Spinal injury patterns resulting from car and motorcycle accidents

Comparison of Traumatic Spinal Fracture Patterns Between Motorcyclists and Occupants of Other Nonheavy Motor Vehicles: A Report from the National Spinal Cord and Column Injury Registry of Iran

OBJECTIVE

To compare traumatic spinal injury patterns between motorcyclists and occupants of other nonheavy motor vehicles using data from the National Spinal Cord and Column Injury Registry of Iran.

METHODS

All drivers/riders and passengers of motorcycles, cars, pick-up trucks, and vans registered between January 2017 to July 2023, met the inclusion criteria for the present study. The logistic regression models were used to compare the patterns of vertebral fracture between the 2 groups.

RESULTS

One thousand seven hundred twenty-six spinal fracture patients were identified, 385 (22.3%) motorcyclists and 1341 (77.7%) car occupants with mean ages 33.2 ± 14.3 and 36.1 ± 13.6 years, respectively (P < 0.001). Only 45 (11.7%) motorcyclists used helmets, whereas 856 (63.8%) car occupants used seat belts (P < 0.001). The average numbers of fractured vertebrae were 3.9 ± 1.4 and 3.7 ± 1.1 among car occupants and motorcyclists, respectively (P = 0.004). The proportions of motorcyclists and car occupants with injuries in each spinal region are as follows: lumbar (50.5% of motorcyclists vs. 40.4% of car occupants; P = 0.003), thoracic (39.2% vs. 30.9%; P = 0.01), cervical (24.3% vs. 37.0%; P < 0.001), and sacral (1.3% vs. 7.5%; P < 0.001). The AO Spine type C injuries were present in 6.1% of motorcyclists and 10.1% of car occupants (P = 0.03).

CONCLUSIONS

Motorcyclists were younger, less educated, had a higher proportion of males, and less commonly used safety devices than car occupants. The most commonly fractured spine region among both groups was the lumbar region. The cervical and sacral vertebrae fractures were significantly more common in car occupants, whereas the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae fractures were significantly more common in motorcyclists.

Maternal outcomes in association with motor vehicle crashes during pregnancy: a nationwide population-based retrospective study

BACKGROUND

Limited studies have assessed the association of motor vehicle crashes (MVCs) during pregnancy with adverse maternal outcomes using a population-based nationwide dataset that covers all MVCs.

METHODS

A total of 20 844 births from women who had been involved in MVCs during pregnancy were obtained from the National Birth Notification (BN) Database in Taiwan. We randomly selected 83 274 control births from women in the BN matched on age, gestational age and crash date. All study subjects were linked to medical claims and the Death Registry to identify the maternal outcomes after crashes. Conditional logistic regression models were used to estimate the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) and 95% CI of adverse outcomes associated with MVCs during pregnancy.

RESULTS

Pregnant women involved in MVCs had significantly higher risks of placental abruption (aOR=1.51, 95% CI 1.30 to 1.74), prolonged uterine contractions (aOR=1.31, 95% CI 1.11 to 1.53), antepartum haemorrhage (aOR=1.19, 95% CI 1.12 to 1.26) and caesarean delivery (aOR=1.05, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.09) than the controls. Such elevated risks tended to be higher in the MVCs with greater severity. Scooter riders had higher ORs of various adverse maternal outcomes than car drivers.

CONCLUSIONS

Women involved in MVCs during pregnancy were at increased risk of various adverse maternal outcomes, especially in those with severe MVCs and riding scooters at MVCs. These findings suggest that clinicians should be aware of these effects, and educational materials that include the above information should be provided as part of prenatal care.

Pediatric spinal injury patterns and management in all-terrain vehicle and dirt bike crashes, 2010-2019

OBJECTIVE

Pediatric spinal injuries in all-terrain vehicle (ATV) and dirt bike crashes are relatively uncommon but may be associated with significant morbidity. There are no recent studies examining these injuries, their management, and outcomes. Therefore, a retrospective study was performed to characterize pediatric spinal injuries related to ATV and dirt bike crashes over the last decade.

METHODS

Data on all patients involved in ATV or dirt bike crashes evaluated at a regional level 1 pediatric trauma center over a 10-year period (2010-2019) were analyzed. Descriptive statistics were analyzed and chi-square, Fisher exact, and Mann-Whitney U-tests were performed comparing the demographics, injury characteristics, and clinical outcomes in patients with versus those without spinal injuries.

RESULTS

Of 680 patients evaluated, 35 (5.1%) were diagnosed with spinal injuries. Over the study period, both spinal injuries and emergency department visits related to ATV or dirt bike crashes increased in frequency. All spinal injuries were initially diagnosed on CT scans, and 57.9% underwent spinal MRI. Injuries were most commonly thoracic (50%), followed by cervical (36.8%). The injuries of most patients were classified as American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) grade E on presentation (86.8%), while 2 (5.3%) had complete spinal cord injuries (ASIA grade A) and 3 patients (8.6%) were ASIA grade B-D. Operative management was required for 13 patients (28.9%). Nonoperative management was used in 71.1% of injuries, including bracing in 33% of all injuries. Patients with spinal injuries were older than those without (13.4 ± 3.35 vs 11.5 ± 3.79 years, p = 0.003). Spinal injuries occurred via similar crash mechanisms (p = 0.48) and in similar locations (p = 0.29) to nonspinal injuries. Patients with spinal injuries more frequently required admission to the intensive care unit (ICU; 34.2% vs 14.6%, p = 0.011) and had longer hospital stays (mean 4.7 ± 5.5 vs 2.7 ± 4.0 days, p = 0.0025).

CONCLUSIONS

Although infrequent among young ATV and dirt bike riders, spinal injuries are associated with longer hospital stays, increased ICU use, and required operative intervention in 29%. Increasing awareness among ATV and dirt bike riders about the severity of riding-related injuries may encourage safer riding behaviors.

Alcohol-impaired motorcyclists versus car drivers: A comparison of crash involvement and legal consequence from adjudication data

INTRODUCTION

Driving under the influence (DUI) increases the probability of motor-vehicle collisions, especially for motorcycles with less protections. This study aimed to identify commonalities and differences between criminally DUI offenses (i.e., with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 80 mg/dL or higher) committed by motorcyclists and car drivers.

METHODS

A total of 10,457 motorcycle DUIs and 8,402 car DUIs were compared using a series of logistic regression models, using data extracted from the documents of adjudication decisions by the courts of Jiangsu, China.

RESULTS

The results revealed that offenders from the high-BAC group (i.e., 200 mg/dL or higher) accounted for more than 20% of the total DUI offenses, and were more likely to be involved in a crash and punished with a longer detention. Motorcyclists had a higher likelihood of crash involvement, and were also more likely to be responsible for single-vehicle crashes associated with higher odds of injury sustained, compared to alcohol-impaired car drivers. In the verdict, motorcycle offenders were more likely to receive a less severe penalty.

CONCLUSIONS

Interventions are clearly required to focus on reducing in the high-BAC group of offenders. For alcohol-impaired motorcyclists, their risks of crash and injury against BAC climb more steeply than the risks for car drivers. The factors including frequent occurrences, uncertainty of detection, and short-term sentences may weaken the deterrence effect of the criminalization of motorcycle DUI. Practical Applications: The traffic-related adjudication data support traffic safety analysis. Strategies such as combating motorcycle violations (e.g., unlicensed operators or driving unsafe vehicles), undertaking education and awareness campaigns, are expected for DUI prevention.

