The epidemiology of thoracolumbar trauma: A meta-analysis

Clinical outcome after dorso-ventral stabilization of the thoracolumbar and lumbar spine with vertebral body replacement and dorsal stabilization

PURPOSE

Surgical stabilization of the spine by vertebral body replacement (VBR) is used for spinal disorders such as traumatic fractures to provide an anatomical re-adjustment of the spine to prevent late detrimental effects and pain [1-4]. This study addresses the clinical outcome after a ventral intervention with VBR and bisegmental fusion.

METHODS

The study includes 76 patients (mean age: 59.34 ± 15.97; 34 females and 42 males) with fractures in the lower thoracic and lumbar spine. They were selected from patients of our hospital who received an anterolateral VBR surgery on the corresponding lower spine region over a nine-year period. Only patients were examined with X-rays and complete follow-up records. Exclusion criteria were changes due to degeneration and pathological fractures. Patients were divided into two groups, the thoracotomy group (Th10-L1) and the lumbotomy group (L2-5), respectively. Minimum one year after surgery, patients were asked about their well-being using a precasted questionnaire.

RESULTS

No significant differences with respect to the subjective impression of the patients concerning their back pain, spinal functional impairment, their general functional status and their quality of life impairment. Unfortunately, however, only a rather modest but significant increase of the post-surgical life quality was reported.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients who underwent VBR in the lower thoracic or lumbar spine show modest long-term well-being. The results suggest that injuries to the lower thoracic or lumbar spine requiring vertebral body replacement should be classified as severe injuries since they adversely affect the patients' long-term well-being.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Study of clinical outcome of patients after vertebral body replacement of the ventral thoracal and lumbal spine, DRKS00031452. Registered 10th March 2023 - Prospectively registered. Trial registration number DRKS00031452.

[Effectiveness of injured vertebra fixation with inclined-long pedicle screws combined with interbody fusion for thoracolumbar fracture dislocation with disc injury]

Objective

To investigate the effectiveness of injured vertebra fixation with inclined-long pedicle screws combined with interbody fusion for thoracolumbar fracture dislocation with disc injury.

Methods

Between January 2017 and June 2022, 28 patients with thoracolumbar fracture dislocation with disc injury were underwent posterior depression, the injured vertebra fixation with inclined-long pedicle screws, and interbody fusion. There were 22 males and 6 females, with a mean age of 41.4 years (range, 22-58 years). The causes of injury included falling from height in 18 cases, traffic accident in 5 cases, and bruise in 5 cases. Fracture segment included 1 case of T 11, 7 cases of T 12, 9 cases of L 1, and 11 cases of L 2. According to the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) scale, the spinal injuries were graded as grade A in 4 cases, grade B in 2 cases, grade C in 11 cases, and grade D in 11 cases. Preoperative spinal canal encroachment ratio was 17.7%-75.3% (mean, 44.0%); the thoracolumbar injury classification and severity score (TLICS) ranged from 9 to 10 (mean, 9.9). Seventeen patients were associated with other injuries. The time from injury to operation ranged from 1 to 4 days (mean, 2.3 days). The perioperative indicators (operation time, intraoperative blood loss, and the occurrence of complications), clinical evaluation indicators [visual analogue scale (VAS) score and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI)], radiologic evaluation indicators [anterior vertebral height ratio (AVHR), kyphosis Cobb angle (KCA), intervertebral space height (ISH), vertebral wedge angle (VWA), displacement angle (DA), and percent fracture dislocation displacement (PFDD)], neurological function, and interbody fusion were recorded.

Results

The operation time was 110-159 minutes (mean, 130.2 minutes). The intraoperative blood loss was 200-510 mL (mean, 354.3 mL). All incisions healed by first intention, and no surgical complications such as wound infection or hematoma occurred. All patients were followed up 12-15 months (mean, 12.7 months). The chest and lumbar pain significantly relieved, VAS scores and ODI after operation were significantly lower than those before operation, and further decreased with the extension of postoperative time, with significant differences ( P<0.05). At last follow-up, the ASIA classification of neurological function of the patients was grade A in 3 cases, grade B in 1 case, grade C in 1 case, grade D in 10 cases, and grade E in 13 cases, which was significantly different from preoperative one ( Z=-4.772, P<0.001). Imaging review showed that AVHR, KCA, ISH, VWA, DA, and PFDD significantly improved at 1 week, 3 months and last follow-up ( P<0.05). There was no significant difference between different time points after operation ( P>0.05). At last follow-up, according to the modified Brantigan score, all patients achieved good intervertebral bone fusion, including 22 complete fusion and 6 good intervertebral fusion with a few clear lines. No complications such as internal fixation failure or kyphosis occurred during follow-up.

Conclusion

The injured vertebra fixation with inclined-long pedicle screws combined with interbody fusion is an effective treatment for thoracolumbar fracture dislocation with disc injury, which can correct the fracture dislocation, release the nerve compression, restore the injured vertebral height, and reconstruct spinal stabilization.

A Critical Appraisal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons Evidence-Based Guidelines on the Evaluation and Treatment of Patients With Thoracolumbar Spine Trauma

Background and objective Thoracolumbar spine trauma (TST) is frequently associated with spinal cord injury and other soft tissue and bony injuries. The management of such injuries requires an evidence-based approach. This study used the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE) II instrument to assess the methodological quality of clinical guidelines for the management of TST published by the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS). Methods All clinical guidelines on TST published by CNS until 2020 were assessed. Five appraisers from three international centers evaluated the quality of eligible clinical guidelines by using AGREE II. Mean AGREE II scores for each domain were determined. In higher-quality domains, the scores for individual items were analyzed. Results A total of 12 guidelines published by CNS on TST were assessed. Mean scores for all six domains were as follows: Scope and Purpose (75.2%), Stakeholder Involvement (45.4%), Rigor of Development (57.0%), Clarity of Presentation (58.7%), Applicability (16.9%), and Editorial Independence (64.1%). The mean score for the overall quality of all CNS guidelines was 52.9% [95% confidence interval (CI): 52.2-53.5%]. The overall agreement among appraisers was excellent [intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs) for each guideline ranged from 0.903 to 0.963]. Conclusions CNS guidelines for the management of TST demonstrated acceptable quality across most domains; however, the domains of Applicability and Stakeholder Involvement could be further improved in future guideline updates. The assessors concluded that all guidelines could still be recommended for clinical practice with or without modifications.

Thoracic and Lumbar Spine Injury: Evidence-Based Diagnosis, Management, and Outcomes

BACKGROUND

Traumatic thoracolumbar spine injuries are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Targeted for non-spine specialist trauma surgeons, this systematic scoping review aimed to examine literature for up-to-date evidence on presentation, management, and outcomes of thoracolumbar spine injuries in adult trauma patients.

METHODS

This review was reported using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses checklist. We searched four bibliographic databases: PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library. Eligible studies included experimental, observational, and evidence-synthesis articles evaluating patients with thoracic, lumbar, or thoracolumbar spine injury, published in English between January 1, 2010 and January 31, 2021. Studies which focused on animals, cadavers, cohorts with N <30, and pediatric cohorts (age <18 years old), as well as case studies, abstracts, and commentaries were excluded.

RESULTS

A total of 2501 studies were screened, of which 326 unique studies were fully text reviewed and twelve aspects of injury management were identified and discussed: injury patterns, determination of injury status and imaging options, considerations in management, and patient quality of life. We found: (1) imaging is a necessary diagnostic tool, (2) no consensus exists for preferred injury characterization scoring systems, (3) operative management should be considered for unstable fractures, decompression, and deformity, and (4) certain patients experience significant burden following injury.

DISCUSSION

In this systematic scoping review, we present the most up-to-date information regarding the management of traumatic thoracolumbar spine injuries. This allows non-specialist trauma surgeons to become more familiar with thoracolumbar spine injuries in trauma patients and provides a framework for their management.

The AO Spine Thoracolumbar Injury Classification System and Treatment Algorithm in Decision Making for Thoracolumbar Burst Fractures Without Neurologic Deficit

STUDY DESIGN

Prospective Observational Study.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the alignment of the AO Spine Thoracolumbar Injury Classification system and treatment algorithm with contemporary surgical decision making.

METHODS

183 cases of thoracolumbar burst fractures were reviewed by 22 AO Spine Knowledge Forum Trauma experts. These experienced clinicians classified the fracture morphology, integrity of the posterior ligamentous complex and degree of comminution. Management recommendations were collected.

RESULTS

There was a statistically significant stepwise increase in rates of operative management with escalating category of injury (P < .001). An excellent correlation existed between recommended expert management and the actual treatment of each injury category: A0/A1/A2 (OR 1.09, 95% CI 0.70-1.69, P = .71), A3/4 (OR 1.62, 95% CI 0.98-2.66, P = .58) and B1/B2/C (1.00, 95% CI 0.87-1.14, P = .99). Thoracolumbar A4 fractures were more likely to be surgically stabilized than A3 fractures (68.2% vs 30.9%, P < .001). A modifier indicating indeterminate ligamentous injury increased the rate of operative management when comparing type B and C injuries to type A3/A4 injuries (OR 39.19, 95% CI 20.84-73.69, P < .01 vs OR 27.72, 95% CI 14.68-52.33, P < .01).

CONCLUSIONS

The AO Spine Thoracolumbar Injury Classification system introduces fracture morphology in a rational and hierarchical manner of escalating severity. Thoracolumbar A4 complete burst fractures were more likely to be operatively managed than A3 fractures. Flexion-distraction type B injuries and translational type C injuries were much more likely to have surgery recommended than type A fractures regardless of the M1 modifier. A suspected posterior ligamentous injury increased the likelihood of surgeons favoring surgical stabilization.

