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Fractures of the Posterior Arch

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The Axis Vertebra

Abstract

Fractures of the posterior arch of the axis vertebra may include the pedicles (unilateral or bilateral) or the spinous process; the latter are uncommon, do not cause any serious complications and are associated with an uneventful outcome. Of greater importance are the fractures occurring at the anatomic area of the pars interarticular. In such cases, one has to deal with a traumatic spondylolisthesis, a serious injury frequently seen in the emergency rooms. For this type of injury, instead of hangman’s fracture, we prefer to use the term traumatic spondylolisthesis of the axis.

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Correspondence to Demetrios S. Korres .

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Kavroudakis, E., Korres, D.S. (2013). Fractures of the Posterior Arch. In: Korres, D. (eds) The Axis Vertebra. Springer, Milano. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-5232-1_8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-5232-1_8

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