SPLIT-TYPE FRACTURES OF THE SPINE: A NEW MINIMALLY INVASIVE PERCUTANEOUS TECHNIQUE

ABSTRACT Objective: This research presents a biomechanical analysis performed in the lumbar spine of a porcine animal model, considering a minimally invasive technique for the treatment of split fractures. Methods: Porcine spines were used to perform compression tests, considering three different approaches. Three groups were defined in order to verify and validate the proposed technique: a control group (1); spines with split fractures (2); and a treatment group (3). For the first group (control), spines were axially compressed until any kind of fracture occurred, in order to verify the strength of the structure. In the second group, split fractures were created to obtain the mechanical failure pattern of the model. In the third group, the split fractures were submitted to the proposed treatment, to verify the resistance achieved. The three groups were compared by means of axial compression tests. Statistical analysis was performed by ANOVA. Results: The control group (intact spine) and the treated split fracture group presented similar results (p>0.05), differing from the results for the untreated split fracture group (p<0.05). Conclusions: The tests performed in order to determine the behavior and strength of the lumbar spine when subjected to axial compression provided positive data for the development of a minimally invasive technique capable of restoring split fractures of the spine. Level of evidence III; Experimental research.

The Changing Etiology and Epidemiology of Traumatic Spinal Injury: A Population-Based Study

OBJECTIVE

No previous large population-based studies of traumatic spinal injury (TSI) rates, trends, and patterns exist. We aimed to fill this knowledge gap on TSI epidemiology using a population-based study of 13 million people.

METHODS

This is a descriptive cross-sectional cohort study that analyzes a national, mandatory reporting database for all emergency departments and ambulatory care centers in Ontario over 15 years. Demographics of TSI, trends in the TSI rate, etiology, transfer, disposition, comorbidities, and associated traumatic brain injury or spinal cord injury were analyzed.

RESULTS

There were 167,357 TSI-related emergency department visits resulting in 70,684 hospitalizations and 376 deaths. The overall rate of TSI significantly increased from 66.94 to 118.61 per 100,000. Female patients had greater rates of TSI. Older patients had greater rates of TSI, especially related to falls. Fall was found to be the commonest mechanism of TSI, whereas motor vehicle collisions scaled down to the third commonest mechanism of TSI. Sport-related TSI had the greatest percentage of increase in the rate over all mechanisms (221%, P < 0.001). TSI with associated traumatic brain injury comprised 6% of the cohort but had the greatest percentage increase (91%) in the rate compared to all other TSI forms.

CONCLUSIONS

The rate of TSI continues to rise in Ontario as the population ages. The rise is primarily attributed to a shift in the epidemiology and etiology of TSI from a younger male population toward an older female population, with falls as the primary injury mechanism. Establishing preventive measures to address this shift is essential.

Patterns of spinal cord injury in automobiles versus motorcycles and bicycles

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective case series.

OBJECTIVES

To examine the patterns and relative rates of occurrence of spinal cord injury (SCI) in automobiles compared to motorcycles and bicycles.

SETTING

Los Angeles County, California.

METHODS

A retrospective chart review of SCI consults at Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center in Los Angeles County, California between 2003 and 2013 were selected and screened for a mechanism of injury involving a vehicular accident. Chart review was performed to determine neurological levels and extent of impairment, which were graded according to the International Standards for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury.

RESULTS

We identified 398 cases of SCI from 2003 to 2013 that fit the inclusion criteria. Overall, the relative percentages of ASIA impairment scale (AIS) A/B/C/D did not differ statistically across automobiles, motorcycles, or bicycles. When stratified by spinal region, motorcycles had a higher percentage of thoracic SCIs compared to automobiles. Automobiles resulted in more cervical SCIs with few injuries in the lumbar region. Bicycle patterns followed automobiles, not motorcycles. Thoracic SCIs were more likely graded motor complete than cervical or lumbar injuries, regardless of the mechanism.

CONCLUSIONS

Automobile, motorcycle, and bicycle related SCIs occur primarily in the cervicothoracic region. SCIs due to motorcycle accidents have a higher predilection for the thoracic region, and there is a statistically higher percentage of motor complete injuries. A higher percentage of cervical SCIs occur as a result of automobile and bicycle accidents. Extrapolations from motor vehicle usage data suggest that the relative rate of occurrence of SCI for motorcycles is higher than for automobiles.

NUMERICAL ANALYSIS OF SHORT AND LONG INSTRUMENTATION IN THE TREATMENT OF THORACOLUMBAR FRACTURES CONSIDERING THE LIGAMENTOUS PORTION

ABSTRACT Objective: This study aims to numerically evaluate the surgical treatment of thoracolumbar fractures, comparing the strengths between the long and short fixations using the pedicle of the fractured vertebra, taking into account the supraspinous, intertransverse, and anterior longitudinal ligaments. Methods: A numerical analysis of the techniques of long and short fixation of a thoracolumbar spine fracture was performed using computed tomography images that were converted into three-dimensional models and analyzed through the ANSYS program. The two types of treatments were analyzed considering the tensions generated in the immediate postoperative period, when the fracture has not yet been consolidated. The anterior, posterior, supraspinal and intertransverse longitudinal ligaments were added, in addition to considering different vertebral geometries. Results: Taking into account that the maximum tensile stress of the material used in the metal implant, in the case of titanium, was 960 MPa, the highest tension found in the analysis of the short instrumentation was 346.83 MPa, reaching only 36.13% of the load the material supports, being, therefore, within a safety limit. The analysis performed in the spine with long instrumentation showed the highest tension value of 229.22 MPa. Conclusions: Considering the values found and the resistance of the synthesis material used, the short and long fixation can be considered in the treatment of thoracolumbar fractures with similarity and a good safety coefficient. Level of Evidence III; Case-Control.

Risk Factors Associated with 30-Day Mortality After Open Reduction and Internal Fixation of Vertebral Fractures

OBJECTIVE

Few studies have examined the outcomes of open reduction and internal fixation of vertebral fractures. The purpose of this study was to determine patient-related and surgery-related risk factors associated with 30-day postoperative mortality after open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) of cervical, thoracic, and lumbar vertebral fractures.

METHODS

This was a retrospective cohort study of data from the 2010-2014 ACS-NSQIP database. Adult patients who underwent ORIF of vertebral fractures in the cervical, thoracic, or lumbar spine were included. Patients were divided into 2 groups on the basis of the occurrence of 30-day postoperative mortality. A univariate analysis was performed to compare baseline patient characteristics, comorbidities, operative variables, and 30-day postoperative complications between the mortality and nonmortality groups. A subsequent multivariate regression analysis adjusting for patient and operative factors was then performed to identify independent risk factors for 30-day mortality.

RESULTS

A total of 900 patients who underwent vertebral ORIF were included. The overall 30-day postoperative mortality rate was 1.56%. The mortality group had a higher incidence of pneumonia, pulmonary complications, cardiac complications, blood transfusion, sepsis, and prolonged hospitalization. Multivariate regression analysis identified pulmonary comorbidity and diabetes as independent predictors of 30-day mortality following ORIF of vertebral fractures.

CONCLUSIONS

Pulmonary comorbidity and diabetes were found to be independent risk factors for 30-day mortality after ORIF of vertebral fractures. Recognizing these risk factors is important in preoperative risk stratification, perioperative care, and patient counseling.

Percutaneous versus open pedicle screw instrumentation in treatment of thoracic and lumbar spine fractures: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

To assess the safety and efficacy of percutaneous short-segment pedicle instrumentation compared with conventionally open short-segment pedicle instrumentation and provide recommendations for using these procedures to treat thoracolumbar fractures.

METHODS

The Medline database, Cochrane database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Clinical Trial Register, and Embase were searched for articles published. The randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and non-RCTs that compared percutaneous short-segment pedicle instrumentation to open short-segment pedicle instrumentation and provided data on safety and clinical effects were included. Demographic characteristics, clinical outcomes, radiological outcomes, and adverse events were manually extracted from all of the selected studies. Methodological quality of included studies using Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies scale and Cochrane collaboration's tool for assessing the risk of bias by 2 reviewers independently.

RESULTS

Nine studies encompassing 433 patients met the inclusion criteria. Subgroup meta-analyses were performed according to the study design. The pooled results showed there were significant differences between the 2 techniques in short- and long-term visual analog scale, intraoperative blood loss, operative time, postoperative draining loss, hospital stay, and incision size, although there were no significant differences in postoperative radiological outcomes, Oswestry Disability Index, hospitalization cost, intraoperative fluoroscopy time, and adverse events.