Machine Learning and Deep Learning in Spinal Injury: A Narrative Review of Algorithms in Diagnosis and Prognosis

Spinal injuries, including cervical and thoracolumbar fractures, continue to be a major public health concern. Recent advancements in machine learning and deep learning technologies offer exciting prospects for improving both diagnostic and prognostic approaches in spinal injury care. This narrative review systematically explores the practical utility of these computational methods, with a focus on their application in imaging techniques such as computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), as well as in structured clinical data. Of the 39 studies included, 34 were focused on diagnostic applications, chiefly using deep learning to carry out tasks like vertebral fracture identification, differentiation between benign and malignant fractures, and AO fracture classification. The remaining five were prognostic, using machine learning to analyze parameters for predicting outcomes such as vertebral collapse and future fracture risk. This review highlights the potential benefit of machine learning and deep learning in spinal injury care, especially their roles in enhancing diagnostic capabilities, detailed fracture characterization, risk assessments, and individualized treatment planning.

The adult with low back pain: causes, diagnosis, imaging features and management

Low back pain is the leading cause of disability worldwide. This article highlights the importance of succinct history taking and a thorough clinical examination when managing a patient with lower back pain in hospital. Furthermore, it encourages the clinician to consider the pertinent causes of low back pain such as age-related degeneration, malignancy, trauma, infection and seronegative inflammatory spondyloarthropathies, and looks at the diagnosis, imaging features and key management options which are available in secondary care.

Finite element study of sagittal fracture location on thoracolumbar fracture treatment

Background: Posterior internal fixation is the main method used for the treatment of thoracolumbar fractures. Fractures often occur in the upper 1/3 of the vertebral body. However, they can also occur in the middle or lower 1/3 of the vertebral body. At present, there is no report discussing the potential effects of sagittal location on instrument biomechanics or surgical strategy. The object of this study was to investigate the effect of the sagittal location of the fracture region of the vertebral body on the biomechanics of the internal fixation system and surgical strategy. Methods: A finite element model of the T11-L3 thoracolumbar segment was established based on a healthy person's CT scan. Different sagittal fracture location finite element models were created by resection of the upper 1/3, middle 1/3, and lower 1/3 of the L1 vertebral body. Three surgical strategies were utilized in this study, namely, proximal 1 level and distal 1 level (P1-D1), proximal 2 level and distal 1 level (P2-D1), and proximal 1 level and distal 2 levels (P1-D2). Nine fixation finite element models were created by combining fracture location and fixation strategies. Range of motion, von Mises stress, and stress distribution were analyzed to evaluate the effects on the instrument biomechanics and the selection of surgical strategy. Results: In all three different fixation strategies, the maximum von Mises stress location on the screw did not change with the sagittal location of the fracture site; nevertheless, the maximum von Mises stress differed. The maximum rod stress was located at the fracture site, with its value and location changed slightly. In the same fixation strategy, a limited effect of sagittal location on the range of motion was observed. P2D1 resulted in a shorter range of motion and lower screw stress for all sagittal locations of the fracture compared with the other strategies; however, rod stress was similar between strategies. Conclusion: The sagittal location of a fracture may affect the intensity and distribution of stress on the fixation system but does not influence the selection of surgical strategy.

Adult Trauma Patients With Thoracolumbar Injury Classification and Severity Score of 4: A Systematic Review

STUDY DESIGN

Systematic review.

OBJECTIVE

Evaluate characteristics of patients with thoracolumbar injury classification and severity (TLICS) score of 4 (To4) severity traumatic thoracolumbar injury.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

The TLICS score is used to predict the need for operative versus nonoperative management in adult patients with traumatic thoracolumbar injury. Ambiguity exists in its application and score categorization.

METHODS

A systematic review of the literature was performed. The databases of MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Review were queried. Studies included adults with traumatic thoracolumbar injury with assigned TLICS score and description of management strategy.

RESULTS

A total of 16 studies met inclusion criteria representing 1911 adult patients with traumatic thoracolumbar injury. There were 503 (26.32%) patients with To4, of which 298 (59.24%) were operative. Studies focusing on the thoracolumbar junction and AO Type A fracture morphology had To4 patient incidences of 11.15% and 52.94%, respectively. Multiple studies describe better quality of life, pain scores, and radiographic outcomes in To4 who underwent operative treatment patients.

CONCLUSION

To4 injuries are more commonly AO Type A and located in the thoracolumbar junction in adult patients with traumatic thoracolumbar injury. Despite ambiguous recommendations regarding treatment provided by TLICS, outcomes favor operative intervention in this subset of traumatic thoracolumbar injury patients.

Indirect Spinal Canal Decompression Using Ligamentotaxis Compared With Direct Posterior Canal Decompression in Thoracolumbar Burst Fractures: A Prospective Randomized Study

Background

There is still no standard of care to manage thoracolumbar burst fractures. With all the recent advances, posterior approaches are still one of the mainstays of treatment. On the other hand, while spinal canal decompression in neurological impaired patients is an important goal of treatment, its technique remains controversial.This study compared the effects of direct laminectomy decompression against ligamentotaxis/indirect canal decompression on neurological and radiographic improvements.

Methods

A prospective double-blind randomized clinical trial was conducted on 60 thoracolumbar burst-fracture patients meeting our inclusion and exclusion criteria. They were randomized into 2 treatment arms: (1) direct decompression using laminectomy and (2) indirect decompression using ligamentotaxis/distraction. Each patient was observed for 6 months, and their neurological and radiographical data were collected prospectively. Statistical analysis was done by the Student t test, Friedman test, Mann Whitney-U test, Wilcoxon ranked test, and 1-way analysis of variance.

Results

Among 60 patients enrolled in our study, each treatment arm had an improvement in Frankel scores but there was no difference between the groups at any given time. After 6 months of surgery, local sagittal kyphosis improved in both groups (from 32.2 to 7.43 and 29.93 to 8.77 for the indirect and direct groups, respectively), as well as anterior vertebral height ratio (from 57.73 to 70.7 and 62.17 to 66.27 for the indirect and direct group, respectively) and posterior vertebral height ratio (from 61.17 to 74.87 and 64 to 67.5 for the indirect and direct group, respectively). For between-group comparisons after 6 months, there was a significant difference only for posterior vertebral height ratio (P = 0.040).

Conclusion

Posterior approaches with ligamentotaxis have shown to be safe and may present the same outcome as direct decompression techniques using wide laminectomy.

Percutaneous versus open posterior stabilization and decompression in AOSpine-type A3 thoracolumbar fractures with neurological deficit

BACKGROUND

This retrospective cohort study aimed to compare the clinical and radiological outcomes between two treatment strategies focusing on non-osteoporotic AOSpine-type A3 fractures of the thoracolumbar spine with neurological deficits at levels T11 to L2.

METHODS

In total, 67 patients between 18 and 60 years of age who were treated operatively with either of the two treatment strategies were included. One treatment strategy included open posterior stabilization and decompression, whereas the other was based on percutaneous posterior stabilization and decompression via a tubular retraction system. Demographic data, surgical variables, and further parameters were assessed. Patient-reported outcomes (PROs), including the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) impairment score, were measured to assess functional outcomes. The regional Cobb angle (CA), the anterior height ratio of the fractured vertebrae (AHRV), and the degree of canal encroachment (DCE) were assessed. The ASIA score was used to assess neurological function recovery. The follow-up period was at least 12 months.

RESULTS

Surgical time and postoperative hospital stay were significantly shorter in the minimally invasive surgery (MIS) group. Intraoperative blood loss was significantly less in the MIS group. Regarding radiological outcome, CA and AHRV at the time of follow-up did not show a significant difference. DCE at the time of follow-up was significantly improved in the MIS group. Lower VAS scores and better ODIs were observed in the MIS group at the 6-month follow-up, but similar outcomes were observed at the 12-month follow-up. The ASIA score was similar between both groups at the 12-month follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

Both treatment strategies are safe and effective; however, MIS could provide earlier pain relief and better functional outcomes compared with OS.

Increased incidence of vertebral fractures in German adults from 2009 to 2019 and the analysis of secondary diagnoses, treatment, costs, and in-hospital mortality

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to present the nationwide rates of hospitalized patients with vertebral fractures over one decade and to comprehensively analyze the treatment characteristics and direct costs incurred in 2019. Therefore, the trends in the incidence rate were quantified based on annual ICD-10 diagnosis codes from all German medical facilities between 2009 and 2019, provided by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis). The ICD-10 Codes "S12.0-2; S22.0-; S32.0-, and S32.1-2" were evaluated. The relative change from 2009 through 2019 was determined. Using data from the Institute for Hospital Remuneration Systems (InEK) for 2019 the secondary diagnoses, OPS-codes, intensive care unit (ICU) treatment, in-hospital mortality, the proportion of G-DRGs and cumulative costs were evaluated. The documented number of vertebral fractures increased by 45.6% between 2009 and 2019 to an incidence of 150.7 per 100,000 inhabitants. The lumbar spine was most commonly affected with an incidence of 70.5/100,000 inhabitants in 2019 (46.8% of all vertebral fractures). The highest increases were seen in the numbers of subaxial cervical fractures (+ 121.2%) and sacral fractures (+ 306.6%). Of all vertebral fractures in 2019, 63.7% were diagnosed in women and 69.0% in patients aged 70 years or older. Osteoporosis was documented in 17.9% of cases as a concomitant diagnosis. In 10.1% of all cases, an ICU treatment was documented. The in-hospital mortality was 2.0% in 2019. I68D was the most frequently used G-DRG code, accounting for 33.3% of cases. The total direct costs for inpatient treatment in 2019 amounted to €589,205,715. The evaluation of 955,091 vertebral fractures showed a sharp increase in the nation-wide incidence rate. The presented age and sex distribution, the comorbidity profile and the in-hospital mortality rate indicate the importance of comprehensive geriatric assessment and emphasize the need for spinal care centers to be established.

Characteristics and comparative study of thoracolumbar spine injury and dislocation fracture due to tertiary trauma

PURPOSE

Thoracolumbar spine injury is frequently seen with high-energy trauma but dislocation fractures are relatively rare in spinal trauma, which is often neurologically severe and requires urgent treatment. Therefore, it is essential to understand other concomitant injuries when treating dislocation fractures. The purpose of this study is to determine the differences in clinical features between thoracolumbar spine injury without dislocation and thoracolumbar dislocation fracture.

