Which fracture results from hyperextension followed by flexion and involves the axis?

Which fracture results from hyperextension followed by flexion and involves the axis?

• A. Jefferson Fracture
• B. Clay Shoveler's Fracture
• C. Burst Fracture
• D. Hangman's Fracture

Answer: (D)

Hangman's fracture is a fracture through the pars interarticularis of the axis (C2) that results from a hyperextension injury of the neck, often with subsequent flexion, leading to anterior displacement of C2 on C3. This axis involvement and the hyperextension mechanism are what differentiate it from the other cervical injuries: a Jefferson fracture is a burst fracture of C1 from axial loading, a burst fracture involves the vertebral body, and a Clay Shoveler’s fracture is a spinous process fracture from flexion or muscular strain. So the combination of location at C2 and the hyperextension mechanism points to Hangman's fracture.

Hangman's fracture is a fracture through the pars interarticularis of the axis (C2) that results from a hyperextension injury of the neck, often with subsequent flexion, leading to anterior displacement of C2 on C3. This axis involvement and the hyperextension mechanism are what differentiate it from the other cervical injuries: a Jefferson fracture is a burst fracture of C1 from axial loading, a burst fracture involves the vertebral body, and a Clay Shoveler’s fracture is a spinous process fracture from flexion or muscular strain. So the combination of location at C2 and the hyperextension mechanism points to Hangman's fracture.