CONCLUSION

Percutaneous short-segment pedicle instrumentation in cases with achieve satisfactory results, could replace in many cases extensive open surgery and not increased related complications. However, further high-quality RCTs are needed to assess the long-term outcome of patients between 2 techniques.

Anterior Fixation of Floating Facet Fractures in the Cervical Spine: A Prospective Case Series and Biomechanical Analysis

Background

Unilateral fractures involving complete separation of the lateral mass from the vertebra and lamina (floating lateral mass fractures) are a unique subset of cervical spine fractures. These injuries are at significant risk for displacement without operative fixation. Posterior fixation has proven to facilitate adequate fusion. However, there are few data supporting the clinical success of single-level anterior fixation.

Methods

Biomechanical evaluation of floating lateral mass fractures and a consecutive case series of patients with rotationally unstable floating lateral mass fractures treated with anterior fixation using an integrated cage-screw device with anterior plating (ICSD) was performed. The study comprised 7 fresh human cadaver cervical spines (C2-C7), and 11 patients with floating lateral mass fractures. Segmental flexibility testing evaluating axial rotation, flexion/extension, and lateral bending was performed in a cadaveric model after 2 types of single-level anterior fixation and 1 type of 2-level posterior fixation. Eleven patients with a floating lateral mass fracture of the cervical spine underwent anterior fixation with an ICSD. Radiographs and clinical outcomes were retrospectively reviewed.

Results

Compared with the intact condition, posterior instrumentation significantly (P < .05) reduced range of motion (ROM) in all 3 planes; anterior fixation with cervical plate and interbody spacer significantly reduced ROM in lateral bending only; and the ICSD significantly reduced ROM in flexion/extension and lateral bending. In the clinical arm, there were no long-term complications, subsidence >2 mm, failure of fixation, reoperation, pseudoarthrosis, or listhesis at final follow-up.

Conclusions

The addition of 2 screws placed through a cervical cage can improve anterior fixation in a human cadaveric model of floating lateral mass fractures. Early clinical results demonstrate a low complication rate and a high rate of healing with single-level anterior fixation using this technique.

A seven-center examination of the relationship between monthly volume and mortality in trauma: a hypothesis-generating study

INTRODUCTION

The relationship between trauma volumes and patient outcomes continues to be controversial, with limited data available regarding the effect of month-to-month trauma volume variability on clinical results. This study examines the relationship between monthly trauma volume variations and patient mortality at seven Level I Trauma Centers located in the Eastern United States. We hypothesized that higher monthly trauma volumes may be associated with lower corresponding mortality.

METHODS

Monthly patient volume data were collected from seven Level I Trauma Centers. Additional information retrieved included monthly mortality, demographics, mean monthly injury severity (ISS), and trauma mechanism (blunt versus penetrating). Mortality was utilized as the primary study outcome. Statistical corrections for mean age, gender distribution, ISS, and mechanism of injury were made using analysis of co-variance (ANCOVA). Center-specific, annually-adjusted median monthly volumes (CSAA-MMV) were calculated to standardize patient volume differences across participating institutions. Statistical significance was set at α < 0.05.

RESULTS

A total of 604 months of trauma admissions, encompassing 122,197 patients, were analyzed. Controlling for patient age, gender, ISS, and mechanism of injury, aggregate data suggested that monthly trauma volumes < 100 were associated with significantly greater mortality (3.9%) than months with volumes > 400 (mortality 2.9%, p < 0.01). To account for differences in monthly volumes between centers, as well as for temporal bias associated with potential differences over the entire study duration period, data were normalized using CSAA-MMV as a standardized reference point. Monthly volumes ≤ 33% of the CSAA-MMV were associated with adjusted mortality of 5.0% whereas monthly volumes ≥ 134% CSAA-MMV were associated with adjusted mortality of 2.7% (p < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

This hypothesis-generating study suggests that greater monthly trauma volumes appear to be associated with lower mortality. In addition, our data also suggest that across all participating centers mortality may be a function of relative month-to-month volume variation. When normalized to institution-specific, annually-adjusted "median" monthly trauma contacts, we show that months with patient volumes ≤ 33% median may be associated with subtly but not negligibly (1.4-2.3%) higher mortality than months with patient volumes ≥ 134% median.

Thoracolumbar Vertebral Injuries with Neurological Deficit Treated with Posterior Decompression, Short Segment Pedicle Screw Fixation, and Interlaminar Fusion

Study Design

Prospective clinical study.

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of interlaminar fusion and short segment pedicle screw fixation on thoracolumbar vertebral injuries for preventing pain and post-traumatic kyphosis.

Overview of Literature

The treatment of thoracolumbar injuries continues to be one of the most controversial areas in spine care. The main aim of surgical treatment is to decompress the spinal cord or nerve roots, realign the spine, and correct or prevent post-traumatic kyphosis. We evaluated the outcome of interlaminar fusion along with posterior decompression and short segment pedicle screw fixation in patients with thoracolumbar fractures with neurological deficit.

Methods

Twenty-two patients with traumatic thoracolumbar vertebral injuries and neurological deficit underwent short segment pedicle screw fixation above and below the fractured vertebrae, posterior decompression, and interlaminar fusion using a bone graft.

Results

All patients were followed up for 12 months postoperatively. The average operative time and blood loss was 142 minutes and 214 mL, respectively. Of the 22 patients, 14 recovered completely. Of the nine patients with American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) grade A disease, two improved by 1 grade, whereas one each improved by grades 2, 3, and 4, and four did not recover. Radiologically, vertebral kyphosis angle improved from 20.91 preoperatively to 15.73 postoperatively, sagittal index improved from 24.77 to 18.73, the sagittal plane kyphosis angle improved from 17.45 to 11.41, regional angle kyphosis improved from 14.73 to 10.14, the superior inferior end plate angle from 16.14 to 13.00, and mean anterior body compression improved from 36.26 to 27.64 postoperatively. No implant failed and no patient had neurological deterioration.

Conclusions

Short segment pedicle screw fixation with posterior decompression and interlaminar fusion provided considerable reduction in kyphosis, restored the vertebral height of patients with thoracolumbar vertebral injuries and neurological deficit, and prevented development of delayed kyphotic deformity.

[Influence of trauma mechanisms on thoracic and lumbar spinal fractures]

BACKGROUND

Vertebral body fractures (VBF) can be caused by various trauma mechanisms. The AOSpine classification system differentiates three main types of fractures according to the grade of instability. How the increasing energy of various accident mechanisms changes the complexity of the individual fracture, its localization and the occurrence of further fractures has not yet been finally investigated.

OBJECTIVE

What influence do traumatic events with different kinematics have on the localization, complexity and number of VBF in the thoracic and lumbar spine?

MATERIAL AND METHODS

In this retrospective study data from patients with a freshly traumatized VBF were analyzed. The patients were divided into six trauma groups (UFG) depending on the trauma mechanism. The VBF were classified on the basis of computed tomography (CT) imaging according to the AOSpine classification system. Testing was performed bilaterally and a significance level of 5% was used. The statistical calculations were carried out using IBM SPSS Statistics.

RESULTS

A significant increase in the severity of fractures (AO classification) was found in the high energy trauma groups (UFG III and V). In addition, the incidence of thoracic (TH) VBF was significantly increased for TH7 (p = 0.011) and TH10 (p = 0.001). In comparison to the other low energy trauma groups, the risk of a TH7 fracture was 7‑times higher after a high energy trauma (odds ratio OR = 7.0; 95% confidence interval CI = 1.4; 35.2). The UFG III (falls > 3 m) showed the highest number of fractures with a median of 2.5 (SD 1.84) VBF.

CONCLUSION

An exact reproduction of the traumatic event enables a distinction between high and low energy trauma groups to be made. In previous studies traffic accidents were recorded as one group, so an influence of the increasing kinematic energy could not be assessed. The accident kinematics can be taken into account by differentiating between high and low-energy trauma groups. In high-energy accidents the TH7 and TH10 vertebrae were found to be at risk vertebrae. In addition to the force direction, the force strength also has a decisive influence on the distribution pattern of VBF.