METHODS

We conducted an observational study using the Japan Trauma Data Bank (2004-2019). A total of 734 dislocation fractures (Type C) and 32,382 thoracolumbar spine injuries without dislocation (Non-type C) were included in the study. The patient background, injury mechanism, and major complications in both groups were compared. In addition, multivariate analysis of predictors of the diagnosis of dislocation fracture using logistic regression analysis were performed.

RESULTS

Items significantly more frequent in Type C than in Non-type C were males, hypotension, bradycardia, percentage of complete paralysis, falling objects, pincer pressure, accidents during sports, and thoracic artery injury (P < 0.001); items significantly more frequent in Non-type C than in Type C were falls and traffic accidents, head injury, and pelvic trauma (P < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis showed that younger age, male, complete paralysis, bradycardia, and hypotension were associated with dislocation fracture.

CONCLUSION

Five associated factors were identified in the development of thoracolumbar dislocation fractures.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

III.

Thoracolumbar Injury Classification and Severity Score Is Predictive of Perioperative Adverse Events in Operatively Treated Thoracic and Lumbar Fractures

STUDY DESIGN

A retrospective cohort study of patients with surgically treated thoracolumbar fractures.

PURPOSE

This study aimed to describe the incidence of adverse events (AEs) after surgical stabilization of thoracolumbar spine injuries and to identify predictive factors for the occurrence of AEs.

OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE

Thoracolumbar spine fractures are frequently present in patients with blunt trauma and are associated with significant morbidity. AEs can occur due to the initial spinal injury or secondary to surgical treatment. There is a lack of emphasis in the literature on the AEs that can occur after operative management of thoracolumbar fractures.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective review of 199 patients with surgically treated thoracolumbar fractures operated between January 2007 and January 2018. The potential risk factors for the development of AEs as well as the development of common complications were evaluated by univariate analysis, and a multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify independent risk factors predictive of the above.

RESULTS

The overall rate of AEs was 46.7%; 83 patients (41.7%) had nonsurgical AEs, whereas 24 (12.1%) had surgical adverse events. The most common AEs were urinary tract infections in 43 patients (21.6%), and hospital-acquired pneumonia in 21 patients (10.6%). On multivariate logistic regression, a Thoracolumbar Injury Classification and Severity (TLICS) score of 8-10 (odds ratio [OR], 6.39; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.33-17.51), the presence of polytrauma (OR, 2.64; 95% CI, 1.17-5.99), and undergoing open surgery (OR, 2.31; 95% CI, 1.09-4.88) were significant risk factors for AEs. The absence of neurological deficit was associated with a lower rate of AEs (OR, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.31-0.70).

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests the presence of polytrauma, preoperative American Spinal Injury Association score, and TLICS score are predictive of AEs in patients with surgically treated thoracolumbar fractures. The results might also suggest a role for minimally invasive surgical methods in reducing AEs in these patients.

Does displacement of cervical and thoracolumbar dislocation-translation injuries predict spinal cord injury or recovery?

OBJECTIVE

For patients with cervical and thoracolumbar AO Spine type C injuries, the authors sought to 1) identify whether preoperative vertebral column translation is predictive of a complete spinal cord injury (SCI) and 2) identify whether preoperative or postoperative vertebral column translation is predictive of neurological improvement after surgical decompression.

METHODS

All patients who underwent operative treatment for cervical and thoracolumbar AO Spine type C injuries at the authors' institution between 2006 and 2021 were identified. CT and MRI were utilized to measure vertebral column translation in millimeters prior to and after surgery. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was generated to predict the probability of sustaining a complete SCI on the basis of the amount of preoperative vertebral column translation. ROC curves were then used to predict the probability of neurological recovery on the basis of preoperative and postoperative vertebral column translation.

RESULTS

ROC analysis of 67 patients identified 6.10 mm (area under the curve [AUC] 0.77, 95% CI 0.650-0.892) of preoperative vertebral column translation as predictive of complete SCI. Additionally, ROC curve analysis found that 10.4 mm (AUC 0.654, 95% CI 0.421-0.887) of preoperative vertebral column translation was strongly predictive of no postoperative neurological improvement. Residual postoperative vertebral column translation after fracture reduction and instrumentation had no predictive value on neurological recovery (AUC 0.408, 95% CI 0.195-0.622).

CONCLUSIONS

For patients with cervical and thoracolumbar AO Spine type C injuries, the amount of preoperative vertebral column translation is highly predictive of complete SCI and the likelihood of postoperative neurological recovery.

Evaluation of postoperative bracing on unstable traumatic lumbar fractures after pedicle screw fixation

BACKGROUND

Fractures of the thoracolumbar and lumbar regions are very important. There is still debate on the use of braces after surgical operations. The current study aims to evaluate and report the outcomes of postoperative bracing following pedicle screw fixation in patients with thoracolumbar and lumbar fractures in Iran.

METHODS

This is a clinical trial performed from 2012 to 2022 on 144 patients diagnosed with lumbar and thoracolumbar fractures. Demographic data of patients including age and gender were obtained. Patients' fractures were classified as Frankel (A to E) in terms of clinical and neurological manifestations. Patient's quality of life (QOL) was measured using the 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36). All patients underwent surgical fixation of the fracture. Patients were then randomized into two groups using Random Allocation Software. The first group received post-operation bracing and the second group did not receive braces. Thus, radiographic and clinical evaluation data of 1, 3, and 12 months after surgery were used to determine bone fusion.

RESULTS

The most common mechanisms of trauma included falling from a height in 99 patients (68.7%), vehicle accidents in 39 patients (27.1%), and the most common fracture sites were the L1 vertebrae in 73 patients (50.7%), 111 patients (77.1%) had burst fractures, and 105 patients (72.3%) had no neurological defects (Frankel E). At the beginning of the study, there were no significant differences between the two groups regarding the mentioned data, patients' QOL, and pain severity. All patients (100%) had early mobilization. Most patients (85.4%) did not report persistent back pain 12 months after surgeries. 90.2% returned to their daily activities and all patients (100%) had full fusion based on radiologic data. The QOL and pain severity of patients improved significantly compared to baseline (P < 0.001 for both).

CONCLUSION

The use or non-use of braces did not affect the treatment results. As a result, patients who have received pedicle screw fixation for unstable thoracolumbar fractures do not require braces in the postoperative period.

Comparison of the Outcomes between AO Type B2 Thoracolumbar Fracture with and without Disc Injury after Posterior Surgery

Objective

The type AO B2 thoracolumbar fracture is a kind of flexion‐distraction injury and the effect of disc injury on treatment results of patients with B2 fracture remains unclear. The objective of the current study was to compare and analyze the outcomes in AO Type B2 thoracolumbar fracture patients with and without disc injuries in terms of the Cobb angle of kyphosis, the incidence of complication, and the rate of implant failure.

Methods

This is a retrospective study. Of the 486 patients with thoracolumbar fractures who underwent posterior fixation, 38 patients with AO type B2 injuries were included. All the patients were divided into two groups according to changes in the adjoining discs. Disc injury group A included 17 patients and no disc injury group included 21 patients. Clinical and radiologic parameters were evaluated before surgery, after surgery, and at follow‐up. Clinical outcomes included visual analogue scale (VAS) scores, incidence of complications, and incidence of implant failure. Radiologic assessment was accomplished with the Cobb angle (CA), local kyphosis (LK), percentage of anterior vertebral height (AVBH%), intervertebral disc height, and intervertebral disc angle. Fisher's precision probability tests were employed and chi square test were used to compare categorical variables. Paired sample t tests and independent‐sample t tests were used to compare continuous data.

Results

Disc injury mainly involved the cranial disc (15/19, 78.9%). The mean follow‐up period for the patients was 30.2 ± 20.1 months. No neurologic deterioration was reported in the patients at the last follow‐up. Radiological outcomes at the last follow‐up showed significant differences in the CA (18.59° ± 13.74° vs 8.16° ± 9.99°, P = 0.008), LK (12.74° ± 8.00° vs 6.55° ± 4.89°, P = 0.006), and %AVBH (77.16% vs 90.83%, P = 0.01) between the two groups.Implant failure occurred after posterior fixation in five patients with disc injury who did not undergo interbody fusion during the initial surgery. Additionally, in the subgroup analysis, interbody fusion in the implant failure group were significantly different than in the no implant failure group (0% vs 75%, P = 0.009).

Conclusions

AO B2 fracture patients with disc injury have higher risk of complications, especially implant failure after posterior surgery. Interbody fusion should be considered in AO type B2 fracture patients with disc injury.

Artificial Intelligence Accurately Detects Traumatic Thoracolumbar Fractures on Sagittal Radiographs

Background and Objectives: Commonly being the first step in trauma routine imaging, up to 67% fractures are missed on plain radiographs of the thoracolumbar (TL) spine. The aim of this study was to develop a deep learning model that detects traumatic fractures on sagittal radiographs of the TL spine. Identifying vertebral fractures in simple radiographic projections would have a significant clinical and financial impact, especially for low- and middle-income countries where computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are not readily available and could help select patients that need second level imaging, thus improving the cost-effectiveness. Materials and Methods: Imaging studies (radiographs, CT, and/or MRI) of 151 patients were used. An expert group of three spinal surgeons reviewed all available images to confirm presence and type of fractures. In total, 630 single vertebra images were extracted from the sagittal radiographs of the 151 patients—302 exhibiting a vertebral body fracture, and 328 exhibiting no fracture. Following augmentation, these single vertebra images were used to train, validate, and comparatively test two deep learning convolutional neural network models, namely ResNet18 and VGG16. A heatmap analysis was then conducted to better understand the predictions of each model. Results: ResNet18 demonstrated a better performance, achieving higher sensitivity (91%), specificity (89%), and accuracy (88%) compared to VGG16 (90%, 83%, 86%). In 81% of the cases, the “warm zone” in the heatmaps correlated with the findings, suggestive of fracture within the vertebral body seen in the imaging studies. Vertebras T12 to L2 were the most frequently involved, accounting for 48% of the fractures. A4, A3, and A1 were the most frequent fracture types according to the AO Spine Classification. Conclusions: ResNet18 could accurately identify the traumatic vertebral fractures on the TL sagittal radiographs. In most cases, the model based its prediction on the same areas that human expert classifiers used to determine the presence of a fracture.

