Thoracolumbar injuries: prehospital and emergency management, imaging, classifications and clinical implications.

Abstract

Thoracolumbar fractures are common injuries that usually result from high energy trauma. They can lead to significant morbidity due to neurologic impair - or mortality - if not managed according to strict and rapid intervention rules in terms of decompression of the spinal cord, and rigid fixation of the fracture. This manuscript reviews emergency treatment protocols, imaging modalities, and classification systems used for thoracolumbar fractures. The emergency treatment is discussed, specific classifications are compared and indications for surgeries are compared.