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Thoracolumbar Spinal Injuries

  • Chapter
Spinal Disorders

Abstract

Systematic epidemiologic data on traumatic thoracolumbar fractures are rare and differ depending on the area studied and on the treating center. The studies available from western countries reveal typical and comparable data on incidence, localization, and mechanisms of injury. Thoracolumbar fractures are more frequent in men (2/3) than in women (1/3) and peak between the ages of 20 and 40 years [30,47,65,81,94]. Approximately, 160 000 patients/year sustain an injury of the spinal column in the United States. The majority of these injuries comprise cervical and lumbar (L3–L5) spine fractures. However, between 15% and 20% of traumatic fractures occur at the thoracolumbar junction (T11-L2), whereas 9–16% occur in the thoracic spine (T1–T10) [36,46]. Hu and coworkers [56] studied the total population of a Canadian province over a period of 3 years. The incidence of spine injuries was 64/100 000 inhabitants per year, predominantly younger men and older women. A total of 2063 patients were registered and 944 patients were treated in hospital: 182 patients (20%) with a cervical spine injury, 286 patients (30%) with a thoracic spine injury and 403 patients (50%) with an injury of the lumbosacral spine. Traumatic cross-section spinal cord injury occurred in 40 out of 1 million inhabitants. About 50–60% of thoracolumbar fractures affect the transition T11-L2, 25–40% the thoracic spine and 10–14% the lower lumbar spine and sacrum [80,86].

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Zentrum für Wirbelsäulen- und Rückenmarkchirurgie, Universität Zürich, Klinik für Unfallchirurgie, Universitätsspital Zürich, Rämistr.100, 8091, Zürich, Schweiz

    Michael Heinzelmann & Guido A. Wanner

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  1. Michael Heinzelmann
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  2. Guido A. Wanner
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Zentrum für Wirbelsäulen- und Rückenmarkchirurgie, Universität Zürich Universitätsklinik Balgrist, Forchstraße 340, 8008, Zürich, Switzerland

    Norbert Boos

  2. Institut für Evaluative Forschung in Orthopädischer Chirurgie MEM Forschungszentrum, Universität Bern, Stauffacherstraße 78, 3014, Bern, Switzerland

    Max Aebi

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© 2008 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Heinzelmann, M., Wanner, G.A. (2008). Thoracolumbar Spinal Injuries. In: Boos, N., Aebi, M. (eds) Spinal Disorders. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-69091-7_31

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-69091-7_31

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-40511-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-69091-7

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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