Presentation
Fall from height.
Patient Data
Age: 30 years
Gender: Female
From the case:
Three column thoracic spine fracture
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Abnormal paraspinal opacity at the level of T4-T5.
Lungs and pleural spaces are clear. Cardiac silhouette is not enlarged.
From the case:
Three column thoracic spine fracture
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T5 wedge compression fracture with bulging of the posterior cortex. Fracture extends through the pars interarticularis bilaterally as well as the lamina. Thoracic kyphosis with separate of the posterior element fractures.
Further fractures through the T4 vertebral body and T3 spinous process. Rib / transverse processes are also evident.
Case Discussion
This is an unstable injury with all three columns involved. The patient had some upper and lower limb weakness, and MRI was performed that demonstrated epidural hematoma causing mild spinal cord compression but no spinal cord injury.