Editorial: Thoracolumbar spinal injuries.

is at the thoracolumbar region, of which more than 50% occur at T11 to L1 levels. More than half of such injuries are sustained in vehicle accidents and 25% are secondary to a fall from a height (usually exceeding 3 meters). Complete neurological deficit has been reported in 25% of such patients and incomplete deficit in about 15%.1 Considerable anatomic differences exist throughout the spinal column. The thoracic spine is kyphotic and has relatively greater intrinsic stability and a relatively narrower spinal canal. Axial rotation is greater in the thoracic spine because of coronal alignment of the facet joints. The lumbar spine is lordotic and enables greater degrees of flexion and extension owing to sagittal alignment of the facet joints. A transient junction of thoracolumbar spine, where the facets of lower thoracic vertebrae gradually change to less coronal and less sagittal alignment (from a rather stiff thoracic segment to a rather mobile lumbar segment), is more likely to sustain fracturedislocations. There are different ways to classify fracturedislocation of thoracolumbar segment, based on the types of mechanical loading to the spine during injury. The most common primary forces are axial compression, lateral compression, flexion, extension, distraction, shear, and rotation. The most common combined forces are flexion-rotation and flexiondistraction; both of which may lead to neurological compromise. Editorial: Thoracolumbar spinal injuries