Spine Trauma
A 35-year-old construction worker falls 4 meters from scaffolding and lands on his feet. He complains of severe back pain and has bilateral lower extremity weakness (3/5 power). CT shows an L1 burst fracture with 50% canal compromise, loss of 40% vertebral body height, and intact posterior ligamentous complex on MRI. There is no kyphosis. Regarding thoracolumbar burst fractures:
Mark each as TRUE or FALSE
Burst fractures involve failure of the anterior and middle columns under axial compression, with ver...
The Thoracolumbar Injury Classification and Severity Score (TLICS) guides treatment: morphology (com...
Burst fractures only affect the anterior column; the middle column is never involved; canal compromi...
Conservative treatment indications include TLICS less than 4, neurologically intact, kyphosis less t...
Surgical options include posterior pedicle screw fixation (short segment above and below, or long se...
Answer the questions to see explanations
Click T (True) or F (False) for each option