Spinal injury resulting from car accident: Focus to prevention

Aim:

To determine and compare the patterns of spinal injury in car occupants.

Materials and Methods:

Retrospective cross-sectional study enrolling all patients with spinal fracture after car accidents, who were admitted to hospital more than 24 h during 2004–2009.

Results:

The lumbosacral spine was the most commonly involved region (64.8). Six patients had spinal cord injury (6.6%). The majority of the victims were drivers of the vehicle (86.8%) and remaining were passengers. There was a significant difference in lumbar anatomic region (P = 0.05) and place of accident (P = 0.05) in car occupants’ position (P = 0.05). Car rollover was the most common mechanism of spinal fractures. There was a significant difference in lumbar anatomic region (P = 0.05), and two or more associated organ injuries (P ≤ 0.05) in car accident mechanism (P = 0.05).

Conclusion:

The chance of sustaining serious spine and associated multiple injuries in car accidents is quite high in our today's society. This may be due to the low level of standards for car manufacturing, absence or inadequacy of appropriate safety measures in cars, and poorly designed roads and problems in quality of driving to mention some reasons. Therefore, these victims are prone to significant morbidity and even mortality and need more specific prehospital supportive interventions.

EPIDEMIOLOGY OF SPINE FRACTURES IN MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT VICTIMS

ABSTRACT Objective: To analyze the incidence of spinal injuries between 2000-2010 due to motorcycle accidents and the relation to the increase in motorcycle sales in the same period, as well as the anatomical distribution of these spinal injuries. Methods: Data were collected from 1,295 records of patients who have suffered spinal injury resulting from motorcycle accidents admitted to the ward TRM (Spinal Cord Trauma) of the Hospital Geral do Estado da Bahia from 2000 to 2010 in this retrospective study. We selected 110 medical records and collected information on sex, age, neurological deficit on admission (according to Frankel scale), diagnosis, and level of injury. Results: Between 2000 and 2010 there was an increase of almost five times in the incidence of patients who have suffered spinal injury due to motorcycle accidents. More than half (51.4%) had cervical spine injury, 37.2% thoracic spine injury and 11.34% had lumbar spine injury. Only 34.3% of patients had no neurological deficit on admission and patients with thoracic spine fracture had a higher incidence and severity of lesion. The average age of patients was 30 years. Conclusions: The increased incidence of spinal injuries due motorcycle accidents occurred in the same period in which there was an increase in motorcycle sales in the country. Patients who have suffered those injuries were young, with higher incidence in the cervical and thoracic spinal levels and high rates of neurological deficit.

Injury mechanisms of the ligamentous cervical C2-C3 Functional Spinal Unit to complex loading modes: Finite Element study

The cervical spine sustains high rate complex loading modes during Motor Vehicle Crashes (MVCs) which may produce severe injuries accompanied with soft and/or hard tissue failure. Although previous numerical and experimental studies have provided insights on the cervical spine behavior under various loading scenarios, its response to complex impact loads and the resulting injury mechanisms are not fully understood. A validated Finite Element (FE) model of the ligamentous cervical C2-C3 Functional Spinal Unit (FSU) was utilized to assess the spinal response to six combined impact loading modes; flexion-extension combined with compression and distraction, and lateral bending and axial rotation combined with distraction. The FE model used time and rate-dependent material laws which permit assessing bone fracture and ligament failure. Spinal load-sharing, stresses in the spinal components, intradiscal pressure (IDP) change in the nucleus as well as contact pressure in the facet joints were predicted. Bone and ligaments failure occurrence and initiation instants were investigated. Results showed that spinal load-sharing varied with loading modes. Lateral bending combined with distraction was the most critical loading mode as it increased stresses and strains significantly and produced failure in most of the spinal components compared to other modes. The facet joints and surrounding cancellous bone as well as ligaments particularly the capsular (CL) and flavum (FL) ligaments were the most vulnerable structures to rapid flexion-extension, axial rotation and lateral bending combined with distraction or compression. The excessive stress and strain resulted from these loading modes produced rupture of the CL and FL ligaments and failure in the cancellous bone. The detection of failure initiation as well as fracture assessment demonstrated the vulnerability of ligaments to tensile combined loads and the major contribution of the bony structures in resisting compressive combined loads. Findings of this study may potentially assist in the development of injury prevention and treatment strategies.

Femur fractures should not be considered distracting injuries for cervical spine assessment

INTRODUCTION

The National Emergency X-Radiography Utilization Study (NEXUS) clinical decision rule is extremely sensitive for clearance of cervical spine (C-spine) injury in blunt trauma patients with distracting injuries.

OBJECTIVES

We sought to determine whether the NEXUS criteria would maintain sensitivity for blunt trauma patients when femur fractures were not considered a distracting injury and an absolute indication for diagnostic imaging.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed blunt trauma patients with at least 1 femur fracture who presented to our emergency department as trauma activations from 2009 to 2011 and underwent C-spine injury evaluation. Presence of C-spine injury requiring surgical intervention was evaluated.

RESULTS

Of 566 trauma patients included, 77 (13.6%) were younger than 18 years. Cervical spine injury was diagnosed in 53 (9.4%) of 566. A total of 241 patients (42.6%) had positive NEXUS findings in addition to distracting injury; 51 (21.2%) of these had C-spine injuries. Of 325 patients (57.4%) with femur fractures who were otherwise NEXUS negative, only 2 (0.6%) had C-spine injuries (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.2%-2.2%); both were stable and required no operative intervention. Use of NEXUS criteria, excluding femur fracture as an indication for imaging, detected all significant injuries with a sensitivity for any C-spine injury of 96.2% (95% CI, 85.9%-99.3%) and negative predictive value of 99.4% (95% CI, 97.6%-99.9%).

CONCLUSIONS

In our patient population, all significant C-spine injuries were identified by NEXUS criteria without considering the femur fracture a distracting injury and indication for computed tomographic imaging. Reconsidering femur fracture in this context may decrease radiation exposure and health care expenditure with little risk of missed diagnoses.

The tolerance of the human body to automobile collision impact - a systematic review of injury biomechanics research, 1990-2009

Road traffic injuries account for 1.3 million deaths per year world-wide. Mitigating both fatalities and injuries requires a detailed understanding of the tolerance of the human body to external load. To identify research priorities, it is necessary to periodically compare trends in injury tolerance research to the characteristics of injuries occurring in the field. This study sought to perform a systematic review on the last twenty years of experimental injury tolerance research, and to evaluate those results relative to available epidemiologic data. Four hundred and eight experimental injury tolerance studies from 1990-2009 were identified from a reference index of over 68,000 papers. Examined variables included the body regions, ages, and genders studied; and the experimental models used. Most (20%) of the publications studied injury to the spine. There has also been a substantial volume of biomechanical research focused on upper and lower extremity injury, thoracic injury, and injury to the elderly - although these injury types still occur with regularity in the field. In contrast, information on pediatric injury and physiological injury (especially in the central nervous system) remains lacking. Given their frequency of injury in the field, future efforts should also include improving our understanding of tolerances and protection of vulnerable road users (e.g., motorcyclists, pedestrians).

Spinal injuries in an airplane crash: a description of incidence, morphology, and injury mechanism

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective cohort.

OBJECTIVE

Spinal injuries of the survivors of an airplane crash are described. On the basis of injury morphology and knowledge of the conditions of the accident, injury mechanisms are described and prevention measures are discussed.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

The most common causes of spinal fractures are a high energy fall (incidence 21.2%-39%) and motor vehicle accidents (21.7%-33.61%). Detailed reports solely on spinal injuries, as a result of an airplane crash, are scarce in literature.

METHODS

An analysis was performed on the spinal injuries of all 126 survivors of a commercial airplane (Boeing 737) crash near Amsterdam in 2009. Level of injury and fracture classification by morphology, independently performed by 4 specialists in spinal trauma, was documented. An analysis was done on the type of injuries and the suggested mechanism of injury by evaluating the crash characteristics analysis.

