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Original Article
Injury Severity and Patterns of Accompanying Injury in Spinal Fracture
Hun Park, M.D., Kyung-Jin Song, M.D., Kwang-Bok Lee, M.D., Ph.D., Joo-Hyun Sim, M.D.
Journal of the Korean Fracture Society 2012;25(3):203-207.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12671/jkfs.2012.25.3.203
Published online: July 16, 2012

*Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Gwangju Veterans Hospital, Gwangju, Korea.

Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Chonbuk National University Medical School, Research Institute of Clinical Medicine, Chonbuk National University Hospital, Jeonju, Korea.

Address reprint requests to: Kwang-Bok Lee, M.D., Ph.D. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Chonbuk National University Hospital, 20, Geonji-ro, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju 561-712, Korea. Tel: 82-63-250-2586, Fax: 82-63-271-6538, osdr2815@naver.com
• Received: July 11, 2011   • Revised: February 10, 2012   • Accepted: March 15, 2012

Copyright © 2012 The Korean Fracture Society

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  • Purpose
    To examine the relationship between injury severity and patterns of associated injury in spinal fracture.
  • Materials and Methods
    From March 2004 to March 2010, a retrospective study was conducted on 291 patients who had undergone surgeries due to spinal fractures. Spinal fractures were categorized as upper cervical, lower cervical, thoracic, thoracolumbar, and lumbar region, and the severity of fracture was measured using the Abbreviated Injury Scale and Injury Severity Score (ISS). We evaluated the correlation between the fracture site and the incidence and injury severity of the associated injury, and compared the neurologic damage according to the presence/absence of the associated injury.
  • Results
    Spinal fracture occurred in the thoracic (43.5%) and lower cervical (30.0%) levels, and associated injury developed in 134 patients (47%). The area of associated injury was in the extremity (41.2%), thorax (25.5%), head, neck, and face (21.9%). Lower cervical fracture (34.5%) had a lower prevalence than thoracic (81%) and lumbar fracture (61%). The average ISS of the associated injury was 17.14 for the thoracic fracture, 12.30 for the lower cervical fracture, 8.7 for the thoracolumbar fracture and 5.69 for the lumbar fracture. Neurologic damage was highly frequent in the lower cervical fracture and included 54 patients (62.1%) and was less frequent in the upper cervical fracture, which included 7 patients (17.9%) (p=0.032).
  • Conclusion
    Although the associated injury was less frequent in the lower cervical spine among the spinal fractures that underwent surgical treatment, there was a high risk of neurologic damage in the case of associated injury; therefore, there is a need to pay special attention to patients that suffer damage in this area. In addition, since the degree of the associated injury in the thoracic and lower cervical fracture is significant, an appropriate management strategy for the associated injury must be considered.
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Fig. 1
The histogram demonstrates the relationship between the location of the associated injury and the injury mechanism. Direct trauma and others, Fall (s): fall from standing, Fall (he): fall from height, MVA (m): motor vehicle accident, motorcyclist, MVA (p): motor vehicle accident, pedestrian, MVA (o): motor vehicle accident, occupant.
jkfs-25-203-g001.jpg
Fig. 2
The histogram demonstrates the incidence of associated injury according to the location of the vertebral fracture.
jkfs-25-203-g002.jpg
Fig. 3
The histogram demonstrates the distribution and frequency ofassociated injuries according to the location of the vertebral fracture.
jkfs-25-203-g003.jpg
Fig. 4
The histogram demonstrates the Injury Severity Score of the associated injuries according to the location of the vertebral fracture.
jkfs-25-203-g004.jpg
Fig. 5
The histogram demonstrates the incidence of neurologic deficit according to the location of the vertebral fracture.
jkfs-25-203-g005.jpg

Figure & Data

REFERENCES

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    Citations to this article as recorded by  
    • The Clinical Effects of Complex Korean Medicine Treatment in Patients with Cervical Spine Fracture Caused by Traffic Accident: A Report of 2 Cases
      Si-Hoon Han, Gi-Eon Lee, Kyeong-Sang Jo, Da-Young Byun, Min-Seok Oh
      Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation.2018; 28(2): 113.     CrossRef
    • Clinical results of early stabilization of spine fractures in polytrauma patients
      Ki-Chul Park, Ye-Soo Park, Wan-Sik Seo, Jun-Ki Moon, Bo-Hyun Kim
      Journal of Critical Care.2014; 29(4): 694.e7.     CrossRef

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      Injury Severity and Patterns of Accompanying Injury in Spinal Fracture
      J Korean Fract Soc. 2012;25(3):203-207.   Published online July 31, 2012
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    Injury Severity and Patterns of Accompanying Injury in Spinal Fracture
    Image Image Image Image Image
    Fig. 1 The histogram demonstrates the relationship between the location of the associated injury and the injury mechanism. Direct trauma and others, Fall (s): fall from standing, Fall (he): fall from height, MVA (m): motor vehicle accident, motorcyclist, MVA (p): motor vehicle accident, pedestrian, MVA (o): motor vehicle accident, occupant.
    Fig. 2 The histogram demonstrates the incidence of associated injury according to the location of the vertebral fracture.
    Fig. 3 The histogram demonstrates the distribution and frequency ofassociated injuries according to the location of the vertebral fracture.
    Fig. 4 The histogram demonstrates the Injury Severity Score of the associated injuries according to the location of the vertebral fracture.
    Fig. 5 The histogram demonstrates the incidence of neurologic deficit according to the location of the vertebral fracture.
    Injury Severity and Patterns of Accompanying Injury in Spinal Fracture

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