Clay-shoveler fracture
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View Bálint Botz's current disclosures- Clay shoveler fracture
- Clay-shoveler's fracture
Clay-shoveler fractures are fractures of the spinous process of a lower cervical vertebra.
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Clinical presentation
Often these injuries are unrecognised at the time and only found incidentally years later when the cervical spine is imaged for other reasons.
Acutely they tend to be associated with 1:
- motor vehicle accidents
- sudden muscle contraction
- direct blows to the spine
Radiographic features
The fracture is seen on lateral radiographs as an oblique lucency through the spinous process, usually of C7. There is usually significant displacement.
History and etymology
Originally described in Australia, among clay shovelers. The reason is due to the stickiness of clay. As clay shovelers lift the shovel upwards to toss the clay from deep ditches, the clay tends to stick to the shovel. This results in sudden forces on the neck and back muscles leading to the avulsion fracture.
Quiz questions
References
- 1. Lee P, Hunter TB, Taljanovic M. Musculoskeletal colloquialisms: how did we come up with these names? Radiographics. 24 (4): 1009-27. doi:10.1148/rg.244045015 - Pubmed citation
- 2. Yamaguchi KT, Myung KS, Alonso MA et-al. Clay-shoveler's fracture equivalent in children. Spine. 2012;37 (26): E1672-5. doi:10.1097/BRS.0b013e318273e191 - Pubmed citation
- 3. Solaroğlu I, Kaptanoğlu E, Okutan O et-al. Multiple isolated spinous process fracture (Clay-shoveler's fracture) of cervical spine: a case report. Ulus Travma Acil Cerrahi Derg. 2007;13 (2): 162-4. Pubmed citation
- 4. McKellar Hall RD. Clay-Shoveler's Fracture. (1940). The Journal of bone and joint surgery. American volume. 22: 36–75.
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- Cervical spine fracture with dislocation
- Cervical spine fracture with dislocation and locked facets
- Clay-shoveler fracture
- Clay-shoveler fracture
- Clay-shoveler fracture
- Clay-shoveler fracture
- Cerebral haemorrhagic contusions and cervical spine fractures
- Displaced C7 spinous process (clay-shoveler) fracture
- Clay-shoveler fracture
- Clay-shoveler fracture
- Spinous process fractures (C3-C5)
- Clay-shoveler fracture
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