What is Chance Fracture?

Chance fracture is a special type of spinal fracture.

Chance fracture is usually caused by excessive distraction force of the spine, such as sudden forward flexion and rotation in a traffic accident. The patient may present as a transverse fracture of the spine, or may be accompanied by dislocation or subluxation of the vertebral body. The injury mechanism and clinical presentation may be atypical, and detailed imaging is required to confirm the diagnosis.

Depending on the specific circumstances of the fracture, surgery or conservative treatment may be required to help restore spinal stability and alignment, while conservative treatment requires strict bed rest and close observation.