AO Spine classification of upper cervical injuries
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The AO classification of upper cervical injuries aims to simplify and universalise the process of classifying upper cervical injuries and improve interobserver and intraobserver reliability.
Injuries are based on location specific patterns areand divided into:
- type 1: occipital condyle and occipital cervical joint complex injuries
- type 2: C1 ring and C1-2 joint complex injuries
- type 3: C2 and C2-3 joint complex injuries
Injury types (A, B or C)
- A: bony injury only - considered stable injuries
- B: tension band injuries - considered potentially unstable injuries
- C: translation injuries - considered unstable injuries
Neurological signs (N)
- Nx: the patient cannot be examined
- N0: no neurological deficits
- N1: transient neurological injury
- N2: nerve root injury
-
N3:
cauda equina syndrome/incompleteincomplete spinal cord injury - N4: complete spinal cord injury
- +: continued spinal cord compression
Modifiers (M)
- M1: injury at high risk of non union with nonoperative treatment
- M2: injury with significant potential for instability
- M3: patient specific factors affecting treatment (e.g. ankylosing spondylitis)
- M4: vascular injury or abnormality affecting treatment
Related topics
-
AO spine classification systems
- AO Spine: upper cervical classification system
- AO Spine: subaxial cervical classification system
- AO Spine: thoracolumbar classification system
- AO Spine: sacral classification system
-<p>The <strong>AO classification of upper cervical injuries</strong> aims to simplify and universalise the process of classifying upper cervical injuries and improve interobserver and intraobserver reliability.</p><p>Injuries are based on location specific patterns are divided into:</p><ul>- +<p>The <strong>AO classification of upper cervical injuries</strong> aims to simplify and universalise the process of classifying upper cervical injuries and improve interobserver and intraobserver reliability.</p><p>Injuries are based on location specific patterns and divided into:</p><ul>
-</ul><h5> </h5><h4>Neurological signs (N)</h4><ul>- +</ul><h4>Neurological signs (N)</h4><ul>
-<strong>N3</strong>: cauda equina syndrome/incomplete spinal cord injury</li>- +<strong>N3</strong>: incomplete spinal cord injury</li>
-<strong>M3</strong>: patient specific factors affecting treatment (e.g. <a title="Ankylosing spondylitis" href="/articles/ankylosing-spondylitis">ankylosing spondylitis</a>)</li>- +<strong>M3</strong>: patient specific factors affecting treatment (e.g. <a href="/articles/ankylosing-spondylitis">ankylosing spondylitis</a>)</li>
-<li><a title="AO classification of sacral injuries" href="/articles/ao-classification-of-sacral-injuries">AO Spine: sacral classification system</a></li>- +<li><a href="/articles/ao-classification-of-sacral-injuries">AO Spine: sacral classification system</a></li>
References changed:
- 1.
Sections changed:
- Classifications
Systems changed:
- Musculoskeletal
- Spine
- Trauma
Images Changes:
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