AO Spine thoracolumbar classification
Trauma and orthopaedics
Also known as: AOSpine TL classification · AO-Spine-Klassifikation thorakolumbaler Verletzungen · AO Spine torakolomber yaralanma sınıflaması · AO Spine thoracolumbar injury classification
What it is for
Describes thoracolumbar injuries by morphology (A, B, C), neurological status (N) and case-specific modifiers (M).
Classification
| Category | Description |
|---|---|
| Type A (compression) | A0 no fracture or only a clinically insignificant spinous or transverse process fracture; A1 wedge/impaction of one endplate, posterior wall intact; A2 split or pincer fracture of both endplates, posterior wall intact; A3 incomplete burst (one endplate plus posterior wall); A4 complete burst (both endplates plus posterior wall). |
| Type B (tension band injury) | B1 purely osseous failure of the posterior tension band through one vertebra (Chance fracture); B2 posterior tension band disruption (ligamentous, with or without bone); B3 hyperextension injury through the anterior tension band, typical in ankylosed spines. |
| Type C (displacement/translation) | translation or dislocation of one vertebra relative to another in any direction. |
| Neurology | N0 intact; N1 transient deficit, resolved; N2 radicular symptoms; N3 incomplete spinal cord or cauda equina injury; N4 complete spinal cord injury (ASIA A); NX cannot be examined (e.g. sedation, head injury); '+' marks ongoing cord compression. |
| Modifiers | M1 tension band injury indeterminate on imaging or examination; M2 patient-specific comorbidity relevant to the injury (e.g. ankylosing spondylitis, diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis, osteoporosis, burns over the site). |
Source
AOSpine thoracolumbar spine injury classification system: fracture description, neurological status, and key modifiers
AO Spine · Spine 2013;38:2028–2037 (Vaccaro AR, Oner C, Kepler CK et al.)
DOI: 10.1097/BRS.0b013e3182a8a381
PMID: 23970107
- Edition
- AO Spine Thoracolumbar Spine Injury Classification System (Vaccaro et al. 2013; successor of the Magerl/AO classification 1994)
- Checked on
Summary of the published classification in our own words. Not a substitute for the original publication.
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