MyPACS.net: Radiology Teaching Files > Case 1775820

never visited HANGMAN'S FRACTURE
Contributed by: Safwan Halabi, Resident, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Ohio, USA.
Patient: 50 year old male
History: S/P MVA
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Findings: There are multiple C2 fractures, involving the left pars extending through the foramen transversarium, as well as a sagittal split through the right lateral mass extending into the posteromedial lamina.
Diagnosis: Unstable hangman's type fracture of the C2 body and posterior elements extending into the left foramen transversarium.
Discussion:

Historically, a Hangman's fracture was named to describe the effects of hanging a person from a gallows. Hangman's fracture refers nowadays to bilateral fracture of the posterior arch of C2 leading to spondylolysis with eventual associated anterior spondylolistesis of C2 over C3 due to disc and longitudinal ligaments associated lesions, no matter what type of trauma has produced it. This type of fracture most commonly results from a car accident in which the victim strikes the windshield with his forehead with a resulting hyperextension and compression of the cervical spine. Even in case of spondylolistesis eventual cord associated injury is rarely the result of active cord compression as normal diameter of the spinal canal is assured by the fracture of the posterior elements. The fracture rim on the arch may be located on the pedicules or it may involve the articular elements to a variable extent. Rather infrequently the fracture rim is symmetrical on the two sides

References: http://www.amershamhealth.com/medcyclopaedia/
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Additional Details:

Case Number: 1775820Last Updated: 06-22-2005
Anatomy: Skeletal System   Pathology: Trauma
Modality: CTExam Date: Access Level: Readable by all users
Keywords: hangman's fracture c2 cervical spine

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