Thoracolumbar AO spine injury score versus thoracolumbar injury classification and severity score system in guiding thoracolumbar fracture surgery / 中华创伤骨科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To compare the differences between thoracolumbar AO spine injury score (TL AOSIS) and thoracolumbar injury classification and severity score system (TLICS) in guiding thoracolumbar fracture surgery.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted of the 55 patients with complete preoperative imaging data who had been treated for thoracolumbar injuries at Department of Spinal Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital to Zhejiang Chinese Medical University from January 2015 to December 2016. They were 34 men and 21 women, aged from 21 to 55 years (average, 37.5 years). Of them, 31 were identified as having normal neurological function and 24 as having impaired neurological function. TL AOSIS and TLICS were used to evaluate respectively all the patients, those with normal neurological function and those with impaired neurological function, and consequently made suggestions whether surgery should be performed or not.Results:Among the 55 patients, by the guidance of TL AOSIS and TLICS respectively, conservative treatment was suggested for 19 and 25 cases, either conservative treatment or surgery for 12 and 13 cases, and surgery for 24 and 17 cases. There was fine consistency between the 2 scoring systems in surgery suggestion for thoracolumbar fracture ( P=0.358). Among the 31 patients with normal neurological function, by the guidance of TL AOSIS and TLICS respectively, conservative treatment was suggested for 19 and 25 cases, either conservative treatment or surgery for 6 and 0 cases, and surgery for 6 and 6 cases. TLICS suggested surgery for significantly more patients than TL AOSIS did ( P=0.033). Among the 24 patients with impaired neurological function, by the guidance of TL AOSIS and TLICS respectively, either conservative treatment or surgery was suggested for 6 and 13 cases, and surgery for 18 and 11 cases. TL AOSIS suggested surgery for significantly more patients than TLICS did ( P=0.039). Conclusion:There is fine consistency between TL AOSIS and TLICS in surgery suggestion for thoracolumbar fracture, but TL AOSIS may lead to more surgery suggestions for the patients with complete burst fracture or impaired neurological function than TLICS.