Intervertebral disc injury is the mainspring for the postoperative increase in Cobb Angle after thoracolumbar burst fracture

STUDY DESIGN

A single-institution retrospective study of a cohort of patients who underwent internal fixation spine surgery for thoracolumbar burst fracture (TLBF).

OBJECTIVE

To observe the imaging manifestations of intervertebral disc changes in TLBF, to analyze the relationship between the degree of disc injury and the Cobb angle increase.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed the data of patients who underwent short-segment pedicle screw instrumentation in the spinal surgery department of a single hospital between January 2014 and December 2017 (n = 90). According to the magnetic resonance imaging characteristics of the superior intervertebral disc tissue of the injured vertebrae before the operation, the intervertebral disc injury was divided into three types, which was used for group allocation: group A, uninjured intervertebral disc group; group B, mild intervertebral disc injury group; and group C, severe intervertebral disc injury group. The main imaging results of the three groups Cobb, IVA, IHI, AHIV, and VAS were compared among groups.

RESULTS

Ninety patients were included in the study (n = 38, 32, and 20, in groups A, B, and C, respectively). There was no statistically significant difference in demographics among the three groups (p > .05). 1-year post-surgery, the Cobb angle in group C differed significantly from that in groups A and B (p < .01). There was a significant difference in Cobb angle between groups A and B after internal fixation was removed for 6 months. At 1-year post-surgery, the IHI group C differed significantly from groups A and B (p < .01), while groups A and B were similar (p = .102); however, at 6 months after the internal fixation was removed, the IHI differed significantly between these two groups, also the AHIV between groups A and B was statistically significant (p < .01). The VAS pain score was similar among the three groups. Pearson's test showed that the increase in the Cobb angle was moderately correlated with IVA and IHI, and weakly correlated with AHIV.

CONCLUSION

For TLBF with an intervertebral disc injury, the presurgical degree of intervertebral disc injury is the main reason for the post-surgery increase in the Cobb angle. Thus, diagnosis and treatment of this kind of patient require attention to the risk of spinal deformity.

Percutaneous screw fixation versus open fusion for the treatment of traumatic thoracolumbar fractures: A retrospective case series of 185 Patients with a single-level spinal column injury

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective Single-Center Review of Data at a Level 1 Trauma Center.

OBJECTIVE

Compare deformity correction and surgical outcomes of percutaneous instrumentation and open fusion in traumatic thoracolumbar fractures.

METHODS

In our retrospective study, all patients undergoing elective spine surgery for TL fractures at a Level 1 trauma center between 2000 and 2017 were reviewed. Patients who underwent percutaneous fixation were given the option of hardware removal after the fracture had healed.

RESULTS

A total of 185 patients were included in the study, with 109 treated with an open fusion, and 76 with percutaneous fixation. Twenty-five patients in the latter group had the instrumentation removed after the fracture had healed. None of them required reoperation. In the open fusion group 54.1% of patients required a decompressive laminectomy. Percutaneous fixation patients had a shorter operative time (98.3 min vs 214 min, p < 0.0001), shorter length of stay (9.8 days vs 13.5 days, p = 0.04), and less blood loss (68.4 cc vs 691 cc, p < 0.001). They also had a better correction of their traumatic kyphosis after surgery (p = 0.005).

CONCLUSION

Percutaneous fixation is a valuable option for the treatment of TL fractures in cases without evidence of neural compression. It is still unclear whether hardware removal helps prevent adjacent segment degeneration. Percutaneous fixation could allow for better reduction of the fracture with improvement of postoperative alignment.

One-Year Clinical Outcomes of Minimal-Invasive Dorsal Percutaneous Fixation of Thoracolumbar Spine Fractures

Introduction: Minimal-invasive instrumentation techniques have become a workhorse in spine surgery and require constant clinical evaluations. We sought to analyze patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) and clinicopathological characteristics of thoracolumbar fracture stabilizations utilizing a minimal-invasive percutaneous dorsal screw-rod system. Methods: We included all patients with thoracolumbar spine fractures who underwent minimal-invasive percutaneous spine stabilization in our clinics since inception and who have at least 1 year of follow-up data. Clinical characteristics (length of hospital stay (LOS), operation time (OT), and complications), PROMs (preoperative (pre-op), 3-weeks postoperative (post-op), 1-year postoperative: eq5D, COMI, ODI, NRS back pain), and laboratory markers (leucocytes, c-reactive protein (CRP)) were analyzed, finding significant associations between these study variables and PROMs. Results: A total of 68 patients (m: 45.6%; f: 54.4%; mean age: 76.9 ± 13.9) were included. The most common fracture types according to the AO classification were A3 (40.3%) and A4 (40.3%), followed by B2 (7.46%) and B1 (5.97%). The Median American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score was 3 (range: 1−4). Stabilized levels ranged from TH4 to L5 (mean number of targeted levels: 4.25 ± 1.4), with TH10-L2 (12/68) and TH11-L3 (11/68) being the most frequent site of surgery. Mean OT and LOS were 92.2 ± 28.2 min and 14.3 ± 6.9 days, respectively. We observed 9/68 complications (13.2%), mostly involving screw misalignments and loosening. CRP increased from 24.9 ± 33.3 pre-op to 34.8 ± 29.9 post-op (p < 0.001), whereas leucocyte counts remained stable. All PROMs showed a marked significant improvement for both 3-week and 1-year evaluations compared to the preoperative situation. Interestingly, we did not find an impact of OT, LOS, lab markers, complications, and other clinical characteristics on PROMs. Notably, a higher number of stabilized levels did not affect PROMs. Conclusions: Minimal-invasive stabilization of thoracolumbar fractures utilizing a dorsal percutaneous approach resulted in significant PROM outcome improvements, although we observed a complication rate of 13.2% for up to 1 year of follow-up. PROMs were not significantly associated with clinicopathological characteristics, technique-related variables, or the number of targeted levels.

An updated management algorithm for incorporating minimally invasive techniques to treat thoracolumbar trauma

OBJECTIVE

Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) techniques can effectively stabilize and decompress many thoracolumbar injuries with decreased morbidity and tissue destruction compared with open approaches. Nonetheless, there is limited direction regarding the breadth and limitations of MIS techniques for thoracolumbar injuries. Consequently, the objectives of this study were to 1) identify the range of current practice patterns for thoracolumbar trauma and 2) integrate expert opinion and literature review to develop an updated treatment algorithm.

METHODS

A survey describing 10 clinical cases with a range of thoracolumbar injuries was sent to 12 surgeons with expertise in spine trauma. The survey results were summarized using descriptive statistics, along with the Fleiss kappa statistic of interrater agreement. To develop an updated treatment algorithm, the authors used a modified Delphi technique that incorporated a literature review, the survey results, and iterative feedback from a group of 14 spine trauma experts. The final algorithm represented the consensus opinion of that expert group.

RESULTS

Eleven of 12 surgeons contacted completed the case survey, including 8 (73%) neurosurgeons and 3 (27%) orthopedic surgeons. For the 4 cases involving patients with neurological deficits, nearly all respondents recommended decompression and fusion, and the proportion recommending open surgery ranged from 55% to 100% by case. Recommendations for the remaining cases were heterogeneous. Among the neurologically intact patients, MIS techniques were typically recommended more often than open techniques. The overall interrater agreement in recommendations was 0.23, indicating fair agreement. Considering both literature review and expert opinion, the updated algorithm indicated that MIS techniques could be used to treat most thoracolumbar injuries. Among neurologically intact patients, percutaneous instrumentation without arthrodesis was recommended for those with AO Spine Thoracolumbar Classification System subtype A3/A4 (Thoracolumbar Injury Classification and Severity Score [TLICS] 4) injuries, but MIS posterior arthrodesis was recommended for most patients with AO Spine subtype B2/B3 (TLICS > 4) injuries. Depending on vertebral body integrity, anterolateral corpectomy or mini-open decompression could be used for patients with neurological deficits.

CONCLUSIONS

Spine trauma experts endorsed a range of strategies for treating thoracolumbar injuries but felt that MIS techniques were an option for most patients. The updated treatment algorithm may provide a foundation for surgeons interested in safe approaches for using MIS techniques to treat thoracolumbar trauma.

Automated prediction of the Thoracolumbar Injury Classification and Severity Score from CT using a novel deep learning algorithm

OBJECTIVE

Damage to the thoracolumbar spine can confer significant morbidity and mortality. The Thoracolumbar Injury Classification and Severity Score (TLICS) is used to categorize injuries and determine patients at risk of spinal instability for whom surgical intervention is warranted. However, calculating this score can constitute a bottleneck in triaging and treating patients, as it relies on multiple imaging studies and a neurological examination. Therefore, the authors sought to develop and validate a deep learning model that can automatically categorize vertebral morphology and determine posterior ligamentous complex (PLC) integrity, two critical features of TLICS, using only CT scans.

METHODS

All patients who underwent neurosurgical consultation for traumatic spine injury or degenerative pathology resulting in spine injury at a single tertiary center from January 2018 to December 2019 were retrospectively evaluated for inclusion. The morphology of injury and integrity of the PLC were categorized on CT scans. A state-of-the-art object detection region-based convolutional neural network (R-CNN), Faster R-CNN, was leveraged to predict both vertebral locations and the corresponding TLICS. The network was trained with patient CT scans, manually labeled vertebral bounding boxes, TLICS morphology, and PLC annotations, thus allowing the model to output the location of vertebrae, categorize their morphology, and determine the status of PLC integrity.

RESULTS

A total of 111 patients were included (mean ± SD age 62 ± 20 years) with a total of 129 separate injury classifications. Vertebral localization and PLC integrity classification achieved Dice scores of 0.92 and 0.88, respectively. Binary classification between noninjured and injured morphological scores demonstrated 95.1% accuracy. TLICS morphology accuracy, the true positive rate, and positive injury mismatch classification rate were 86.3%, 76.2%, and 22.7%, respectively. Classification accuracy between no injury and suspected PLC injury was 86.8%, while true positive, false negative, and false positive rates were 90.0%, 10.0%, and 21.8%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, the authors demonstrate a novel deep learning method to automatically predict injury morphology and PLC disruption with high accuracy. This model may streamline and improve diagnostic decision support for patients with thoracolumbar spinal trauma.

