What is anterior wedging vertebrae?
The vertebrae appear rectangular when viewed from the side. “Anterior wedging” means that the front edge of the rectangle is compressed (wedged). When viewed from the side, the shape looks more triangular. The “mid-thoracic” vertebra is in the middle of the spine.
What is wedging of lumbar spine?
The term “wedge fracture” is used because the fracture usually occurs in the front of the vertebra, collapsing the bone in the front of the spine and leaving the back of the same bone unchanged. This process results in a wedge-shaped vertebra.
What causes a wedged vertebrae?
When an external force is applied to the spine, such as from a fall or carrying of a sudden heavy weight, the forces may exceed the ability of the bone within the vertebral body to support the load. This may cause the front part of the vertebral body to crush forming a wedge shape.
What does vertebral wedging mean?
The vertebral wedging angle (ɑ) is the angle between the upper endplate and lower endplate of the vertebra. The intervertebral disc wedge (β) is defined as the angular difference between the inferior endplate of the upper vertebra and superior endplate of the lower vertebra.
What causes anterior wedging?
Anterior wedge fractures are fractures that occur when the vertebrae in the spine break down from some form of trauma. The fracture can also be caused by cancer, osteoporosis and any number of other conditions. Symptoms often include weakness and pain but can in rare cases cause nerve pains, tingling or incontinence.
How do you fix a wedged vertebrae?
Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty are minimally invasive procedures used to treat vertebral compression fractures of the spine. These painful, wedge-shaped fractures can be caused by osteoporosis and injury. Left untreated, they can lead to a humped spine (kyphosis).
What is anterior wedging of the mid-thoracic vertebral body?
“Anterior wedging” means that the front edge of the rectangle is compressed (wedged). When viewed from the side, the shape looks more triangular. The “mid-thoracic” vertebra is in the middle of the spine. It’s located between the neck (cervical spine) and lower back (lumbar spine).
What causes wedging in the thoracic spine?
The most common causes for anterior wedging of vertebrae include: Osteoporosis. A weakened bone breaks (called a compression fracture), most often in the lower thoracic and lumbar spine. Trauma. From an accident or injury. Scheuermann’s disease.
What is L3 vertebrae?
The L3 vertebra is in the middle of the five (5) lumbar vertebrae in the lower back portion of the spinal column.
What is body wedging?
wedging 1. Suffocation that results from compression of the chest between two firm surfaces. It is an occasional cause of sudden infant death syndrome, e.g., when an infant becomes lodged between a sleeping partner and a wall or mattress. 2. The squeezing or entrapment of any anatomical structure between two others.