Associated Injuries in Spine Trauma Patients: A Single-Center Experience

Purpose The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence and characteristics of associated injuries in patients with spine trauma. Methods Data of 3,920 consecutive patients admitted to a regional trauma center during a 3-year period were analyzed retrospectively. Results Of the 3,920 patien...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Seunghan Yu, Hyuk Jin Choi, Jung Hwan Lee, Byung Chul Kim, Mahnjeong Ha, In Ho Han
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Korean Society of Traumatology 2020-12-01
Series:Journal of Trauma and Injury
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Online Access:http://www.jtraumainj.org/upload/pdf/jti-2020-0071.pdf
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Summary:Purpose The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence and characteristics of associated injuries in patients with spine trauma. Methods Data of 3,920 consecutive patients admitted to a regional trauma center during a 3-year period were analyzed retrospectively. Results Of the 3,920 patients who were admitted to the trauma center during the 3-year study period, 389 (9.9%) had major spinal injuries. Among these 389 patients, 303 (77.9%) had associated injuries outside the spine. The most common body region of associated injuries was the extremities or pelvis (194 cases, 49.4%), followed by the chest (154 cases, 39.6%) and face (127 cases, 32.6%). Of these 303 patients, 149 (64%) had associated injuries that required surgical treatment such as laparotomy or internal fixation. Associated injuries were more common in patients with lumbar injuries (93.3%) or multiple spinal injuries (100%) than in those with lower cervical injuries (67.4%). There was a significant correlation between the location of the spinal injury and the body region of the associated injury. However, distant associated injuries were also common. Conclusions Associated injuries were very common in spinal injury patients. Based on demographic groups, the trauma mechanism, and the location of spinal injury, an associated injury should be suspected until proven otherwise. Using a multidisciplinary and integrated approach to treat trauma victims is of the paramount importance.
ISSN:1738-8767
2287-1683