title: Six-level isolated spinous process fracture of the thoracic vertebrae (clay-shoveler's fracture) and a review of the literature.
abstract: Clay-shoveler's fractures are isolated, avulsion-type spinous process fractures of the lower cervical and upper thoracic vertebrae. Multi-level fractures of the spinous processes are extremely rare. We report the case of a 60-year-old female patient with a six-level isolated spinous process fracture of the thoracic spine. Our case is the fourth reported case in literature, of an isolated spinous process fracture involving five or more levels in the thoracic vertebrae.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Ataturk Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Atilla
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kazanci
authors.forename: Oktay
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Gurcan
authors.forename: Ahmet Gurhan
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Gurcay
authors.forename: Omer Faruk
authors.initials: OF
authors.lastname: Turkoglu
authors.forename: Murad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bavbek