UNILATERAL THORACIC FACET DISLOCATION

A unilateral facet dislocation is an injury classically localized to t he cervical spine, A series of 3 unilateral thoracic facet dislocation s are reported in 2 adults and I child, Each had severe concomitant in juries to the thorax, which caused respiratory compromise, On lateral radiographs, all had anterior vertebral body translation of less than 20% of the vertebral body width with minor degrees of kyphosis. Axial computed tomographic images showed a unilateral empty facet sign, All patients were neurologically intact and none had any mechanical pain a l last followup, The mechanism of injury is flexion distraction with r otational force that disrupts the rib cage.