Allen and Ferguson classification of subaxial cervical spine injuries
Last revised by Andrea Molinari on 23 Feb 2024
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Goel A, Molinari A, Hacking C, et al. Allen and Ferguson classification of subaxial cervical spine injuries. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 18 Apr 2024) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-35493
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rID:
35493
Article created:
8 Apr 2015,
Ayush Goel ◉
Disclosures:
At the time the article was created Ayush Goel had no recorded disclosures.
View Ayush Goel's current disclosures
Last revised:
23 Feb 2024,
Andrea Molinari ◉
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised Andrea Molinari had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.
View Andrea Molinari's current disclosures
Revisions:
6 times, by
6 contributors -
see full revision history and disclosures
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Sections:
Allen and Ferguson classification is used for research purposes to classify subaxial spine injuries and is based purely on the mechanism of injury and position of the neck during injury. This classification was proposed by Allen and Ferguson in 1982 1 and at the time of writing (February 2024) it is still widely used system for describing subaxial cervical spine injury 2.
Classification
flexion and compression
vertical compression
flexion and distraction (facet joint dislocation)
extension and compression
extension and distraction
lateral flexion
References
- 1. Allen BL, Ferguson RL, Lehmann TR et-al. A mechanistic classification of closed, indirect fractures and dislocations of the lower cervical spine. Spine. 1982;7 (1): 1-27. Pubmed citation
- 2. Bunzel E & Gendelberg D. Classifications In Brief: The Allen and Ferguson Classification. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2024. doi:10.1097/corr.0000000000002976 - Pubmed
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