A Clinical Study of the Thoraco-Lumbar Spine Fractures and Fracture-Dislocations

The rate of the spine fracture tends to be increased as the rate of traffic and industrial accidents are increased. One hundred and fifteen thoracolumbar spine fractures and fracture-dislocations out of 81 patients were evaluated from March, 1976 to September, 1981 treated at the Department of Orthpaedic Surgery of Ewha University Hospital. 1. The majority(64.1%) of the spine fracture was found in the age group of 20 to 50 years. 58% of the cases were coused by fall down injury. There was no difference between sex. 2. Most common site of the lesion occured getween T12 and L2 vertebrae(65.2%) and flexion fracture(56%) was most common. 3. Thirteen cases of the total were complicated by paraplegia, of which 76.9% was caused by rotational frecture-dislocation. 4. Prognosis for neurological recovery in initially complete lesion was poor, regardless of treatment. About 15% initially complete lesion showed complete recovery and 47% showed incomplete recovery.