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• Wedge compression fractures
- Account for 50 – 70% of all thoracolumbar compression fractures
- Usually results from motor vehicle collisions and falls where an axial load is applied to the spine in flexion causing injury to the anterior column without posterior column injury
- Best seen on the lateral radiograph
- Simple wedge fractures are stable and have no associated neurologic injury
- Instability is present if
- There is severe compression (>50%)
- Kyphosis greater than 20 degrees
- Multilevel compression fractures
http://jbjs.org/data/Journals/JBJS/855/JBJA0851224560G02.jpeg