"mechanism of injury: probably axial load and flexion."
"The specific classification system Francis Denis described (see below) has been superseded by more modern classifications (AO classification of thoracolumbar injuries and the thoracolumbar injury classification and severity score). Yet, the three-column concept remains central to them."
"Only of historical interest, it is worth noting that in the original 1983 article 1, Denis differentiated five types of fractures A-E:"
"Denis divided the vertebral column into three vertical parallel columns based on biomechanical studies on stability following traumatic injury. Instability occurs when injuries affect two contiguous columns (e.g., the anterior and middle column or the middle and posterior column). Obviously, a three-column injury is also unstable."
Expected headings
"Columns"
"While the three-column concept was initially developed for classifying thoracolumbar spinal fractures, it can also be applied to the lower cervical spine 3 as the general vertebral anatomy is similar to the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae. Due to its simplicity, it is widely used in routine clinical practice. It can be used in reports with the expectation that the treating clinicians will be familiar with the idea of anterior, middle and posterior columns."