Journal of Trauma and Injury

The Korean Society of Traumatology (대한외상학회)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

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

  • Yu, Seunghan (Department of Neurosurgery, Medical Research Institute, Pusan National University Hospital) ;
  • Choi, Hyuk Jin (Department of Neurosurgery, Medical Research Institute, Pusan National University Hospital) ;
  • Lee, Jung Hwan (Department of Neurosurgery, Medical Research Institute, Pusan National University Hospital) ;
  • Kim, Byung Chul (Department of Neurosurgery, Medical Research Institute, Pusan National University Hospital) ;
  • Ha, Mahnjeong (Department of Neurosurgery, Medical Research Institute, Pusan National University Hospital) ;
  • Han, In Ho (Department of Neurosurgery, Medical Research Institute, Pusan National University Hospital)
  • Received : 2020.11.03
  • Accepted : 2020.12.04
  • Published : 2020.12.30
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

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.

Keywords

References

  1. Jain NB, Ayers GD, Peterson EN, Harris MB, Morse L, O'Connor KC, et al. Traumatic spinal cord injury in the United States, 1993-2012. JAMA 2015;313:2236-43. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2015.6250
  2. Saboe LA, Reid DC, Davis LA, Warren SA, Grace MG. Spine trauma and associated injuries. J Trauma 1991;31:43-8. https://doi.org/10.1097/00005373-199101000-00010
  3. Meyer PR. Surgery of spine trauma. New York:Churchill Livingstone;1989.
  4. Chu D, Lee YH, Lin CH, Chou P, Yang NP. Prevalence of associated injuries of spinal trauma and their effect on medical utilization among hospitalized adult subjects--a nationwide data-based study. BMC Health Serv Res 2009;9:137. https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6963-9-137
  5. Leucht P, Fischer K, Muhr G, Mueller EJ. Epidemiology of traumatic spine fractures. Injury 2009;40:166-72. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.injury.2008.06.040
  6. Liu P, Yao Y, Liu MY, Fan WL, Chao R, Wang ZG, et al. Spinal trauma in mainland China from 2001 to 2007: an epidemiological study based on a nationwide database. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 2012;37:1310-5. https://doi.org/10.1097/BRS.0b013e3182474d8b
  7. Wang CM, Chen Y, DeVivo MJ, Huang CT. Epidemiology of extraspinal fractures associated with acute spinal cord injury. Spinal Cord 2001;39:589-94. https://doi.org/10.1038/sj/sc/3101216
  8. Wang H, Zhang Y, Xiang Q, Wang X, Li C, Xiong H, et al. Epidemiology of traumatic spinal fractures: experience from medical university-affiliated hospitals in Chongqing, China, 2001-2010. J Neurosurg Spine 2012;17:459-68. https://doi.org/10.3171/2012.8.SPINE111003
  9. Dai LY, Yao WF, Cui YM, Zhou Q. Thoracolumbar fractures in patients with multiple injuries: diagnosis and treatment-a review of 147 cases. J Trauma 2004;56:348-55. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.TA.0000035089.51187.43
  10. Hsu JM, Joseph T, Ellis AM. Thoracolumbar fracture in blunt trauma patients: guidelines for diagnosis and imaging. Injury 2003;34:426-33. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0020-1383(02)00368-6
  11. Rabinovici R, Ovadia P, Mathiak G, Abdullah F. Abdominal injuries associated with lumbar spine fractures in blunt trauma. Injury 1999;30:471-4. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0020-1383(99)00134-5
  12. Loftis KL, Price J, Gillich PJ. Evolution of the abbreviated injury scale: 1990-2015. Traffic Inj Prev 2018;19(Suppl 2):S109-13. https://doi.org/10.1080/15389588.2018.1512747
  13. Park Y, Chung M, Lee GJ, Lee MA, Park JJ, Choi KK, et al. Characteristics of Korean trauma patients: a single-center analysis using the Korea trauma database. J Trauma Inj 2016;29:155-60. https://doi.org/10.20408/jti.2016.29.4.155
  14. Champion HR, Sacco WJ, Copes WS, Gann DS, Gennarelli TA, Flanagan ME. A revision of the trauma score. J Trauma 1989;29:623-9. https://doi.org/10.1097/00005373-198905000-00017