The Holdsworth fracture is an unstable fracture

Bone fracture

A bone fracture is a medical condition in which there is a break in the continuity of the bone...

 dislocation of the thoraco

Thoracic vertebrae

In human anatomy, twelve thoracic vertebrae compose the middle segment of the vertebral column, between the cervical vertebrae and the lumbar vertebrae. They are intermediate in size between those of the cervical and lumbar regions; they increase in size as one proceeds down the spine, the upper...

 lumbar junction

Lumbar vertebrae

The lumbar vertebrae are the largest segments of the movable part of the vertebral column, and are characterized by the absence of the foramen transversarium within the transverse process, and by the absence of facets on the sides of the body...

 of the spine

Vertebral column

In human anatomy, the vertebral column is a column usually consisting of 24 articulating vertebrae, and 9 fused vertebrae in the sacrum and the coccyx. It is situated in the dorsal aspect of the torso, separated by intervertebral discs...

. The injury comprises a fracture through a vertebral body, rupture of the posterior spinal ligaments and fractures of the facet joints

Zygapophysial joint

A zygapophysial joint is a synovial joint between the superior articular process of one vertebra and the inferior articular process of the vertebra directly above it...

.

The injury was described by Sir Frank Wild Holdsworth

Frank Wild Holdsworth

Professor Sir Frank Wild Holdsworth FRCS was a British orthopaedic surgeon remembered for pioneering work on rehabilitation of spinal injury patients. He described the Holdsworth fracture of the spine in 1963.- Biography :...

 in 1963. He described the mechanism of this injury as a flexion

Flexion

In anatomy, flexion is a position that is made possible by the joint angle decreasing. The skeletal and muscular systems work together to move the joint into a "flexed" position. For example the elbow is flexed when the hand is brought closer to the shoulder...

-rotation injury, and stated that the unstable fracture dislocation should be treated by fusion

Arthrodesis

Arthrodesis, also known as artificial ankylosis or syndesis, is the artificial induction of joint ossification between two bones via surgery. This is done to relieve intractable pain in a joint which cannot be managed by pain medication, splints, or other normally-indicated treatments. The typical...

of the two affected vertebrae.