Fractured Sacrum, Posterior View

Description

Centered in the posterior pelvis, the sacrum sits inferior to L5 and between the right and left iliac bones at the sacroiliac joints, with the median sacral crest running vertically in the midline and the intermediate and lateral sacral crests flanking it. A transverse fracture line crosses the dorsal surface of the sacrum and interrupts the irregular relief of the median sacral crest, extending laterally toward the posterior sacral foramina. Superiorly, the fracture relates to the lumbosacral junction and posterior superior iliac spines; inferiorly, it approaches the sacral hiatus and coccygeal articulation. Bone landmarks stay readable. Posterior sacral fractures matter because displacement can narrow the sacral canal and threaten sacral nerve roots that exit through the dorsal and ventral foramina, producing saddle anesthesia, bowel or bladder dysfunction, or radicular pain. A horizontal fracture pattern also raises the teaching point of pelvic ring mechanics, where associated injuries at the sacroiliac joint, pubic rami, or lumbosacral facet complex may be present even when the dorsal break looks isolated. For operative planning, the dorsal view helps you judge whether a fracture crosses the midline crest versus tracking through foraminal zones (Denis classification), which influences risk of neurologic injury and the trajectory for iliosacral screw fixation. Use this asset in orthopedic trauma lectures on sacral and pelvic ring fractures, radiology teaching files when correlating plain films and CT sagittal reconstructions to posterior surface anatomy, or in surgical atlases discussing percutaneous iliosacral fixation and lumbopelvic stabilization landmarks. It also reads well in anatomy courses that want an applied example tied to the sacrum, sacroiliac joints, and lumbosacral transition. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.