Fractures of the spine represent a severe complication particularly in patients with ankylosing spondylitis because of high morbidity and mortality. We report on a patient with a hyperextension fracture of the lumbar spine, leading to disruption of the aorta and caval vein.
Five patients with hyperextension injuries and dorsally instable motion segments are presented. In the diagnosis of posterior instabilities plain roentgenograms demonstrated no characteristic signs of an injured cervical spine. Flexion and extension views detected a mild degree (2 mm) of retrospondylolisthesis in four cases and a widened disc space in one case. In all five patients the MR findings that made use suspect a posterior unstable motion segment were disc protrusions; in addition, in two patients these was hemorrhage in the spinal cord and in one patient cord edema.
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