An atypical surgical solution in a hangman's fracture: case report

Abstract

Anyone who is familiar with the pathomechanism of hangman's fractures will surely think twice before considering this type of injury to be relatively safe, on the grounds that a fracture of the C2 arches creates the conditions for decompressing the spinal cord, while the fact that the entire posterior complex is maintaining the ligament connection means that the fracture is relatively stable. Doe to the complexity of the pathomechanism involved in fractures, it is difficult to set the displacement non-surgically, and it may be dangerous to do so in the event of uncontrolled spine distraction. This article describes the surgical solution used to treat patient with a hangman's fracture using the anterior and posterior approaches simultaneously. The surgical procedure described here made it possible to decompress the spinal cord, perform a solid fixation, mobilize the patient quickly after surgery, and initiate effective rehabilitation.