Axis body fracture
Neurosurgery Department, General University Hospital Alicante, Spain
Body fractures – Involve the vertebral body of C2 (excluding the dens or pars).
📊 Axis Body Fracture Characteristics: Less common than odontoid or hangman’s fractures.
Often result from high-energy trauma (e.g., motor vehicle accidents).
Can be stable or unstable, depending on displacement, comminution, and involvement of adjacent structures like the vertebral artery foramen.
Benzel Axis body fracture classification.
🧠 CT is the imaging modality of choice for initial assessment. Add MRI if there is neurological deficit or suspected ligamentous injury.
📷 Diagnosis: CT scan is the gold standard for evaluating bony anatomy.
MRI may be needed to assess ligamentous injury or spinal cord involvement.
⚕️ Management: Stable fractures: Often treated conservatively with a hard cervical collar or halo vest.
Unstable or displaced fractures: May require surgical stabilization (e.g., anterior cervical plating, posterior fusion, or odontoid screw if dens is involved).