Clinical diagnosis and treatment of Hangman's fracture / 中华外科杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the mechanism of Hangman's fracture and its clinical manifestation and treatment.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Ten patients with Hangman's fracture treated at our hospital from 1988 to 2001 were analysed.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Patients were injured by motor vehicle accidents (7 patients), object hitting on the head (1), and fall (1). Injuries were classified as type I (1 patient), type II (5), type IIa (2) and type III (2).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Motor vehicle accident and fall are major causes of Hangman's fracture with neurological deficits but limited motion and neck pain. Hangman's fracture is easily diagnosed using lateral cervical X-ray and CT. Hangman's fractures of types I, II and IIa can be treated conservatively, but those of type III or spinal cord injury require surgical stabilization.</p>