Skip to main content
Log in

Typ-B-Distraktionsverletzungen der thorakolumbalen Wirbelsäule

Fehleinschätzungen des posterioren Ligamentkomplexes bei der radiologischen Diagnostik

Type B injuries of the thoracolumbar spine

Misinterpretations of the integrity of the posterior ligament complex using radiologic diagnostics

  • Originalien
  • Published:
Der Unfallchirurg Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Zusammenfassung

Hintergrund

Thorakolumbale Distraktionsverletzungen vom Typ B (AO-Klassifikation) stellen eine Operationsindikation dar. B1-Verletzungen weisen eine Verletzung des posterioren Ligamentkomplexes (PLC) auf, welche im Röntgen- und CT-Bild übersehen werden kann. Ziel dieser Studie war es, die Häufigkeit von Fehlklassifikationen zu bestimmen und die Gemeinsamkeiten von B1-Verletzungen herauszuarbeiten.

Methoden

Retrospektive Studie mit Auswertung von 361 Frakturen.

Ergebnisse

Von 93 evaluierten B-Verletzungen waren 39 (41,9%) primär nicht als solche erkannt und als A-Verletzung fehlklassifiziert worden. Dem Typ B1 entsprachen 59% der Verletzungen, von denen bei 29% keinerlei radiologische Zeichen auf eine PLC-Verletzung vorlagen. Bei den übrigen lagen am häufigsten folgende radiologische Zeichen vor: Segmentwinkel >15° (44%), ausgeprägte Kompression der Wirbelkörperspongiosa bei nur gering (<50%) reduzierter vorderer Wirbelkörperhöhe (41%) oder erhebliche Reduktion der vorderen Wirbelkörperhöhe auf <50% (31%).

Schlussfolgerung

Typ-B-Verletzungen werden regelmäßig primär nicht erkannt. Zur korrekten Diagnose müssen alle verfügbaren radiologischen und klinischen Zeichen berücksichtigt werden. Von allen B1-Verletzungen können 29% im Röntgen und CT nicht erkannt werden.

Abstract

Background

Type B injuries of the thoracolumbar spine (AO classification) indicate the need for surgical treatment. Type B1 injuries include disruption of the posterior ligament complex (PLC), which can be underdiagnosed when using x-ray and CT. The aims of this study were to determine the frequency of misclassification to compile similarities of type B1 injuries. Materials and Methods: Retrospective study evaluating 361 fractures.

Results

Initially, 39 (41.9%) of 93 type B injuries were misdiagnosed as type A. 59% of 93 injuries belonged in the type B1 category. 29% of these showed no radiological signs of a PLC injury. Among the remaining cases, the following signs were the most frequently seen: vertebral segmental angle >15° (44%), pronounced compression of vertebral cancellous bone despite minimal (<50%) reduced anterior vertebral height (41%), and a considerably reduced anterior vertebral height to <50% (31%).

Conclusion

Type B injuries are frequently misinterpreted. To achieve a correct diagnosis, all clinical and radiological signs must be considered. 29% of all type B1 injuries cannot be detected on x-ray or CT scan.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Abb. 1
Abb. 2
Abb. 3
Abb. 4
Abb. 5

Literatur

  1. Buehren V (2003) Verletzungen der Brust- und Lendenwirbelsäule. Unfallchirurg 106:55–69

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Daffner RH, Deeb ZL, Goldberg AL et al (1990) The radiologic assessment of post-traumatic vertebral instability. Skeletal Radiol 19:103–108

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Farcy JP, Weidenbaum M, Glassman SD (1990) Sagittal index in management of thoracolumbar burst fractures. Spine 15:958–965

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Haba H, Taneichi H, Kotani Y et al (2003) Diagnostic accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging for detecting posterior ligamentous complex injury associated with thoracic and lumbar fractures. J Neurosurg (Suppl 1) 99:20–26

  5. Harrop JS, Vaccaro AR, Hurlbert RJ et al; Spine Trauma Study Group (2005) Intrarater and interrater reliability and validity in the assessment of the mechanism of injury and integrity of the posterior ligamentous complex: a novel injury severity scoring system for thoracolumbar injuries. Invited submission from the Joint Section Meeting on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves. J Neurosurg Spine 4:118–122

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Holdsworth F (1970) Fractures, dislocations, and fracture-dislocations of the spine. J Bone Joint Surg Am 52:1534–1551