Utility of upright radiographs in traumatic thoracolumbar fracture management

Background

It is common practice to use a combination approach of computed tomography (CT) scan followed by upright radiographs when assessing traumatic thoracolumbar (TL) vertebral fractures. The purpose of this study was to determine the clinical utility of upright spine radiographs in the setting of traumatic TL fracture management. Our null hypothesis is that upright TL radiographs rarely change management of acute vertebral fractures.

Methods

A retrospective study was performed on patients with an initial plan of non-operative management for a TL fracture between January 2014 and June 2020 at a single Level 1 trauma center. Patients were followed from time of initial consult to either conversion to surgery (operative) or last available outpatient follow up imaging (non-operative). Lateral kyphotic angle of the fractured vertebra and anterior vertebral body height% loss on initial CT, first upright radiograph, and endpoint upright radiograph imaging were measured. Measurements were compared between and within operative and non-operative groups using t-tests and Mann-Whitney U tests when appropriate. P-values ≤ 0.05 were considered statistically significant.

Results

The study included 70 patients with an average age of 54 years and 37 (52.9%) were women. Six (8.6%) of 70 patients had a change from non-operative to operative management based on upright radiographs. The mean (standard deviation) change in degrees of kyphosis from CT scan to first X-ray was 4.6 (7.0) in the non-operative group and 11.5 (8.1) in the operative group (P = 0.03). Delta degrees of kyphosis from CT scan to endpoint X-ray was 6.4 (9.0) and 16.2 (6.2) in the non-operative and operative groups, respectively (P = 0.01). In the operative group, mean degrees of kyphosis increased from 1.6 (7.6) in initial CT to 13.1 (8.9) in first X-ray (P = 0.02). First X-ray mean anterior body height% loss was 37.5 (17.6) and 53.2 (16.1) in the non-operative and operative groups, respectively (P = 0.04).

Conclusions

Upright radiographs are useful in guiding traumatic vertebral fracture management decisions. Larger studies are needed to determine the degree of change in kyphosis between CT and first standing radiograph that is suggestive of operative management.

Trial registration number and date of registration

Not applicable.

Thoracolumbar Burst Fractures: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on the Anterior and Posterior Approaches

Background

A thoracolumbar burst fracture (BF) is a severe type of compression fracture, which is the most common type of traumatic spine fractures. Generally, surgery is the preferred treatment, but whether the optimal approach is either an anterior or a posterior approach remains unclear. This study aims to determine whether either method provides an advantage.

Methods

Following PRISMA guidelines, a systematic review was conducted, identifying studies comparing anterior versus posterior surgical approaches in patients with thoracolumbar BFs. Data were analyzed using Review Manager 5.3. Seven studies were included.

Results

An operative time of 87.97 min (53.91, 122.03; p<0.0001) and blood loss of 497.04 mL (281.8, 712.28; p<0.0001) were lower in the posterior approach. Length of hospital stay, complications, reintervention rate, neurological outcomes, postoperative kyphotic angle, and costs were similar between both groups.

Conclusions

Surgical intervention is usually selected to rehabilitate patients with BFs. The data obtained from this study suggest that a posterior approach represents a viable alternative to an anterior approach, with various advantages such as a shorter operative time and decreased bleeding.

Floating Thoracic Spine Due to Noncontiguous Fracture-Dislocations of the Thoracolumbar Spine

The thoracolumbar spine is the most commonly afflicted area in vertebral column injuries. Here we bring up a case of a 20-year-old male who presented to our emergency department with a history of a high-velocity road traffic accident with noncontiguous two-level fracture-dislocations of the thoracolumbar spine with blunt trauma to the chest. The patient was managed with posterior reduction and instrumented postero-lateral fusion. Such an injury pattern has been reported only rarely in the literature. This report expects to highlight the unusual fracture pattern of a common injury and the challenges of managing such severe injuries intra-operatively and in the post-operative period.

Predictors of thoracic and lumbar spine injuries in patients with TBI: A nationwide analysis

OBJECTIVE

Cervical spine injury screening is common practice for traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients. However, risk factors for concomitant thoracolumbar trauma remain unknown. We characterized epidemiology and clinical risk for concomitant thoracolumbar trauma in TBI.

METHODS

We conducted a multi-center, retrospective cohort analysis of TBI patients in the National Trauma Data Bank from 2011-2014 using multivariable logistic regression.

RESULTS

Out of 768,718 TBIs, 46,654 (6.1%) and 42,810 (5.6%) patients were diagnosed with thoracic and lumbar spine fractures, respectively. Only 11% of thoracic and 7% of lumbar spine fracture patients had an accompanying spinal cord injury at any level. The most common mechanism of injury was motor vehicle accident (67% of thoracic and 71% and lumbar fractures). Predictors for both thoracic and lumbar fractures included moderate (thoracic: OR 1.26, 95%CI 1.21-1.31; lumbar: OR 1.13, 95%CI 1.08-1.18) and severe Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score (OR 1.71, 95%CI 1.67-1.75; OR 1.17, 95%CI 1.13-1.20) compared to mild; epidural hematoma (OR 1.36, 95%CI 1.28-1.44; OR 1.1, 95%CI 1.04-1.19); lower extremity injury (OR 1.38, 95%CI 1.35-1.41; OR 2.50, 95%CI 2.45-2.55); upper extremity injury (OR 2.19, 95%CI 2.14-2.23; OR 1.15, 95%CI 1.13-1.18); smoking (OR 1.09, 95%CI 1.06-1.12; OR 1.12, 95%CI 1.09-1.15); and obesity (OR 1.39, 95%CI 1.34-1.45; OR 1.29, 95%CI 1.24-1.35). Thoracic injuries (OR 4.45; 95% CI 4.35-4.55) predicted lumbar fractures, while abdominal injuries (OR 2.02; 95% CI 1.97-2.07) predicted thoracic fractures.

CONCLUSIONS

We identified GCS, smoking, upper and lower extremity injuries, and obesity as common risk factors for thoracic and lumbar spinal fractures in TBI.

Predictors of hospital readmission within 30 days after surgery for thoracolumbar fractures: A mixed approach

BACKGROUND

Readmission followed by surgery to treat spinal fractures has a substantial impact on patient care costs and reflects a hospital's quality standards. This article analyzes the factors associated with hospital readmission followed by surgery to treat spinal fractures.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional study with time-series analysis. For prediction analysis, we used Cox proportional hazards and machine-learning models, using data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project, Inpatient Database from Florida (USA).

RESULTS

The sample comprised 215,999 patients, 8.8% of whom were readmitted within 30 days. The factors associated with a risk of readmission were male sex (1.1 [95% confidence interval 1.06-1.13]) and >60 years of age (1.74 [95% CI: 1.69-1.8]). Surgeons with a higher annual patient volume presented a lower risk of readmission (0.61 [95% CI: 0.59-0.63]) and hospitals with an annual volume >393 presented a lower risk (0.92 [95% CI: 0.89-0.95]).

CONCLUSION

Surgical procedures and other selected predictors and machine-learning models can be used to reduce 30-day readmissions after spinal surgery. Identification of patients at higher risk for readmission and complications is the first step to reducing unplanned readmissions.

Incidence and Epidemiology of Thoracolumbar Spine Fractures: WFNS Spine Committee Recommendations

This review aims to search the epidemiology and incidence rates of thoracolumbar spine fractures. A systematic review of the literature of the last 10 years gave 586 results with “incidence,” and 387 results with “epidemiology,” of which 39 papers were analyzed. The review results were discussed and voted in 2 consensus meetings of the WFNS (World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies) Spine Committee. Out of 39 studies, 15 studies have focused on thoracolumbar trauma, remaining 24 studies have looked at all spine trauma. Most were retrospective in nature; few were prospective and multicenter. Some studies have focused on specific injuries. The annual incidence of TL fractures is about 30/100,000 inhabitants including osteoporotic fractures. There is a trend to increase the fractures in elderly population especially in developed countries, while an increase of motor vehicle accidents in developing countries. The mortality rate among male elderly patients is relatively high. The incidence of thoracolumbar spine fractures is increasing because of low-velocity falls in the elderly population. The main reasons are falls and traffic accidents. Learning the regional differences and some special forms of trauma such as extreme sports, war, and gunshot injuries will help the prevention of the thoracolumbar spine fractures.

Indications for Nonsurgical Treatment of Thoracolumbar Spine Fractures: WFNS Spine Committee Recommendations

Thoracolumbar spine is the most injured spinal region in blunt trauma. Literature on the indications for nonoperative treatment of thoracolumbar fractures is conflicting. The purpose of this systematic review is to clarify the indications for nonsurgical treatment of thoracolumbar fractures. We conducted a systematic literature search between 2010 to 2020 on PubMed/MEDLINE, and Cochrane Central. Up-to-date literature on the indications for nonoperative treatment of thoracolumbar fractures was reviewed to reach an agreement in a consensus meeting of WFNS (World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies) Spine Committee. The statements were voted and reached a positive or negative consensus using the Delphi method. For all of the questions discussed, the literature search yielded 1,264 studies, from which 54 articles were selected for full-text review. Nine studies (4 trials, and 5 retrospective) evaluating 759 participants with thoracolumbar fractures who underwent nonoperative/surgery were included. Although, compression type and stable burst fractures can be managed conservatively, if there is major vertebral body damage, kyphotic angulation, neurological deficit, spinal canal compromise, surgery may be indicated. AO type B, C fractures are preferably treated surgically. Future research is necessary to tackle the relative paucity of evidence pertaining to patients with thoracolumbar fractures.