RESULTS

Twenty-three (18.3%) of the survivors sustained a total of 27 spinal injuries. Four (17.1% of the patients with spinal injury) experienced a single cervical spine fracture. Eight (29.6%) injuries were at the thoracic spine and 15 (55.6%) at the lumbar spine level. More than half of the injuries included a burst component.

CONCLUSION

A high number of spinal injuries was found after this airplane crash. The morphology of the injuries consisted of a high rate of burst-type fractures presumably caused by a mainly vertical trauma mechanism as shown by the accident analysis.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

4.

Numerical analysis of multi-level versus short instrumentation for the treatment of thoracolumbar fractures

PURPOSE

The research analyses the strength of metallic implants in posterior spinal instrumentation for the treatment of thoracolumbar fractures, considering extended and short fixation techniques on the immediate post-surgical load. Considering that short fixation may bring the advantage of a less invasive surgical procedure to the patient and may also result in lower costs, this evaluation becomes necessary.

METHODS

Three-dimensional modelling of the thoracolumbar spine was initially performed. CT images were captured and converted for analysis with the ANSYS program. Both treatment techniques were analysed for stresses, and strains generated in the immediate postoperative period, when the fracture is still not healed.

RESULTS

The maximum stress obtained for long fixation by the theory of Von Mises was 230 MPa, and it was located in the rod area next to the L2 vertebra. The maximum stress obtained for short fixation was 274.24 MPa, and it was located in the pedicle screw on the T12 vertebra.

CONCLUSIONS

There were no significant differences between the two techniques, since the observed stresses are well below the flow stress of the material, ensuring good safety factor (ranging from 3.5 to 4.1).

High Rotation Rate Behavior of Cervical Spine Segments in Flexion and Extension

Numerical finite element (FE) models of the neck have been developed to simulate occupant response and predict injury during motor vehicle collisions. However, there is a paucity of data on the response of young cervical spine segments under dynamic loading in flexion and extension, which is essential for the development or validation of tissue-level FE models. This limitation was identified during the development and validation of the FE model used in this study. The purpose of this study was to measure the high rotation rate loading response of human cervical spine segments in flexion and extension, and to investigate a new tissue-level FE model of the cervical spine with the experimental data to address a limitation in available data. Four test samples at each segment level from C2–C3 to C7–T1 were dissected from eight donors and were tested to 10 deg of rotation at 1 and 500 deg/s in flexion and extension using a custom built test apparatus. There was strong evidence (p < 0.05) of increased stiffness at the higher rotation rate above 4 deg of rotation in flexion and at 8 deg and 10 deg of rotation in extension. Cross-correlation software, Cora, was used to evaluate the fit between the experimental data and model predictions. The average rating was 0.771, which is considered to demonstrate a good correlation to the experimental data.

Pedicle screw fixation for traumatic fractures of the thoracic and lumbar spine

BACKGROUND

Spine fractures are common. The treatment of traumatic fractures of the thoracic and lumbar spine remains controversial but surgery involving pedicle screw fixation has become a popular option.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the effects (benefits and harms) of pedicle screw fixation for traumatic fractures of the thoracic and lumbar spine.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched the Cochrane Bone, Joint and Muscle Trauma Group Specialised Register (March 2011), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL; The Cochrane Library, 2011 Issue 1), MEDLINE (1948 to March 2011), EMBASE (1980 to 2011 Week 11), the Chinese Biomedical Database (CBM Database) (1978 to March 2011), the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (March 2011), reference lists of articles and conference proceedings.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-randomised controlled trials comparing pedicle screw fixation and other methods of surgical treatment, or different methods of pedicle screw fixation, for treating traumatic fractures of the thoracic and lumbar spine.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Three review authors independently performed study selection, risk of bias assessment and data extraction. Limited meta-analysis was performed.

MAIN RESULTS

Pedicle screw fixation versus other methods of surgery that do not involve pedicle screw fixation was not looked at in any of the identified trials. Studies that were identified investigated different methods of pedicle fixation.Five randomised and three quasi-randomised controlled trials were included. All were at high or unclear risk of various biases, including selection, performance and detection bias. A total of 448 patients with thoracic and lumbar spine fractures were included in the review. Participants were restricted to individuals without neurological impairment in five trials. The mean ages of study populations of the eight trials ranged from 33 to 41 years, and participants had generally experienced traumatic injury. Mean follow-up for trial participants in the eight trials ranged from 28 to 72 months.Five comparisons were tested.Two trials compared short-segment instrumentation versus long-segment instrumentation. These studies found no significant differences between the two groups in self-reported function and quality of life at final follow-up. Aside from one participant, who sustained partial neurological deterioration that was resolved by further surgery (group not known), no neurological deterioration was noted in these trials.One trial comparing short-segment instrumentation with transpedicular bone grafting versus short-segment fixation alone found no significant difference between the two groups related to patient-perceived function and pain at final follow-up. All participants had normal findings on neurological examination at final follow-up.Two trials compared posterior instrumentation with fracture level screw incorporation ('including' group) versus posterior instrumentation alone ('bridging' group). Investigators reported no differences between the two groups in patient-reported function, quality of life, or pain at final follow-up. One trial confirmed that all participants had normal findings on neurological examination at final follow-up.One trial comparing monosegmental pedicle screw instrumentation versus short-segment pedicle instrumentation found no significant differences between the two groups in Oswestry Disability Index results or in pain scores at final follow-up. No neurological deterioration was reported.Three trials compared posterior instrumentation with fusion versus posterior instrumentation without fusion. Researchers found no differences between the two groups in function and quality of life or pain. No participants showed a decline in neurological status in any of the three trials, and no significant difference was reported between groups in the numbers whose status had improved at final follow-up. Two trials stated that patients in the fusion group frequently had donor site pain. Other reported complications included deep vein thrombosis and superficial infection.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

This review included only eight small trials and five different comparisons of methods of pedicle fixation in various participants while looking at a variety of outcomes at different time points. Overall, evidence is insufficient to inform the selection of different methods of pedicle screw fixation or the combined use of fusion. However, in the absence of robust evidence to support fusion, it is important to factor the risk of long-term donor site pain related to bone harvesting into the decision of whether to use this intervention. Further research involving high-quality randomised trials is needed.

Injuries among powered two-wheeler users in eight European countries: a descriptive analysis of hospital discharge data

Powered two-wheelers (PTWs--mopeds, motorcycles, and scooters) remain the most dangerous form of travel on today's roads. This study used hospital discharge data from eight European countries to examine the frequencies and patterns of injury among PTW users (age≥14 years), the predicted incidence of the loss of functional ability, and the mechanisms of the head injuries observed (all in light of increased helmet use). Of 977,557 injured patients discharged in 2004, 12,994 were identified as having been injured in PTW collisions. Lower extremity injuries accounted for 26% (25.6-26.7, 95% C.I.) of the total injuries, followed by upper extremity injuries (20.7%: 20.3-21.2), traumatic brain injuries (TBI) (18.5%: 18-19), and thoracic injuries (8.2%: 7.8-8.5). Approximately 80% of the lower extremity injury cases were expected to exhibit some functional disability one year following discharge (predicted Functional Capacity Index, pFCI-AIS98<100), compared to 47% of the upper extremity injury cases and 24% of the TBI cases. Although it occurred less frequently, patients that were expected to experience some functional limitation from TBI were predicted to fair worse on average (lose more functional ability) than patients expected to have functional limitations from extremity injuries. Cerebral concussion was the most common head injury observed (occurring in 56% of head injury cases), with most concussion cases (78%) exhibiting no other head injury. Among the AIS3+ head injuries that could be mapped to an injury mechanism, 48% of these were associated with a translational-impact mechanism, and 37% were associated with a rotational mechanism. The observation of high rates of expected long-term disability suggests that future efforts aim to mitigate lower and upper extremity injuries among PTW users. Likewise, the high rates of concussion and head injuries associated with a rotational mechanism provide goals for the next phase of PTW user head protection.

