THORACOLUMBAR SPINE FRACTURE

Course overview

THE T10-L2 THORACOLUMBAR REGION IS THE MOST COMMON AREA OF INJURY TO THE SPINE FROM TRAUMA DUE TO THE SPECIFIC BIOMECHANICS OF THIS SEGMENT OF THE SPINE. SPECIFICALLY, THIS IS A TRANSITION AREA FROM THE RIGID AND LESS MOBILE THORACIC SPINE (DUE TO THE PRESENCE OF THE RIBS WHICH ATTACH TO THE SPINE BILATERALLY) TO A MORE FLEXIBLE LUMBAR SPINE. INJURY TO THIS AREA CAN RESULT IN A PERMANENT NEUROLOGICAL DEFICIT FROM COMPRESSION OR DIRECT INJURY TO THE NERVE ROOTS OF THE CAUDA EQUINA OR THE CONUS MEDULLARIS AND WARRANTS IMMEDIATE ATTENTION AND ASSESSMENT. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF THORACOLUMBAR JUNCTION FRACTURES AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN THE CARE OF PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.