8/16/2019 AO Classification of Fracture

1/15

Fracture Classification

8/16/2019 AO Classification of Fracture

2/15

Why Classify?

•  As a treatment

guide

• To assist withprognosis

• To speak a common

language with other

surgeons

8/16/2019 AO Classification of Fracture

3/15

 As a Treatment Guide

• If the same bone is

broken, the surgeon

can use a standardtreatment

• !"#$%&' fracture

personality and

(ariation withe)uipment and

e*perience

8/16/2019 AO Classification of Fracture

4/15

To Assist with rognosis

• +ou can tell the

patient what to

e*pect with theresults

• !"#$%&' oes

not consider the

soft tissues or othercompounding

factors

8/16/2019 AO Classification of Fracture

5/15

To -peak A Common

$anguage• This will allow

results to be

compared• !"#$%&' oor

interobser(er

reliability with

e*isting fractureclassifications

8/16/2019 AO Classification of Fracture

6/15

"TA Classification

• There has been a need for an organi.ed,

systematic fracture classification

•Goal' A comprehensi(e classificationadaptable to the entire skeletal system/

•  Answer' "TA Comprehensi(e

Classification of $ong #one 0ractures

8/16/2019 AO Classification of Fracture

7/15

To Classify a 0racture

• Which bone?

• Where in the bone is

the fracture?• Which type?

• Which group?

• Which subgroup?

8/16/2019 AO Classification of Fracture

8/15

1sing the "TA Classification• Which bone? •Where in the bone?

8/16/2019 AO Classification of Fracture

9/15

ro*imal 2 istal -egment

0ractures• Type A

 3 %*tra4articular 

• Type # 3 artial articular 

• Type C

 3 Complete disruption of

the articular surfacefrom the diaphysis

8/16/2019 AO Classification of Fracture

10/15

iaphyseal 0ractures

• Type A

 3 -imple fractures with two

fragments

• Type #

 3 Wedge fractures

 3  After reduced, length and

alignment restored

• Type C 3 Comple* fractures with

no contact between main

fragments

8/16/2019 AO Classification of Fracture

11/15

Grouping4Type A

56 -piral

76 "bli)ue86 Trans(erse

8/16/2019 AO Classification of Fracture

12/15

Grouping4Type #

56 -piral wedge

76 #ending wedge

86 0ragmented wedge

8/16/2019 AO Classification of Fracture

13/15

Grouping4Type C

56 -piral

multifragmentarywedge

76 -egmental

86 Irregular 

8/16/2019 AO Classification of Fracture

14/15

-ubgrouping

• iffers from bone to bone

• epends on key features for any gi(en

bone and its classification

• The purpose is to increase the precision of

the classification

8/16/2019 AO Classification of Fracture

15/15

"TA Classification

• It is an e(ol(ing system

• "pen for change when appropriate

•  Allows consistency in research• #uilds a description of the fracture in an

organi.ed, easy to use manner