Inestabilidad de la columna cervical subaxial por falla de la banda de tensión posterior: artrodesis contécnica de Magerl. informe preliminar de los resultados a corto plazo

OBJETIVO: Analizar, retrospectivamente los resultados a corto plazo de las lesiones traumáticas inestables de la región subaxial, tratadas mediante fijación cervical por vía posterior con técnica de Magerl, utilizando sistema de barras y tornillos poliaxiales en las masas laterales. MÉTODOS: Se efectuó una revisión de pacientes con lesión traumática inestable cervical subaxial y afectación de la banda de tensión posterior (tipo B.1 de la AO), que hubieran sido operados con fijación posterior con barras y tornillos poliaxiales en las masas laterales, siguiendo la técnica de Magerl, utilizando criterios de selección anatómicos, diagnóstico-imagenológicos y éticos. Se valoraron, en el seguimiento, los resultados radiológicos, funcionales y neurológicos. RESULTADOS: Se incluyeron 9 pacientes (8 varones, 1 mujer), con edad promedio de 25 años (rango 21 - 34) y seguimiento promedio de 20 meses (rango 12 - 24). Tanto los resultados radiológicos, como los funcionales y los neurológicos, fueron excelentes en todos los casos, sin desviación en cifosis ni desplazamiento anteroposterior, y sin síntomas importantes en el seguimiento. Los dos casos tratados, con fijación de tres vértebras, presentaron cierta rigidez cervical esporádica. En ningún caso se extrajeron los implantes. CONCLUSIONES: Los beneficios obtenidos sugieren que es una técnica útil, segura, eficaz y versátil para las lesiones traumáticas inestables de la columna cervical baja, tipo B.1, inclusive aquellas multisegmentarias, especialmente en pacientes jóvenes.

Motor vehicle collision fatalities involving alcohol and illicit drugs in Greece: the need for management protocols and a reassessment of surveillance

AIMS

The frequency and the effect of alcohol and illicit drugs on injury type, severity and location of death in motor vehicle collision (MVC) fatalities were investigated.

DESIGN

Retrospective case-control study based on autopsy and toxicology.

SETTINGS

Single faculty accepting referrals from Greater Athens and prefectures.

PARTICIPANTS

Consecutive pre-hospital and in hospital fatalities.

MEASUREMENTS

Demographics, toxicology, abbreviated injury scale (AIS), injury severity score (ISS), and location of death.

FINDINGS

Of the 1860 screened subjects, 612 (32.9%) constituted the positive toxicology group (PTG) for alcohol or illicit drugs or both and the 1248 (67.1%) the negative toxicology group (NTG). The median age was 34 (4-90) years for the PTG and 45 (3-97) years for the NTG. The PTG included significantly higher proportions of males and motorcyclists. The PTG had a 50% increased risk for a severe (AIS ≥3) cervical spine and 85% for a severe upper extremity injury, compared to the NTG. A total of 29.2% of the PTG and 22.4% of the NTG deaths were non-preventable (ISS=75). The frequency of severe trauma (ISS ≥16) was comparable between PTG and NTG (P=0.87). The PTG presented with a median ISS of 43 (6-75) versus 41 (2-75) of the NTG, hence without significant difference (P=0.11). The pre-hospital death rate was 77.8% for the PTG versus 58% of the NTG (P<0.001). The analysis confirmed that the odds of positive toxicology were considerably higher in the subjects who arrived dead at the hospital (OR 2.62, P <0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

In the greater Athens region, almost a third of motor vehicle collision-related fatalities involved alcohol, illicit drugs or both. Individuals screened positive for alcohol or drugs were 2.6 times more likely to die before hospital admission than those with a negative toxicology screen, despite comparable injury severity. Specific evidence-based management protocols and reassessment of surveillance are required.

Thoracolumbar vertebral fractures in Sweden: an analysis of 13,496 patients admitted to hospital

National Longitudinal data of thoracolumbar fracture incidence, trends or mortality rates are lacking. The correlation between admissions and operations of thoracolumbar vertebral fractures has not been investigated. The aim of our nationwide population-based epidemiological study was to analyse the incidence, admissions, operations, and case fatality rate among patients with thoracolumbar vertebral fractures admitted to hospital in Sweden. The Swedish Hospital Discharge Register (SHDR) and the Cause of Death Register (CDR) were linked to determine the incidence of surgical interventions, trends, characteristics of the patients, and case fatality rate for thoracolumbar vertebral fractures based on comprehensive national data. The annual incidence of thoracolumbar fractures was on average 30 per 100,000 inhabitants and did not change considerably during the study period. Among patients younger than 60 years of age the annual incidence was 13 per 100,000 and was twice as high in men compared to women. The proportion operated on was 15%. In the age-group 60 years and older the majority were women. In this group two percent were operated on. However, males were operated on twice as often as women. The 90-day case-fatality rate after surgery was 1.4%. This information may assist health care providers in health care planning. Moreover, these data can also be used for power calculations when planning future clinical studies.

Compression fractures of the vertebrae during a "bumpy" boat ride

INTRODUCTION

Compression fracture of the vertebrae is common, often the result of falls from height and motor vehicle accidents in the younger age groups. It can occur following minor trauma in the elderly and in those with osteoporosis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We present an interesting case of compression fracture of the vertebral bodies occurring simultaneously in a couple during a boat ride while on holiday. One individual had fracture of the T8, while the other fractured the L1 vertebrae. Both injuries were treated conservatively with Taylor braces.

CONCLUSION

We highlight one of the potential hazards of this recreational activity, and the almost identical fracture pattern in this couple.

Thoracolumbar junction injuries after rollover crashes: difference between belted and unbelted front seat occupants

Motor vehicle collision (MVC) is one of the most common causes of thoracolumbar junction (TLJ) injury. Although it is of no doubt that the use of seatbelt reduces the incidence and severity of MVC-induced TLJ injury, how it is protective for front-seat occupants of an automobile after rollover crashes is unclear. Among 200 consecutive patients with a major TLJ (Th11-L2) injury due to high-energy trauma admitted from 2000 to 2004, 22 patients were identified as front-seat occupants of a four-wheel vehicle when a rollover crash occurred. The 22 patients were divided into two groups: 10 who were belted, and 12 who were unbelted. Patients' demographics including the mean Injury Severity Score (ISS), incidence of neurologic deficit, level of TLJ injury, and type of TLJ injury according to the AO fracture classification were compared between the two groups. Neurologic deficit was present exclusively in the unbelted group, and the difference in the incidence was statistically significant (P = 0.04). Similarly, AO type B/C injury was present exclusively in the unbelted group. The belted group had a significantly lower mean ISS than the unbelted group (P < 0.01). Comparison between the ejected and non-ejected victims within the unbelted group revealed no statistical difference in the incidence of neurologic deficit or type of injury. It is likely that the high incidence of neurologic deficit in the unbelted group was due to the high incidence of AO type B/C injury. This study indirectly proves the efficacy of seatbelt in reducing the severity of rollover-induced TLJ injury. Because of the limited number of cases, it is uncertain whether ejection from vehicle, which occurs exclusively in the unbelted victims, is a crucial factor in determining the severity or type of injury after rollover crashes.

Prevalence of associated injuries of spinal trauma and their effect on medical utilization among hospitalized adult subjects--a nationwide data-based study

BACKGROUND

This study was wanted to investigate the prevalence of concomitant injuries among hospitalized acute spinal trauma patients aged 20 and over and the effects of those injuries on medical utilization in Taiwan.

METHODS

Nationwide inpatient datasets of Taiwan's National Health Insurance (NHI) database from between 2000 and 2003 were used. The major inclusion criteria used to select cases admitted due to acute spinal trauma were based on three diagnostic International Classification of Disease, 9th Version (ICD-9) codes items: (1) fracture of vertebral column without mention of spinal cord injury; (2) fracture of vertebral column with spinal cord injury; or (3) spinal cord lesion without evidence of spinal bone injury. To investigate the associated injuries among the eligible subjects, the concomitant ICD-9 diagnosis codes were evaluated and classified into six co-injury categories: (1) head trauma; (2) chest trauma; (3) abdominal trauma; (4) pelvic trauma; (5) upper extremities trauma; (6) lower extremities trauma.

