A Study of Fracture Patterns and Preventive Strategies of Thoracolumbar Spine Injuries

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Thoraco-lumbar spine fractures form majorityof spine fractures and is an important cause of morbidity.However, comprehensive data regarding epidemiologicalpattern of trauma patients with spinal fractures are scarce.Many epidemiological reports about spinal fractures focus onosteoporosis as an etiologic factor. But in Indian populationmore important etiological factors are road traffic accidentsand falls from height. Studies concerning only operativelytreated patients with spinal fractures show selective andbiased data that might be useful for capacity planning inhospitals or evaluating results of operative treatment, but notfor epidemiological purposesMaterial and Methods: 86 consecutive patients with thoracicor lumbar fractures attending the out-patient department orEmergency department of Sree Gokulam Medical CollegeHospital, Trivandrum were enrolled in the study. All patientswith fractures of the thoracic or lumbar spine were enrolledin this study.Result: Distribution of fracture pattern in thoracolumbarspine injuries were studied. And the methods to prevent thosefractures are listed in this study.Conclusion: This study is a prospective cohort study of theepidemiological aspects and pattern of injury and treatment inthoraco-lumbar spine fractures at a tertiary care referral center.A total of 86 patients were enrolled in the study.The mostcommon fracture pattern seen in this study was compressionfractures (24.4%) which are stable. This was followed bystable burst fractures (23.2%, unstable burst fractures (18.6%),translational injuries (fracture-dislocations)(16.3%), flexiondistraction injuries(13.9%) and chance fractures(3.5%).