The Holdsworth fracture is an unstable fracture dislocation of the thoraco lumbar junction of the spine, first described by Frank Holdsworth
in 1963. The injury consists of a fracture through a vertebral body,
rupture
of the posterior ligaments and fracture/dislocations of
the articular processes (see figure below). Sir Frank Holdsworth
described the mechanism of this injury as a flexion-rotation injury,
and stated that the unstable fracture dislocation should be treated by
fusion of the two affected vertebrae.
Holdsworth Fracture
References
Holdsworth FW. Fractures, dislocations, and
fracture-dislocations of the spine. J Bone Joint Surg Br (February 1963, 45-B (1):
6–20.
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