RESULTS

There were 51,641 cases studied; 27.6% of these subjects suffered from neurological deficit, but only 17.3% underwent a surgical procedure for spinal injury. Among them, the prevalence of associated injuries were as follows: head trauma, 17.2%; chest injury, 2.9%; abdominal trauma, 1.5%; pelvic injury or fracture, 2.5%; upper limb fracture, 4.4%; lower limb fracture, 5.9%. The three major locations of acute spinal injury (cervical, thoracic, or lumbar spine) were found to be combined with unequal distributions of associated injuries. By stepwise multiple linear regression, gender, age, location of spinal injury, neurological deficit, surgical intervention and the six combined injuries were identified significantly as associated factors of the two kinds of medical utilization, length of stay (LOS) and direct medical cost. The combinations of acute spinal trauma with lower extremity injury, pelvic injury, chest injury, abdominal injury and upper extremity injury resulted in of the highest utilization of medical resources, the estimated additional LOS being between 4.3 and 1.2 days, and the extra medical cost calculated as being between $1,230 and $320.

CONCLUSION

The occurrence of associated Injuries among hospitalized acute spinal trauma patients in Taiwan is not uncommon, and results in an obvious effect on medical utilization.

Analysis of 78 patients with spinal injuries in the 2008 Sichuan, China, earthquake

To analyze the clinical features of patients with spinal injuries and to better cope with future disasters, we retrospectively reviewed 78 patients' medical records after the 2008 Sichuan, China, earthquake. All patients survived, and the mean time patients spent under rubble was 12.2 hours. The largest number of victims were in the 30- to 39-year age group (24.3%), followed by the 20- to 29-year age group (21.8%) and the 40- to 49-year age group (20.5%). Isolated spinal injuries occurred in 55 patients (71.5%). Multilevel spinal injuries occurred in 23 patients (29.5%). The most common region for spinal injuries was the lumbar spine (38.5%), followed by the thoracic spine and the cervical spine. Nearly 53.8% of these spinal injuries resulted in some form of neurologic disability. Thoracic injury contributed to the majority of the neurologic injury. Lumbar injury seldom resulted in neurologic damage. Almost all cervical injuries were associated with severe spinal cord injury. The majority of patients sustained injuries in addition to their spinal injuries. More than one-third of patients (35.7%) had upper extremity fractures, 12.1% had pelvic fractures, and 44.5% had lower extremity fractures. The most commonly injured bone in the upper extremity was the humerus and in the lower extremity, the femur. Other associated injuries included head (19.6%), thoracic (39.8%), abdominal (8.9%), and urologic (2.56%) injuries. The high frequency of multilevel injuries of the spine and additional injuries reaffirms the need for vigilance in patient assessment.

Epidemiology of traumatic spine fractures

OBJECTIVES

To illustrate the correlations and effects of age, gender and cause of accident on the type of vertebral fracture and fracture distribution, as well as on the likelihood to sustain an associated injury or neurological deficit.

DESIGN

Retrospective analysis of 562 patients with a traumatic fracture of the spine. Each patient was analysed by reviewing the medical records, the initial radiographs and CT-scans.

SETTING

Level 1 trauma centre from 01/1996 to 12/2000.

RESULTS

The most common cause of accident was a high-energy fall (39%), followed by traffic accidents (26.5%). While fall related fractures were evenly distributed over the whole spine, traffic accidents induced significantly more fractures of the cervical and thoracic spine. Sixty-five percent of all cervical spine fractures and 80% of the multisegmental injuries were accompanied by an associated injury. The highest incidence of associated injuries was observed in patients with multilevel fractures (96.5%). Patients with a concomitant injury were more likely to sustain a spinal cord lesion. Sixty-three (11.2%) patients exhibited a complete motor and sensory deficit, 76 (13.5%) an incomplete and 423 (75.3%) no neurological deficit. The highest number of complete motor and sensory neurological deficits was found in cervical spine fractures (19.7%). The majority of patients, 308 (54.8%), sustained a compression fracture, 95 (16.9%) a distraction fracture, and 104 (18.5%) patients experienced a rotational fracture.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrates correlations between the cause of accident, the type of spinal fracture and the fracture distribution. Using the AO classification, the likelihood to sustain either associated and/or spinal cord injuries, is predictable.

Spinal injuries in pedestrians struck by motor vehicles

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective study of consecutive patients that were struck by motor vehicles and sustained spinal injuries over a 6-year period from 1997 to 2003.

OBJECTIVE

To determine spinal injury patterns and associated injuries in pedestrians struck by motor vehicles.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

Motor vehicle accidents involving pedestrians are associated with high morbidity and mortality rates.

METHODS

All injured patients admitted to Level I Trauma and Regional Spinal Cord Injury Center were reviewed retrospectively to identify those who were struck by motor vehicles and sustained injury to the spinal column. Before 2001, clearance of the thoracolumbar (TL) spine was performed by plain radiographs. Beginning in 2001, such clearance was performed by helical truncal computed tomography of the chest/abdomen/pelvis (CT/CAP) that was performed to evaluate potential visceral injuries.

RESULTS

Of the 1672 patients who were struck by motor vehicles, 135 patients (8%) were found to have spinal injuries. Cervical injuries were found in 35%, thoracic in 19%, lumbar in 37%, and sacral injuries in 27%. Associated injuries were present in 99% of the patients. By relative risk analyses, there were no regional associations between injuries of the TL spine and injuries to the chest and abdomen. Patients frequently had combinations of injuries in distant locations, presumably from a "double-impact" injury mechanism. Before initiation of the CT/CAP protocol to clear the TL spine, 7% of patients had injuries initially missed by TL radiographs.

CONCLUSIONS

Spinal injuries in pedestrians struck by motor vehicles are more evenly distributed throughout the spinal column and more often coexist with injuries to remote organs compared with car occupants and motorcyclists where regional tendencies and isolated spinal injuries are more frequent. A systematic approach to both diagnosis and treatment is, therefore, necessary. Helical truncal CT, performed to evaluate visceral injury, effectively screens for TL fractures.

Epidemiology of spine trauma in an Irish regional trauma unit: a 4-year study

Currently there is a lack of information on the full spectrum of spine trauma presenting to medical services in a defined geographic area. This study analyses the aetiology and demographics of a cohort of spine trauma in the West of Ireland. A regional trauma unit has been investigated for a 51-month period. Two hundred and eighty-five cases admitted with spine trauma were documented. The annual incidence of traumatic spinal injury was 19.54 cases/100,000 persons per year. Falls and low-energy trauma are shown to constitute a significant proportion of all cases (60.35%). Injury at greater than one level is frequently present. The highest peak of injury occurred in the 20-24-year-old age group (11.58%). A second peak occurred at 75-79 years of age (7.37%). The commonest cause of neurological injury was falls (n=9; 64.3%). This spine trauma register has provided valuable insights into the patterns of injury encountered in spine trauma patients in this region. It may act as a blueprint for a national spine trauma register and highlights the importance of patient education and injury prevention strategies.

Cervical spine fractures associated with maxillofacial trauma: an 11-year review

Although cervical spine injury is rarely associated with maxillofacial trauma, it should be suspected when injuries above the clavicle occur, as suggested in the Advanced Trauma Life Support Manual. A retrospective study of 2482 patients with maxillofacial trauma, who were admitted to the Maxillofacial Surgical Division of Turin University between 1996 and 2006, conducted to identify concomitant fractures of the cervical spine and establish a treatment protocol. Twenty-one patients (0.8%), consisting of 17 males and four females ranging in age from 15 to 70 years, had amyelic cervical spine fractures. In 90% of the cases, the cervical spine injury was caused by a road accident. Cervical spine injuries were diagnosed using lateral x-rays in three cases and with computed tomography in the remaining patients. Although an association has been reported between mandibular fracture and cervical spine injury, we did not observe a preferential association between injuries of the upper third of the face and spinal injury. Cervical spine immobilization should never be removed until cervical spine injury has been excluded using a lateral x-ray of the cervical spine. In males with significant blunt craniomaxillofacial trauma caused by high-energy impact accidents such as car and motorcycle accidents, computed tomography is the radiologic examination of first choice to exclude cervical spine injuries. Lastly, the presence of a cervical spine injury did not result in modified or delayed treatment of maxillofacial fractures, with the exception of one patient who had a fracture of the odontoid process.