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Knop C, Blauth M, Buehren V et al (1999) Operative Behandlung von Verletzungen des thorakolumbalen Überganges. Teil 1: Epidemiologie. Unfallchirurg 102:924–935

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Lee HM, Kim HS, Kim DJ et al (2000) Reliability of magnetic resonance imaging in detecting posterior ligament complex injury in thoracolumbar spinal fractures. Spine 25:2079–2084

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Leferink VJ, Veldhuis EF, Zimmerman KW et al (2002) Classificational problems in ligamentary distraction type vertebral fractures: 30% of all B-type fractures are initially unrecognised. Eur Spine J 11:246–250

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Magerl F, Aebi M, Gertzbein SD et al (1994) A comprehensive classification of thoracic and lumbar injuries. Eur Spine J 3:184–201

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Moon SH, Park MS, Suk KS et al (2002) Feasibility of ultrasound examination in posterior ligament complex injury of thoracolumbar spine fracture. Spine 27:2154–2158

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Nagel DA, Koogle TA, Piziali RL, Perkash I (1981) Stability of the upper lumbar spine following progressive disruptions and the application of individual internal and external fixation devices. J Bone Joint Surg Am 63:62–70

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Neumann P, Nordwall A, Osvalder AL (1995) Traumatic instability of the lumbar spine. A dynamic in vitro study of flexion-distraction injury. Spine 20:1111–1121

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Neumann P, Wang Y, Kärrholm J et al (1999) Determination of inter-spinous process distance in the lumbar spine. Evaluation of reference population to facilitate detection of severe trauma. Eur Spine J 8:272–278

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Oner FC, van Gils AP, Dhert WJ, Verbout AJ (1999) MRI findings of thoracolumbar spine fractures: a categorisation based on MRI examinations of 100 fractures. Skeletal Radiol 8:433–443

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Petersilge CA, Pathria MN, Emery SE, Masaryk TJ (1995) Thoracolumbar burst fractures: evaluation with MR imaging. Radiology 194:49–54

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Schnake KJ, Scotti F, Schröder RJ et al (2006) Ultrasound examination for detection of thoracolumbar type B fractures. Eur Spine J 15 (Abstracts, German Spine Congress)

  18. Schröder RJ, Albus M, Kandziora F et al (2003) Diagnostic value of three-dimensional reconstruction in CT of traumatic spinal fractures. Rofo 175:1500–1507

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Terk MR, Hume-Neal M, Fraipont M et al (1997) Injury of the posterior ligament complex in patients with acute spinal trauma: evaluation by MR imaging. AJR Am J Roentgenol 168:1481–1486

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Vaccaro AR, Lee JY, Schweitzer KM jr et al; Spine Trauma Study Group (2006) Assessment of injury to the posterior ligamentous complex in thoracolumbar spine trauma. Spine J 6:524–528

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Vaccaro AR, Lehmann RA, Hurlbert RJ et al (2005) A new classification of thoracolumbar injuries: the importance of injury morphology, the integrity of the posterior ligamentous complex, and neurologic status. Spine 30:2325–2333

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Vaccaro AR, Lim R, Hurlbert RJ et al; Spine Trauma Study Group (2006) Surgical decision making for unstable thoracolumbar spine injuries. Results of a consensus panel review by the Spine Trauma Study Group. J Spinal Disord Tech 19:1–10

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Vordemvenne T, Meffert R, Vieth V et al (2006) Diagnostic ultrasound for assessing the stability of fractures of the thoracolumbar spine. Eur Spine J 15 (Abstracts, German Spine Congress)

  24. White AA, Panjabi MM (1990) Clinical Biomechanics of the spine, 2nd edn. JB Lippincott, Philadelphia pp 102–106

  25. Willen J, Anderson J, Toomoka K, Singer K (1990) The natural history of burst fractures at the thoracolumbar junction. J Spinal Disord 3:39–46

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Interessenkonflikt

Der korrespondierende Autor gibt an, dass kein Interessenkonflikt besteht.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to K.J. Schnake.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Schnake, K., von Scotti, F., Haas, N. et al. Typ-B-Distraktionsverletzungen der thorakolumbalen Wirbelsäule. Unfallchirurg 111, 977–984 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00113-008-1503-z

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00113-008-1503-z

Schlüsselwörter

Keywords

Navigation