Double-level noncontiguous thoracic Chance fractures treated with percutaneous stabilization: illustrative case

BACKGROUND

Chance fractures are unstable due to horizontal extension of the injury, disrupting all three columns of the vertebra. Since being first described in 1948, Chance fractures have been commonly found at a single level near the thoracolumbar junction. Noncontiguous double-level Chance fractures that result from a single traumatic event are rarely reported in the literature.

OBSERVATIONS

The authors report a case of an 18-year-old male who presented to the emergency department after a rollover motor vehicle accident. The patient complained of severe back pain when at rest and had no neurological deficits. Computed tomography revealed two unstable Chance fractures of bony subtype located at T6 and T11. The patient underwent percutaneous stabilization from T4 to T12. The postoperative assessment revealed continued 5/5 power bilaterally in all extremities, back pain, and the ability to ambulate with a walker. At 3 months after the operation, clinical assessment revealed no significant back pain and the ability to walk independently. Imaging confirmed stable fixation of the spine with no acute osseous or hardware complications.

LESSONS

This report complements previous studies demonstrating support for more extensive stabilization for such unique fractures. Additionally, rapid radiological imaging is needed to identify the full injury and lead patients to appropriate treatment.

EPIDEMIOLOGY OF VERTEBRAL SPINE FRACTURES IN A HOSPITAL IN SÃO PAULO IN THE TWO-YEAR PERIOD 2017-2018

ABSTRACT Objectives: To evaluate the epidemiological profile of patients with spinal fractures over a two-year period (2017 and 2018) in a quaternary hospital in the city of São Paulo. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out through the analysis of the electronic medical records of patients treated by the Spine group of the Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology at the Orthopedics and Traumatology Emergency Room of Hospital das Clínicas de São Paulo in the years 2017 and 2018. Results: A total of 185 patients were evaluated over two years. Males were the gender most frequently evaluated (69.19%), and the mean patient age was 43.95 years. The most common trauma mechanisms were falls from a height (45.95%) and traffic accidents (29.73%). The cervical spine, affected in 28.65%, was the most affected region, followed by the thoracolumbar region (26.56%). Most patients did not present deficits at the initial moment (71.89%) and 54.05% of patients underwent surgery for treatment. Conclusion: Most traumas involving the spine affect adults of working age (from 20 to 60 years old), with a predominance of males. Most injuries occurred in the cervical region, which is the region most commonly associated with severe trauma and neurological injuries. This study can help in planning prevention and precaution strategies for spinal trauma. Level of evidence III; Cross-sectional study.

Traumatic and non-traumatic spinal cord injury: Demographic characteristics, neurological and functional outcomes. A 7-year single centre experience

Objective

The aim of this study is to evaluate demographic and clinical characteristics of a population affected by traumatic and non-traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) and to analyze functional outcomes after rehabilitation.

Methods

This study involved 112 SCI patients (75 male and 37 female) admitted at the Neurorehabilitation Unit of the University Hospital of Messina. The neurological outcomes were evaluated according to the American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale (AIS) and by using length of stay, Functional Independence Measure (FIM) and Barthel Index (BI).

Results

NT-SCI patients were significantly older, numerous (75,89%) and affected by greater lesions when admitted, than T-SCI ones. Most of lesions were incomplete (93%) and associated with paraplegia (71%). FIM and BI outcomes are similar in both groups, even if T-SCI patients showed greater improvement when discharged. No significant differences were found in the length of stay. The most common complication in non-traumatic SCI group was urinary tract infection and this was observed in 25 patients (29,41%). Linear regression models explained 26% of the variance of LOS and 38% of the variance of functional outcome. Functional status on admission was the strongest determinant of LOS and completeness of the lesion was the strongest determinant of functional outcome. Etiology (traumatic versus non-traumatic) was a weak independent determinant of LOS but was not an independent determinant of functional outcome.

Conclusion

SCI patient's rehabilitation should be carried out by taking into account etiology of the injury. It is important to consider this information while developing the targets and planning of the rehabilitation program. In particular, older age negatively influence the degree of disability on admission and the entity of functional recovery in both populations. Non-traumatic lesions could have minor benefits after rehabilitation therapy if compared with traumatic ones.

Thoracic Spine Fractures with Blunt Aortic Injury: Incidence, Risk Factors, and Characteristics

Background: The coexistence of thoracic fractures and blunt aortic injury (BAI) is potentially catastrophic and easy to be missed in acute trauma settings. Data regarding patients with thoracic fractures complicated with BAI are limited. Methods: The authors conducted a prospective, observational, single-center study including patients with thoracic burst fractures. A multivariate logistic regression model was developed to determine the risk factors of aortic injury. Results: In total, 124 patients with burst fractures of the thoracic spine were included. The incidence of BAI was 11.3% (14/124) in patients with thoracic burst fractures. Among these patients, 11 patients with BAI were missed diagnoses. The main risk factors of BAI were as follows: Injury severity score (OR 1.184; 95% CI, 1.072–1.308; p = 0.001), mechanism of injury, such as crush (OR 10.474; 95% CI, 1.905–57.579; p = 0.007), flail chest (OR = 4.917; 95% CI, 1.122–21.545; p = 0.035), and neurological deficit (OR = 8.299; 95% CI, 0.999–68.933; p = 0.05). Conclusions: BAI (incidence 11.3%) is common in patients with burst fractures of the thoracic spine and is an easily missed diagnosis. We must maintain a high suspicion of injury for BAI when patients with thoracic burst fractures present with these high-risk factors.

Injury characteristics, initial clinical status, and severe injuries associated with spinal fractures in a retrospective cohort of 506 trauma patients

BACKGROUND

Our aim was to describe the characteristics of vertebral fractures, the presence of associated injuries, and clinical status within the first days in a severe trauma population.

METHODS

All patients with severe trauma admitted to our level 1 trauma center between January 2015 and December 2018 with a vertebral fracture were analyzed retrospectively. The fractures were determined by the AO Spine classification as stable (A0, A1, and A2 types) or unstable (A3, A4, B, and C types). Clinical status was defined as stable, intermediate, or unstable based on clinicobiological parameters and anatomic injuries. Severe extraspinal injuries and emergent procedures were studied. Three groups were compared: stable fracture, unstable fracture, and spinal cord injury (SCI) group.

RESULTS

A total of 425 patients were included (mean ± SD age, 43.8 ± 19.6 years; median Injury Severity Score, 22 [interquartile range, 17-34]; 72% male); 72 (17%) in the SCI group, 116 (27%) in the unstable fracture group, and 237 (56%) in the stable fracture group; 62% (95% confidence interval [CI], 57-67%) had not a stable clinical status on admission (unstable, 30%; intermediate, 32%), regardless of the group (p = 0.38). This decreased to 31% (95% CI, 27-35%) on day 3 and 23% (95% CI, 19-27%) on day 5, regardless of the group (p = 0.27 and p = 0.25). Progression toward stable clinical status between D1 and D5 was 63% (95% CI, 58-68%) overall but was statistically lower in the SCI group. Severe extraspinal injuries (85% [95% CI, 82-89%]) and extraspinal emergent procedures (56% [95% CI, 52-61%]) were comparable between the three groups. Only abdominal injuries and hemostatic procedures significantly differed significantly (p = 0.003 and p = 0.009).

CONCLUSION

More than the half of the patients with severe trauma had altered initial clinical status or severe extraspinal injuries that were not compatible with safe early surgical management for the vertebral fracture. These observations were independent of the stability of the fracture or the presence of an SCI.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Prognostic and epidemiological, level III.

Radiological and mid- to long-term patient-reported outcome after stabilization of traumatic thoraco-lumbar spinal fractures using an expandable vertebral body replacement implant

Background

For the treatment of unstable thoraco-lumbar burst fractures, a combined posterior and anterior stabilization instead of a posterior-only instrumentation is recommend in the current literature due to the instability of the anterior column. Data on restoring the bi-segmental kyphotic endplate angle (BKA) with expandable vertebral body replacements (VBR) and on the mid- to long-term patient-reported outcome measures (PROM) is sparse.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study of patients with traumatic thoraco-lumbar spinal fractures treated with an expandable VBR implant (Obelisc™, Ulrich Medical, Germany) between 2001 and 2015 was conducted. Patient and treatment characteristics were evaluated retrospectively. Radiological data acquisition was completed pre- and postoperatively, 6 months and at least 2 years after the VBR surgery. The BKA was measured and fusion-rates were assessed. The SF-36, EQ-5D and ODI questionnaires were evaluated prospectively.

Results

Ninety-six patients (25 female, 71 male; age: 46.1 ± 12.8 years) were included in the study. An AO Type A4 fracture was seen in 80/96 cases (83.3%). Seventy-three fractures (76.0%) were located at the lumbar spine. Intraoperative reduction of the BKA in n = 96 patients was 10.5 ± 9.4° (p < 0.01). A loss of correction of 1.0 ± 2.8° at the first follow-up (t1) and of 2.4 ± 4.0° at the second follow-up (t2) was measured (each p < 0.05). The bony fusion rate was 97.9%. The total revision rate was 4.2%. Fifty-one patients (53.1% of included patients; age: 48.9 ± 12.4 years) completed the PROM questionnaires after 106.4 ± 44.3 months and therefore were assigned to the respondent group. The mean ODI score was 28.2 ± 18.3%, the mean EQ-5D VAS reached 60.7 ± 4.1 points. Stratified SF-36 results (ISS < and ≥ 16) were lower compared to a reference population.

Conclusion

The treatment of traumatic thoraco-lumbar fractures with an expandable VBR implant lead to a high rate of bony fusion. A significant correction of the BKA could be achieved and no clinically relevant loss of reduction occurred during the follow-up. Even though health related quality of life did not reach the normative population values, overall satisfactory results were reported.

Biomechanical comparative evaluation of percutaneous fixations with vertebral expansion for vertebral compression fractures: an experimental and finite element study

This study uses in vitro experiments and validated finite element models (FEM) to analyze the effect of posterior fixation, alone or associated with expandable device (ED) and/or cement. 3-dimensional FEMs of intact, fractured and instrumented spine were built and compared with experimental load-displacement curves. FEM ranges of motion were within the experimental corridors. Stresses appeared sensitive to both implant configuration and fracture severity with a stress reduction up to 84%. The FEM highlighted that for a same instrumental strategy, different biomechanical performances were observed according to fracture severity. When bone continuity is altered, both ED and cement may be needed.

