Subaxial Cervical Spine Injury Classification (SLIC)
Subaxial Cervical Spine Injury Classification (SLIC, 0–10) from injury morphology, disco-ligamentous-complex integrity, and neurologic status, plus a +1 continuous-compression modifier; triage ≤ 3 / 4 / ≥ 5.
Open the calculator → Runs in your browser. Data leaves only if you deliberately send a problem report from the interactive tool.
Example
- Injury morphology
- Compression (1)
- Disco-ligamentous complex
- Indeterminate (1)
- Neurologic status
- Root injury (1)
- Continuous cord compression with deficit
- Yes
Result: SLIC 4/10 — indeterminate — surgeon’s discretion (4).
The tool opens with these values already filled in. Replace them with your own.
What the result means
- Categories
- morphology (none 0 / compression 1 / burst 2 / distraction 3 / rotation-translation 4), disco-ligamentous complex (0–2), neurology (0–3), and a +1 modifier for ongoing cord compression with deficit.
- Triage
- ≤ 3 nonoperative, 4 indeterminate, ≥ 5 operative. The +1 is additive on top of the neuro status, not a fifth option.
What you enter
- Injury morphology
- Disco-ligamentous complex
- Neurologic status
- Continuous cord compression with deficit (+1)
How this is calculated
Vaccaro AR, Hulbert RJ, Patel AA, et al. The subaxial cervical spine injury classification system: a novel approach to recognize the importance of morphology, neurology, and integrity of the disco-ligamentous complex. Spine. 2007;32(21):2365-2374. Read the source ↗
A reference and educational tool. Not medical, legal, or financial advice, and not a substitute for clinician judgment.