Posterior ligamentous complex
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View Jeremy Jones's current disclosuresAt the time the article was last revised Mostafa Elfeky had no recorded disclosures.
View Mostafa Elfeky's current disclosures- Posterior tension band
- Posterior ligamentous complexes (spine)
- Posterior tension bands
The posterior ligamentous complex acts to stabilize the vertebral column against flexion and rotation by holding the posterior elements of the neighboring vertebrae in fixed relation with each other. It is sometimes referred to as the posterior tension band although the latter also includes the bony posterior vertebral elements.
The posterior ligamentous complex comprises the following structures 3:
Some sources also include the cervical or thoracolumbar fascia 2,4.
Related pathology
See the separate article on posterior ligamentous complex injury. The importance of the posterior ligamentous complex/posterior tension band is highlighted in the most commonly used spinal fracture classifications systems: AO classification of subaxial cervical injuries, AO classification of thoracolumbar injuries, and the thoracolumbar injury classification and severity score (TLICS).
References
- 1. Vaccaro AR, Lee JY, Schweitzer KM et-al. Assessment of injury to the posterior ligamentous complex in thoracolumbar spine trauma. Spine J. 2006;6 (5): 524-8. doi:10.1016/j.spinee.2006.01.017 - Pubmed citation
- 2. Rihn JA, Fisher C, Harrop J et-al. Assessment of the posterior ligamentous complex following acute cervical spine trauma. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2010;92 (3): 583-9. doi:10.2106/JBJS.H.01596 - Pubmed citation
- 3. Khurana B, Sheehan S, Sodickson A, Bono C, Harris M. Traumatic Thoracolumbar Spine Injuries: What the Spine Surgeon Wants to Know. Radiographics. 2013;33(7):2031-46. doi:10.1148/rg.337135018 - Pubmed
- 4. Vaccaro A, Rihn J, Saravanja D et al. Injury of the Posterior Ligamentous Complex of the Thoracolumbar Spine: A Prospective Evaluation of the Diagnostic Accuracy of Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2009;34(23):E841-7. doi:10.1097/BRS.0b013e3181bd11be - Pubmed
Incoming Links
- Denver criteria for blunt cerebrovascular injury
- Holdsworth fracture
- Posterolateral lumbar fusion
- AO Spine classification of thoracolumbar injuries
- Ligamentum flavum
- Ultrasound-guided spinal anaesthesia
- Infantile cervical ligament oedema
- Intervertebral joint
- AO Spine classification of subaxial injuries
- Posterior ligamentous complex injury
- Facet joint
- Thoracic spine fracture-dislocation
- Discoligamentous injury
- Medical abbreviations and acronyms (P)
- Translation-rotation spine injury
- Anterior subluxation of the cervical spine
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