Abstract
Fracture-dislocations of the thoracic spine comprise about 16% of all thoracic and lumbar fractures, and are commonly caused by high-speed road accidents. Unlike the cervical spine, the thoracic spine is stabilized by its connection to the rib cage by transverse costal ligaments. The position of the articular facets provides resistance to axial rotation and horizontal translation. Therefore, a severe injury is required to bring about a fracture-dislocation at this level. These injuries, due to the narrowness of the thoracic canal and the precarious blood supply of the cord, lead to complete paraplegia in more than 80% of cases. Thoracic spine fracture-dislocations that are not accompanied by neurological damage are extremely rare, and only a few cases are described in the literature. We present here a case of complete posterior dislocation of the first thoracic vertebra over the second without neurological damage, and we discuss its surgical treatment.
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