Burst fracture

A burst fracture is a type of traumatic spinal injury in which a vertebra breaks from a high-energy axial load (e.g., traffic collisions or falls from a great height or high speed, and some kinds of seizures, or jumping into a swimming pool at the shallow end whilst intoxicated), with shards of vertebra penetrating surrounding tissues and sometimes the spinal canal. The burst fracture is categorized by the 'severity of the deformity, the severity of (spinal) canal compromise, the degree of loss of vertebral body height, and the degree of neurologic deficit.' Burst fractures are considered more severe than compression fractures because long-term neurological damage can follow. The neurologic deficits can reach their full extent immediately, or can progress for a prolonged time.A burst fracture of L4 as seen on plane X rayA burst fracture of L4 as seen one plane X rayA burst fracture of L4 as seen on CTA burst fracture of L4 as seen on CTA burst fracture of L4 as seen on CT A burst fracture is a type of traumatic spinal injury in which a vertebra breaks from a high-energy axial load (e.g., traffic collisions or falls from a great height or high speed, and some kinds of seizures, or jumping into a swimming pool at the shallow end whilst intoxicated), with shards of vertebra penetrating surrounding tissues and sometimes the spinal canal. The burst fracture is categorized by the 'severity of the deformity, the severity of (spinal) canal compromise, the degree of loss of vertebral body height, and the degree of neurologic deficit.' Burst fractures are considered more severe than compression fractures because long-term neurological damage can follow. The neurologic deficits can reach their full extent immediately, or can progress for a prolonged time.