title: The unusual chance fracture: case report & literature review.
abstract: The Chance fracture represents a spinal lesion caused by a flexion-distraction injury pattern. We describe a rare case of a male driver admitted at the Emergencies of our Institution, level A Trauma center. The was involved in an automobile accident without wearing a seatbelt. Radiological findings of plain radiography and computed tomography (CT) demonstrated a horizontal fracture extending across the vertebral body to the posterior elements with loss of vertebral height at the anterior aspect of T12. Based on these findings, the diagnosis of a T12 Chance fracture was established. The patient was treated conservatively with a thoracolumbar orthosis, without any subsequent disabilities. Although Chance fractures are rare lesions, they should always be considered in spinal injuries, even in cases of motor-vehicle accidents where no seatbelt is used.
authors.affiliation: 3 Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Athens, KAT Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Karargyris
authors.forename: Lg
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Morassi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zafeiris
authors.forename: Ds
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Evangelopoulos
authors.forename: Sg
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pneumaticos
keywords: Chance fracture; seatbelt injury; thoracic spine.