Learning objectives
To emphasize the importance of a unified diagnostic language among the different medical specialists.
To describe the different types of fractures in the classification of thoracolumbar vertebral fractures proposed by AOSpine community.
To make an outline of the different types of vertebral fractures of the AOSpine classification.
Show examples of each type of vertebral fracture from the AOSpine classification.
Background
Throughout history there have been numerous classifications of bone lesions that have sought to catalog such lesions in order to guide treatment and prognosis [1-5].
Regarding spinal column injuries,
the most traditional classification systems are that proposed by Francis Denis,
the International Osteosynthesis Association (AO) classification presented by Magerl and Max Aebi and the Thoracolumbar Injury Severity Score (TLISS) postulated by Dr.
Alexander Vaccaro,
which gives a score according to the severity of the injury produced by thoracolumbar trauma [5,
6,
7].
However,
to date,...
Findings and procedure details
RADIOLOGICAL EXAMINATION IN TRAUMATIC SPINAL CORD INJURY
Radiologic evaluation of an injured spine includes simple x-rays,
computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
The purpose of radiologic evaluation is:
Identify the location and extent of the lesion.
To determine the characteristics of vertebral instability.
Evaluate the severity of neurological compression and injury.
Classify patterns of injury.
Identify multilevel injuries.
Good quality simple x-rays should be performed in two planes (antero-posterior and lateral) in all patients with suspected spinal trauma.
If x-rays are unsatisfactory or inconclusive,...
Conclusion
In radiology,
adequate communication with the different specialists is fundamental,
for which it is essential to speak the same language unifying diagnostic criteria and adopting a single nomenclature that facilitates the diagnostic-therapeutic process.
Respect for spinal injuries many original publications classifications of thoracolumbar spine injuries that are too complex,
incomplete or lack a rigorous scientific basis.
TheAOSpine Injury Classification Systemrepresents an improvement over the previous ones,
proposing a more structured and less complex classification scheme that takes into account the inherent variability of spinal injuries...
References
1.Böler L.
Die Techniek de Knochenbruchbehandlung im Grieden und im Kriegeed.
Wien,
Austria: Maudrich; 1930.
2.
Watson-Jones R.
Fractures and joint injuries.
3rd ed.
Edinburgh,
NY: E.
& S.
Livingstone Ltd; 1943.
3.
Nicoll EA.
Fractures of the dorso-lumbar spine.
J Bone Joint Surg Br 1949; 31B(3): 376-94.
4.
Denis F (1983) The three column spine and its significance in the classification of acute thoracolumbar spinal injuries.
Spine 8:817–831.
5.
McAfee PC,
Yuan HA,
Fredrickson BE,
et al.
The value of computed tomography in thoracolumbar...