Prevalence of pelvic fractures, associated injuries, and mortality: the United Kingdom perspective

BACKGROUND

We wished to determine the characteristics of patients with pelvic ring fractures (PGs) in England and Wales, make comparisons to major trauma patients without pelvic injury (NPGs), and determine factors predicting mortality, including the impact of presence of pelvic reconstruction facilities in the receiving hospitals on outcome.

METHODS

Prospective data from 106 trauma receiving hospitals forming the Trauma Audit and Research Network were studied. Between January 1989 and December 2001 data of 159,746 trauma patients were collected in the Trauma Audit and Research Network database. Because of incomplete data, 1,610 pelvic fracture patients and 13,499 patients without pelvic fracture were excluded from detailed analysis. In total, 11,149 patients in the PG and the remaining 133,486 patients in the NPG (control) group were included in the final analysis.

RESULTS

There were statistically significantly more patients with an Injury Severity Score >15 in the PG group (n = 3,576; 32.1%) than in NPG group (n = 19,238; 14.4%) (p < 0.001), indicating that pelvic injuries were more often associated with other injuries. The majority of patients sustained Abbreviated Injury Score (AIS) 2 pelvic injuries (65.0%), whereas AIS 4 and 5 injuries were found in less than 10% of patients. Pelvic ring injuries were most commonly associated with chest trauma with >AIS 2 severity in 21.2% of the patients, head injuries (>AIS 2) in 16.9%, liver or spleen injuries in 8.0%, and two or more long bone fractures in 7.8%. The 3-month cumulative mortality rate of the patients with pelvic injuries was 14.2% (1,586 patients) versus 5.6% (7,465 patients) of the NPG group.

CONCLUSION

Age, early physiologic derangement, and presence of other injuries (head or trunk) were associated with reduced survival rates. When the expertise to deal with such a group of patients is not available, early transfer under safe conditions should be considered to improve survival rates.

Trauma and motorcyclists: born to be wild, bound to be injured?

BACKGROUND

Regrettably motorcyclists frequently suffer related significant injuries. Doctors who manage trauma will encounter victims of motorcycle accidents and many aspects of care are unique to these patients due to the protective and performance enhancing equipment used by motorcyclists. This review examines the patterns of major injuries suffered by motorcyclists, the unique aspects of airway, circulatory and spine management, and suggests some interventions, which may allow primary injury prevention for the future.

DATA SOURCE

Literature searches of the PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane library with hand searches and author's experience.

INTERVENTIONS

None.

DATA SYNTHESIS AND CONCLUSIONS

The airway and (cervical and thoracolumbar) spine cannot be managed effectively in the helmeted patient with a speed hump in place and intubation by direct laryngoscopy is almost impossible with a speed hump in place. Helmets should be removed and the speed hump cut from the leathers. Leathers act as fracture splints, particularly for pelvis and lower extremities. Removal or extensive cutting away of the lower portion of leathers should be considered as part of "circulation", and only take place in a medical facility and in anticipation of circulatory deterioration. Motorcyclists sustaining thoracic spinal damage more frequently than cervical and spinal fractures at multiple levels are common. Back protectors are used commonly and these may be left in situ for extrication on a spinal board, but they should be removed in-hospital to allow full assessment. Injury prevention will require coordinated research and development of a number of key pieces of equipment and design in particular helmets, speed humps and clothing/textiles. In managing the injured motorcyclist in the pre or in-hospital settings, health professionals require greater awareness of the implications of such devices, which at the present time appears largely restricted to motorcycling enthusiasts.

Thoracolumbar junction injuries after motor vehicle collision: are there differences in restrained and nonrestrained front seat occupants?

Object

Motor vehicle collision (MVC) is one of the most common causes of thoracolumbar junction (TLJ) injury. Although there is little doubt that the use of seat belts reduces the incidence and severity of TLJ injury after MVC, the mechanism by which this is protective against TLJ injury for drivers and passengers is relatively unknown.

Methods

Thirty-nine patients with TLJ (T11–L2) injury who were front seat occupants of a four-wheeled vehicle at the time of MVC (frontal crash) were admitted between 2000 and 2004. The 39 patients were divided into two groups: 18 who had been restrained and 21 who had not been restrained at the time of the MVC. Patient demographics, including the mean Injury Severity Scale score, incidence of neurological deficit, level of TLJ injury, and type of TLJ injury according to the Denis classification were compared.

Results

The incidence of neurological deficit in the restrained group was significantly lower compared with the nonrestrained group (5.6% compared with 33.3%, p < 0.05). The incidence of flexion–distraction/fracture–dislocation injuries in the restrained group was also significantly lower (0.0% compared with 33.3% in the nonrestrained group, p < 0.01). The restrained group was significantly older (37.4 ± 3.6 years compared with 28.0 ± 2.5 years in the nonrestrained group, p < 0.05), but otherwise there were no significant differences between the two groups regarding the patients' demographic data.

Conclusions

It is likely that the high incidence of neurological deficit in the nonrestrained front seat motor vehicle occupants who had a TLJ injury was mostly due to the high incidence of flexion–distraction/fracture–dislocation injuries. This retrospective study indirectly shows the efficacy of three-point seat belt systems in reducing the severity of a TLJ injury after an MVC. Compression/burst fractures still occur in restrained front seat occupants, however, and elucidation of the injury mechanism of such axial loading fractures may be important to improve safety further for automobile occupants.

Assessment for Additional Spinal Trauma in Patients with Cervical Spine Injury

An institutional review board-approved 8-year retrospective trauma registry analysis of cervical spine injuries (CSIs) was done in a Level 1 trauma center. This analysis includes 129 CSI patients (1.3% of trauma admissions). Cervical spine radiographs diagnosed injuries in 71 per cent of CSI patients. Cervical spine radiographs were false negative in 29 per cent of patients, who were found to have CSI on spine CT. Spine CT had 98 per cent sensitivity and detected 45 per cent additional injuries in cervical spine radiograph-positive patients. Spine CT scans were false negative in two patients with soft tissue injury. Cervical spine fractures were isolated in 45 per cent (n = 58) and multilevel in 55 per cent (n = 71) with contiguous fractures in 43 per cent (n = 55) of patients. Injuries involved two adjoining vertebrae in 38 patients and three or more adjoining vertebrae in 7 patients. C1–2 and C5–6 comprised 26 per cent and 20 per cent of all contiguous fractures. The least common was C7–T1, diagnosed in 2 per cent. The most common contiguous fractures were C1–2 in the elderly and C5–6 in children, comprising half of contiguous cervical injuries in the respective age groups. There were 26 (20.2%) noncontiguous injuries: 15 cervical and 11 cervicothoracolumbar. Multiple regions of the vertebral column were involved in 7.8 per cent of CSI patients. Spine CT is the preferred modality to assess CSI. Injuries were isolated in 45 per cent and were multilevel in the remaining CSI patients. Contiguous and noncontiguous injuries involving the cervical and thoracolumbar spine are common. Assessment of the entire spinal column should be done in patients with CSI.

Comminuted fracture of the thoracic spine

BACKGROUND

Road deaths fell initially after the introduction of the penalty points but despite this, the rate of spinal injuries remained unchanged.

AIMS

We report a patient with a dramatic spinal injury, though without neurological deficit. We discuss the classification, management and economic impact of these injuries.

METHODS

We describe the management of a patient with a comminuted thoracic spinal fracture without neurological injury. We conducted a literature review with regard to the availability of literature of the management of these injuries.

RESULTS

This 17-year-old female was managed surgically and had a good functional outcome. There is no clear consensus in the published literature on the management of these injuries.

CONCLUSIONS

Comminuted thoracic spinal factures are potentially devastating. Such a patient presents challenges in determining the appropriate treatment.