. Anterior structures,
especially the ALL are ruptured but there is a posterior hinge
preventing further displacement.
45. AOSpine Classification and Injury Severity System for
Traumatic Fractures of theThoracolumbar Spine
1. Morphologic classification
โข Type A: Compression injuries. Failure of anterior structures under
compression
โข Type B: Failure of the posterior or anterior tension band
โข Type C: Failure of all elements leading to dislocation or displacement.
46. Morphologic classification
โข Type C: Failure of all elements leading to dislocation or displacement.
โข There are no subtypes
โข The pattern of the failure of the tension band can be also specified using
theType B subclassification like B2-flexion distraction or B3
hyperextension.
49. AOSpine Classification and Injury Severity System for
Traumatic Fractures of theThoracolumbar Spine
โข This system is being subjected to a rigorous scientific assessment.
โข Based on the evaluation of three basic parameters:
1. Morphologic classification of the fracture
2. Neurologic injury
3. Clinical modifiers
50. AOSpine Classification and Injury Severity System for
Traumatic Fractures of theThoracolumbar Spine
2. Neurologic injury
โข Neurologic status at the moment of admission should be scored
โข N0: Neurologically intact
โข N1:Transient neurologic deficit, which is no longer present
โข N2: Radicular symptoms
โข N3: Incomplete spinal cord injury or any degree of cauda equina injury
โข N4: Complete spinal cord injury
โข NX: Neurologic status is unknown due to sedation or head injury
51. AOSpine Classification and Injury Severity System for
Traumatic Fractures of theThoracolumbar Spine
โข This system is being subjected to a rigorous scientific assessment.
โข Based on the evaluation of three basic parameters:
1. Morphologic classification of the fracture
2. Neurologic injury
3. Clinical modifiers
52. AOSpine Classification and Injury Severity System for
Traumatic Fractures of theThoracolumbar Spine
3. Clinical modifiers
โข There are two modifiers
โข M1: is used to designate fractures with an indeterminate injury to the tension band
based on spinal imaging with or without MRI.This modifier is important for
designating those injuries with stable injuries from a bony standpoint for which
ligamentous insufficiency may help determine whether operative stabilization is a
consideration.
โข M2: is used to designate a patient-specific comorbidity, which might argue either
for or against surgery for patients with relative surgical indications. Examples of an
M2 modifier include ankylosing spondylitis or burns affecting the skin overlying
the injured spine.
53.
54. References
โข Thoracolumbar SpineTrauma Classification; J Am Acad Orthop Surg
2010;18:63-71
โข A Review ofThoracolumbar Spine Fracture Classifications: Journal of
Orthopaedics andTraumaVol. 1 (2011),Article ID 235406, 5 pages.
โข Thoracolumbar Spinal Injuries: http://www.springer.com/978-3-540-
40511-5
โข Thoracic and Lumbar Spine Fractures and Dislocations: Assessment
and Classification: Christopher Bono, MD and Mitch Harris, MD; March
2004: Jim A.Youssef, MD; Revised January 2006 and May 2011; OTA
Editor's Notes
This should be classified as: T12-L1 Type B2 with T12 A4 according to the combination rules.