Variability in time to surgery for patients with acute thoracolumbar spinal cord injuries

There are limited data pertaining to current practices in timing of surgical decompression for acute thoracolumbar spinal cord injury (SCI). We conducted a retrospective cohort study to evaluate variability in timing between- and within-trauma centers in North America; and to identify patient- and hospital-level factors associated with treatment delay. Adults with acute thoracolumbar SCI who underwent decompressive surgery within five days of injury at participating trauma centers in the American College of Surgeons Trauma Quality Improvement Program were included. Mixed-effects regression with a random intercept for trauma center was used to model the outcome of time to surgical decompression and assess risk-adjusted variability in surgery timeliness across centers. 3,948 patients admitted to 214 TQIP centers were eligible. 28 centers were outliers, with a significantly shorter or longer time to surgery than average. Case-mix and hospital characteristics explained < 1% of between-hospital variability in surgical timing. Moreover, only 7% of surgical timing variability within-centers was explained by case-mix characteristics. The adjusted intraclass correlation coefficient of 12% suggested poor correlation of surgical timing for patients with similar characteristics treated at the same center. These findings support the need for further research into the optimal timing of surgical intervention for thoracolumbar SCI.

Spinal cord injury in the setting of traumatic thoracolumbar fracture is not reliably associated with increased risk of associated intra-abdominal injury following blunt trauma: An analysis of a National Trauma Registry database

PURPOSE

There is a common opinion that spinal fractures usually reflect the substantial impact of injuries and therefore may be used as a marker of significant associated injuries, specifically for intra-abdominal injury (IAI). The impact of concomitant spinal cord injury (SCI) with the risk of associated IAI has not been well clarified. The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence and severity of IAIs in patients suffering from spinal fractures with or without SCI.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study using the Israeli National Trauma Registry was conducted. Patients with thoracic, lumbar and thoracolumbar fractures resulting from blunt mechanisms of injury from January 1, 1997 to December 31, 2018 were examined, comparing the incidence, severity and mortality of IAIs in patients with or without SCI. The collected variables included age, gender, mechanism of injury, incidence and severity of the concomitant IAIs and pelvic fractures, abbreviated injury scale, injury severity score, and mortality. Statistical analysis was performed using GraphPad InStat ® Version 3.10, with Chi-square test for independence and two sided Fisher's exact probability test.

RESULTS

Review of the Israeli National Trauma Database revealed a total of 16,878 patients with spinal fractures. Combined thoracic and lumbar fractures were observed in 1272 patients (7.5%), isolated thoracic fractures in 4967 patients (29.4%) and isolated lumbar fractures in 10,639 patients (63.0%). The incidence of concomitant SCI was found in 4.95% (63/1272), 7.65% (380/4967) and 2.50% (266/10639) of these patients, respectively. The overall mortality was 2.5%, proving higher among isolated thoracic fracture patient than among isolated lumbar fracture counterparts (11.3% vs. 4.6%, p < 0.001). Isolated thoracic fractures with SCI were significantly more likely to die than non-SCI counterparts (8.2% vs. 3.1%, p < 0.001). There were no differences in the incidence of IAIs between patients with or without SCI following thoracolumbar fractures overall or in isolated thoracic fractures; although isolated lumbar fractures patients with SCI were more likely to have renal (3.4% vs. 1.6%, p = 0.02) or bowel injuries (2.3% vs. 1.0%, p = 0.04) than the non-SCI counterparts.

CONCLUSION

SCI in the setting of thoracolumbar fracture does not appear to be a marker for associated IAI. However, in a subset of isolated lumbar fractures, SCI patient is associated with increased risks for renal and bowel injury.

Earlier Surgery Reduces Complications in Acute Traumatic Thoracolumbar Spinal Cord Injury: Analysis of a Multi-Center Cohort of 4108 Patients

Early surgical intervention to decompress the spinal cord and stabilize the spinal column in patients with acute traumatic thoracolumbar spinal cord injury (TLSCI) may lessen the risk of developing complications and improve outcomes. However, there has yet to be agreement on what constitutes "early" surgery; reported thresholds range from 8 to 72 h. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted an observational cohort study using data from the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Trauma Quality Improvement Program (TQIP) from 2010 to 2016. The association between time from hospital arrival to surgical intervention and risk of major complications was assessed using restricted cubic splines. Propensity score matching was then used to assess the association between delayed surgery and risk of complications. Across 354 trauma centers 4108 adult TLSCI patients who underwent surgery were included. Median time-to-surgery was 18.8 h (interquartile range [IQR]: 7.4-40.9 h). The spline model suggests the risk of major complication rises consistently after a 12-h surgical wait-time. After propensity score matching, the odds of major complication were significantly lower for those receiving surgery within 12 h (odds ratio [OR] 0.77, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.64 to 0.94). This was also true for immobility-related complications (OR 0.79, 95% CI: 0.64 to 0.97). Patients in the early group spent 1.5 fewer days in the critical care unit on average (95% CI: -2.09 to -0.88). Although surgery within 12 h may not always be feasible, these data suggest that whenever possible surgeons should strive to reduce the amount of time between hospital arrival and surgical intervention, and health care systems should support this endeavor.

Predictive risk factors for recollapse of cemented vertebrae after percutaneous vertebroplasty: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

As one of the most common complications of osteoporosis, osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture (OVCF) increases the risk of disability and mortality in elderly patients. Percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) is considered to be an effective, safe, and minimally invasive treatment for OVCFs. The recollapse of cemented vertebrae is one of the serious complications of PVP. However, the risk factors associated with recollapse after PVP remain controversial.

AIM

To identify risk factors for the recollapse of cemented vertebrae after PVP in patients with OVCFs.

METHODS

A systematic search in EMBASE, MEDLINE, the Cochrane Library, and PubMed was conducted for relevant studies from inception until March 2020. Studies investigating risk factors for the recollapse of cemented vertebrae after PVP without additional trauma were selected for analysis. Odds ratios (ORs) or standardized mean differences with 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated and heterogeneity was assessed by both the chi-squared test and the I-squared test. The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed according to the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale.

RESULTS

A total of nine case-control studies were included in our meta-analysis comprising 300 cases and 2674 controls. The significant risk factors for the recollapse of cemented vertebrae after PVP in OVCF patients were fractures located at the thoracolumbar junction (OR = 2.09; 95%CI: 1.30 to 3.38; P = 0.002), preoperative intravertebral cleft (OR = 2.97; 95%CI: 1.93 to 4.57; P < 0.00001), and solid lump distribution pattern of the cement (OR = 3.11; 95%CI: 1.91 to 5.07; P < 0.00001). The analysis did not support that age, gender, lumbar bone mineral density, preoperative visual analogue scale score, injected cement volume, intradiscal cement leakage, or vertebral height restoration could increase the risk for cemented vertebra recollapse after PVP in OVCFs.

CONCLUSION

This meta-analysis suggests that thoracolumbar junction fractures, preoperative intravertebral cleft, and solid lump cement distribution pattern are associated with the recollapse of cemented vertebrae after PVP in OVCF patients.

Rapid efficacy of percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) in treating thoracolumbar fractures in elderly patients

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to investigate the effects of percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) on the elderly patients with thoracolumbar fractures and its influence on their complications and quality of life.

METHODS

Totally 175 elderly patients with thoracolumbar fractures admitted to our hospital from June 2017 to January 2019 were selected as the research participants. Seventy patients in the control group (CG) were treated with conventional therapy, and 105 in the research group (RG) were treated by percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP). The surgical indications (time of hospitalization and ground exercise), pressure injury and pain (VAS score) of patients in both groups were tested and compared. The ODI score, quality of life GQOLI-74 scale score, height of anterior vertebral border and cobb angle of patients were compared, and their total effective and complication rates were statistically analyzed.

RESULTS

The surgical indications of patients in the RG were better than those in the CG. Those with pressure injury in stages 1 and 2 were fewer, and VAS and ODI scores were lower; GQOLI-74 scale score was higher, height of anterior vertebral border was higher than that in the CG, and the cobb angle was smaller The total effective rate was higher and the incidence of complications was lower than that in the CG.

CONCLUSION

PKP is more effective and faster in treating thoracolumbar fractures in elderly patients with fewer postoperative complications, and can promote the recovery of function and quality of life.

Biplane Fluoroscopic-Guided Percutaneous Thoracic Instrumentation: A Technical Note

Biplane fluoroscopy in a hybrid operating room (OR) is commonly used for neuroendovascular and hybrid open/endovascular cases. The image quality is far superior to most C-arm fluoroscopy machines in the regular OR. This advantage can be particularly useful for upper and mid-thoracic percutaneous screw placement because the C-arm visualization in the regular OR is suboptimal due to shoulders absorbing the majority of the photons on lateral fluoroscopy. A 31-year-old man was ejected following a motor vehicle accident and sustained a T7 burst fracture with anterior translation on T8 and spinal cord transection. Following stabilization in the intensive care unit, the patient was taken to the biplane hybrid OR for percutaneous pedicle screw fixation. The patient had percutaneous instrumentation and fixation of T5-T10, and sequential reducers were also used to re-align T7 and T8. The use of biplane fluoroscopy enhanced safety and visualization. The patient tolerated the procedure well without complication. We believe this is an unrealized and underutilized function of a biplane hybrid OR that bears further investigation and study. 

Thoracic vertebrae fracture: Is it an indicator of abdominal injury?

PURPOSE

Traumatic vertebral fracture accounts for 10-15% of trauma related admissions. While the correlation between lumbar vertebral fractures and abdominal injuries is well established, the relationship between thoracic vertebral fractures (TVF) and abdominal injuries is comparatively less well elucidated. Using a large national trauma database, we aimed to examine the incidence and severity of associated abdominal injuries in blunt trauma patients suffering from TVF.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study using the Israeli National Trauma Registry was conducted. Patients with thoracic vertebrae spine fractures following blunt mechanisms of trauma between 1997 and 2018 were examined, comparing the incidence and severity of associated intraabdominal organs injuries with and without TVF. Demographics and outcomes between the two cohorts were compared.

