Insufficiency sacral fracture-dislocation mimicking suicidal jumper's fracture

Outcomes of Lumbosacral Fixation in Patients with Suicidal Jumper's Fractures: A Retrospective Study from a Single Center in Turkey

BACKGROUND Suicide attempts that involve jumping from a great height may not be fatal but can result in lumbosacral facture-dislocations. This retrospective study aimed to present the experience from a single center in Turkey of 21 patients with lumbosacral facture-dislocations, or suicidal jumper fractures, treated with lumbosacral fixation between 2015 and 2022. MATERIAL AND METHODS The study included 21 patients. The diagnosis was established through X-ray and computed tomography (CT) examinations. Neurological damage was assessed using the Gibbons score. Among the patients, 2 were classified as Roy-Camille type 1, 12 as Roy-Camille type 2, and 7 as Roy-Camille type 3. Morphologically, 8 patients had H-type fractures, 7 had T-type fractures, and 6 had U-type fractures. Bilateral spinopelvic fixation was performed. Functional outcomes were evaluated using the Majeed score. RESULTS The average Injury Severity Score (ISS) was 31.6±12.2. The mean duration of surgery was 123.6±44.9 minutes. According to the Majeed score, excellent results were observed in 8 individuals (40%), good results in 5 individuals (25%), fair results in 5 individuals (25%), and poor results in 2 individuals (10%). Out of 18 patients with neurological deficits, 14 showed improvement after surgery, while 4 continued to experience deficits. CONCLUSIONS The findings from this study highlight the importance of obtaining a clear history of the cause of lumbosacral facture-dislocation, as attempted suicide by jumping from a height can cause specific types of injury to the lumbar spine and sacrum that require rapid diagnosis and management to reduce the incidence of permanent paraplegia.

Roy-Camille Type 3 suicidal jumper's fractures: Case series and review of the literature

Background:

Roy-Camille reported only three patients in their Type 3 posttraumatic transverse sacral fracture (TSF) classification. A modified Roy-Camille classification has been already proposed by other authors suggesting further categorization of the TSFs as partially displaced or completely displaced to predict the rate of neurological recovery following lumbopelvic fixation.

Materials and Methods:

We reported three adult cases of surgical fixation of fracture–dislocation (3A and 3B) of the sacrum due to traumatic injuries and submitted to lumbopelvic posterior reconstruction. A case of a 15-year-old male patient affected by Type 3C with vascular pelvic injury was also reported. A comprehensive literature search was performed on evaluation and management of Type 3 TSFs.

Results:

In Type 3A, there is a minimal anterior dislocation and the reduction is feasible with good chance of recovery. In Type 3B, the anterior dislocation is severe, neurological deficits are present, reduction is difficult, and there is a risk of vascular injury both at the trauma and during the surgical reduction. In Type 3C, the anterior dislocation is massive, and the risk of vascular injury is very high requiring prompt vascular or endovascular treatment. Open reduction and posterior instrumentation are technically feasible in patients affected by Type 3 high TSFs.

Conclusions:

In our opinion, a modified Roy-Camille classification could be useful in the assessment of prognostic and therapeutic aspects of such fractures, In our opinion, a modified Roy-Camille classification could help assess the prognostic and therapeutic aspects of such fractures, in which the severity of the dislocation affects the surgical technique, the chance of neurological recovery, and the patient's life expectancy.