A sacral fracture is a break in the sacrum

bone A bone is a rigid organ that constitutes part of the skeleton in most vertebrate animals. Bones protect the various other organs of the body, produce red and white blood cells, store minerals, provide structure and support for the body, ...

. The sacrum is the large triangular bone that forms the last part of the

vertebral column The vertebral column, also known as the backbone or spine, is part of the axial skeleton. The vertebral column is the defining characteristic of a vertebrate in which the notochord (a flexible rod of uniform composition) found in all chordate ...

from the fusion of the five sacral vertebrae. Sacral fractures are relatively uncommon. They tend to be caused by high-energy trauma, for example in road traffic accidents or in falls. They are heterogenous (which means the bone can break in several different places, in several different ways) and almost always appear together with other injuries. This makes them difficult to diagnose and treat. As with other types of fractures, osteoporosis is a risk factor. The management may or may not include surgery.

Classification

The ''Denis Classification System'' classified sacral fractures into three regions according to the part of the bone affected. The location of the fracture has a major influence on symptoms experienced. * Zone 1 (

ala Ala, ALA, Alaa or Alae may refer to: Places * Ala, Hiiu County, Estonia, a village * Ala, Valga County, Estonia, a village * Ala, Alappuzha, Kerala, India, a village * Ala, Iran, a village in Semnan Province * Ala, Gotland, Sweden * Alad, S ...

), may cause disruption to the nerve root of the fifth lumbar vertebra (L5) * Zone 2 ( sacral foramina), may cause

sciatica Sciatica is pain going down the leg from the lower back. This pain may go down the back, outside, or front of the leg. Onset is often sudden following activities like heavy lifting, though gradual onset may also occur. The pain is often described ...

* Zone 3 (

sacral canal The sacrum (plural: ''sacra'' or ''sacrums''), in human anatomy, is a large, triangular bone at the base of the spine that forms by the fusing of the sacral vertebrae (S1S5) between ages 18 and 30. The sacrum situates at the upper, back part ...

), may cause

cauda equina syndrome Cauda equina syndrome (CES) is a condition that occurs when the bundle of nerves below the end of the spinal cord known as the cauda equina is damaged. Signs and symptoms include low back pain, pain that radiates down the leg, numbness around ...

References

{{Reflist Bone fractures

Classification

See also

References