Jefferson fracture | |
---|---|
Image of the first cervical vertebra, which is broken during a Jefferson fracture | |
Specialty | Orthopedics |
A Jefferson fracture is a bone fracture of the anterior and posterior arches of the C1 vertebra,[1] though it may also appear as a three- or two-part fracture. The fracture may result from an axial load on the back of the head or hyperextension of the neck (e.g. caused by diving), causing a posterior break, and may be accompanied by a break in other parts of the cervical spine.[1]
It is named after the British neurologist and neurosurgeon Sir Geoffrey Jefferson, who reported four cases of the fracture in 1920 in addition to reviewing cases that had been reported previously.[2]