RESULTS

From 362,924 blunt trauma patients, 4967 (1.37%) had isolated TVF. Mean age was 49.8 years and 61.9% were males. The most common mechanism of injury was fall following by MVC. The patients with TVF had significantly higher rates of increased ISS score (ISS > 16, 28.45% vs. 10.42%, p < 0.001) and higher mortality rate (3.5% vs. 2%, p < 0.0001). Patients with TVF had 2-3 times more intraabdominal organ injuries (p < 0.001). The most commonly injured organ was spleen (3.28%); followed by liver (2.64%) and kidney (1.47%). An analysis of non-isolated thoracic spine fractures showed same distribution in age, ISS, mechanisms, patterns of intra-abdominal injury, mortality rate and laparotomy rate.

CONCLUSION

Clinicians should have an elevated suspicion for intra-abdominal injuries when a thoracic spine fracture is identified, which may necessitate further evaluation.

Surgical treatment of traumatic thoracolumbar fractures: a retrospective review of 101 cases

PURPOSE

To evaluate the outcomes of vertebral stabilisation after acute traumatic thoracolumbar fractures, correlating the outcome with patient clinical data, type and location of fracture, presence of neurological damage, timing of surgical intervention and number of instrumented levels. The results have been evaluated also through the AO classification and AOSIS score.

METHODS

Retrospective analysis of 101 patients with traumatic thoracolumbar injuries from T3 to L5 operated 2011-2016 by posterior or antero-posterior fixation. The demographic data, trauma dynamics, number and type of fractures, associated lesions, timing of surgery, hospital stay, AOSIS score, RKA, SF-36 and ODI scores, pre- and post-operative neurological condition (ASIA grade), possible complications and re-interventions were evaluated for each patient.

RESULTS

Fractures mainly involved the region between T11 and L2. The probability of medullary involvement increases with the increase in severity of the main fracture type with no relation with the vertebral region. Type B and C fractures were common in the thoracic region and rare in the thoracolumbar junction. ODI and SF-36 scores were significantly better in patients with a lower AOSIS score, specifically in lesions classified as type A, amyelic and with no comorbidity. No difference was found in the clinical scores between thoracic, thoracolumbar and lumbar fractures, nor between male and female patients. None of the 10 patients with ASIA A lesion at presentation achieved any degree of recovery: 50% of them had a thoracic lesion. Re-intervention rate was 15%. Hospital stay was significantly higher in patients with type C fractures, and complication rate was on average 14% (7% in type A fractures, 16% in B and 25% in C).

CONCLUSIONS

This study confirmed the validity of the posterior approach in the surgical treatment of thoracolumbar fractures. Outcomes and complication risks are related to fracture severity. Surgical treatment can be recommended even with an AOSIS score of two or three. The combined antero-posterior approach could be useful in cases with LSC > 8, especially in the thoracolumbar region. The degree of neurological recovery depends on fracture type, location, ASIA score and presence of comorbidities. Early intervention in myelic patients allows for a better prognosis. Level of evidence III retrospective case series.

Thoracolumbar spinal fractures associated with ground level falls in the elderly: An analysis of 254,486 emergency department visits

STUDY DESIGN

retrospective.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the epidemiology of elderly (age ≥65 years) patients who presented to the emergency department (ED) in the United States with thoracolumbar (TL) fractures after ground level falls.

METHODS

Using the National Emergency Department Sample database, we queried all ED visits in the United States from 2009 through 2012 of elderly patients who presented after ground level falls. We identified patients who sustained TL fractures with and without neurological injury. Resulting data was used to analyze the fracture prevalence, ED and patient characteristics, associated injuries, treatment patterns, inpatient mortality, and hospital charges.

RESULTS

Of the 6,654,526 ED visits in the elderly for ground level falls, 254,486 (3.8%) were associated with a diagnosis of TL fracture. 39% patients had multiple injuries, and upper extremity fractures were the most common associated injuries. Overall, 55.6% were admitted to the hospital. Of those, 77.7% were treated non-operatively, 20.4% were treated with cement augmentation alone, 1.5% were treated with spinal fusion surgery, and 0.4% were treated with spinal decompression alone. The overall rate of inpatient mortality was 2.14%.

CONCLUSIONS

This investigation evaluated the epidemiology of elderly patients who presented to the ED in the United States with TL fractures after ground level falls. The study demonstrated a rather high incidence of TL fractures in this patient cohort. As a result, it is important for ED physicians and orthopaedic surgeons to be highly suspicious of TL fractures in elderly patients who sustain low energy trauma. With the continued aging of the population and rising health care costs, future effort ought to focus on fall prevention and increased surveillance for TL injuries in the elderly.

Reducing Radiation and Lowering Costs With a Standardized Care Pathway for Nonoperative Thoracolumbar Fractures

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective observational study.

OBJECTIVE

There is marked variation in the management of nonoperative thoracolumbar (TL) compression and burst fractures. This was a quality improvement study designed to establish a standardized care pathway for TL fractures treated with bracing, and to then evaluate differences in radiographs, length of stay (LOS), and cost before and after the pathway.

METHODS

A standardized pathway was established for management of nonoperative TL burst and compression fractures (AOSpine classification type A1-A4 fractures). Bracing, radiographs, costs, complications, and LOS before and after pathway adoption were analyzed. Differences between the neurosurgery and orthopedic spine services were compared.

RESULTS

Between 2012 and 2015, 406 nonoperative burst and compression TL fractures were identified. A total of 183 (45.1%) were braced, 60.6% with a custom-made thoracolumbosacral orthosis (TLSO) and 39.4% with an off-the-shelf TLSO. The number of radiographs significantly reduced after initiation of the pathway (3.23 vs 2.63, P = .010). A total of 98.6% of braces were custom-made before the pathway; 69.6% were off-the-shelf after the pathway. The total cost for braced patients after pathway adoption decreased from $10 462.36 to $8928.58 (P = .078). Brace-associated costs were significantly less for off-the-shelf TSLO versus custom TLSO ($1352.41 vs $3719.53, respectively, P < .001). The mean LOS and complication rate did not change significantly following pathway adoption. The orthopedic spine service braced less frequently than the neurosurgery service (40.7% vs 52.2%, P = .023).

CONCLUSIONS

Standardized care pathways can reduce cost and radiation exposure without increasing complication rates in nonoperative management of thoracolumbar compression and burst fractures.

Prognostic utility of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in predicting neurological outcomes in patients with acute thoracolumbar spinal cord injury

PURPOSE

Utility of MRI for predicting neurological outcomes in acute cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) is well established but its value in thoracolumbar (TL) SCI needs to be evaluated.

METHODS

Seventy-six patients operated for acute TL spinal injuries between January 2014 and March 2016 were reviewed to obtain demographic details, neurology at admission and at the final follow-up. Patients were divided based on the neurology at presentation into group 1 (ASIA A), group 2 (ASIA B, C, D) and group 3 (normal neurology). Preoperative MRI and CT scans were evaluated to measure parameters like osseus canal compromise, spinal cord compression (SCC), spinal cord swelling, length of cord swelling (LOS), length of edema (LOE) and the presence of hemorrhage. The MRI parameters were compared between the groups for their predictive value of neurology on admission and at the final follow-up.

RESULTS

Of the 38 patients in group 1, six patients recovered by 1 grade, nine patients recovered by 2 grades and there was no recovery in 23 (60.5%) patients. Among group 2 patients, nine (40.9%) out of 22 recovered to ASIA E neurology. On univariate analysis, SCC (P = 0.009), LOS (P = 0.021) and length of edema (P = 0.002) were associated with complete neurological deficit at presentation. However, on multivariate regression analysis only LOE was significant (P = 0.007) in predicting neurology at admission and at follow-up.

CONCLUSION

Greater the rostrocaudal LOE, worse is the neurology at presentation, and it is associated with poor neurological recovery at follow-up. These slides can be retrieved under Electronic Supplementary Material.

Thoracolumbar Evaluation in the Low-Risk Trauma Patient: A Pilot Study Towards Development of a Clinical Decision Rule to Avoid Unnecessary Imaging in the Emergency Department

BACKGROUND

Thoracolumbar (TL) injury is a common finding in the severely injured multi-trauma patient. However, the incidence and pattern of TL injury in patients with milder trauma is unclear.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to collect and analyze evidence for the development of a clinical decision rule (CDR) to evaluate the TL spine in patients with non-severe blunt trauma and avoid dedicated imaging in low-risk cases.

METHODS

Adult patients with blunt trauma who presented to a major academic center (May 2016 to October 2017) and received dedicated imaging of the TL spine were included. Exclusion criteria consisted of any coexisting condition preventing the acquisition of history or examination. The primary endpoint is TL spine injury requiring orthopedic evaluation, bracing/orthosis, or surgery. Preliminary CDR derivation was performed with recursive partitioning.

RESULTS

Of 4612 patients screened, 1049 (22.7%) met inclusion criteria. Thirty-six (3.4%) patients were found to have TL spine injury, of which 88.9% received spinal bracing, orthosis, or surgery. Absence of midline tenderness conveyed the highest negative predictive value, followed by a non-severe mechanism of injury, lack of neurologic examination findings, and age < 65 years. No patients in this cohort with these four findings had a TL spine injury.

CONCLUSIONS

In certain lower-risk blunt trauma patients < 65 years of age, focused examination combined with mechanism of injury may be highly sensitive (100%) to rule out TL injury without the need for dedicated imaging. However, validation is necessary, given multiple study limitations. Potential instrument to screen for TL injury in minor trauma: TL injury is unlikely if all four of the following are present: 1) no midline back tenderness or deformity, 2) no focal neurologic signs or symptoms or altered mentation, 3) age < 65 years; and 4) lack of severe mechanism of injury, for example, fall greater than standing, motor-vehicle collision with rollover/ejection/pedestrian or unenclosed vehicle, and assault with a weapon.