Approximately 79,000 spinal fractures occur annually in the United States. Roughly three out of every four fractures involve either the thoracic or the lumbar spine1,2. The most common site of injury in the thoracic and lumbar spine is the thoracolumbar junction, the mechanical transition zone between the relatively rigid thoracic spine and the more flexible lumbar region3-5. The thoracolumbar ...

INTRODUCTION The potential benefit of ultrasonography for detection of thoracic bone fractures has been proven in various surveys but no comprehensive conclusion has been drawn yet; therefore, the present study aimed to conduct a thorough meta-analytic systematic review on this subject. METHODS Two reviewers independently carried out a comprehensive systematic search in Medline, EMBASE, ISI W...

Fractures of the clavicle represent 2.6 to 5% all fractures. Respiratory and vascular-nerve complications isolated fractures are rare. We report case a 29-year-old cyclist who presented fracture right following sport accident, complicated by both pneumothorax deep vein thrombosis axillary vein. Patient underwent thoracic drainage curative anticoagulation followed internal osteosynthesis as soon...

BACKGROUND Chylothorax is a rare form of pleural effusion that can be associated with both traumatic and non-traumatic causes. Thoracic duct ligation is often the treatment of choice in postsurgical patients; however the optimal treatment of this disease process after traumatic injury remains unclear 1. We present a rare case of a thoracic duct injury secondary to a blunt thoracic spine fractur...

Spinal injuries pose a considerable risk to life and quality of life. In spite of improvements in active and passive safety of motor vehicles, car accidents are regarded as a major cause for vertebral fractures. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the current incidence of vertebral fractures among front-seat occupants in motor vehicle accidents, and to identify specific risk factors for s...

Osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures are common and cause pain and disability. Most osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures occur in the lower thoracic and thoracolumbar spine. Percutaneous balloon kyphoplasty through a transpedicular approach is a classic procedure performed to treat osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures. However, due to the slender morphology of the pedicl...

104 From the time that they were originally described in 1869, first rib fractures have been a source of anxiety to attendant doctors. 1 First rib fractures are associated with major thoracic trauma and predispose to injury of the subclavian vessels, brachial plexus and mediastinal structures. These complications invariably follow unilateral first rib fractures. In contrast, bilateral first rib...

We have reviewed our experience in managing 11 patients who sustained an indirect sternal fracture in combination with an upper thoracic spinal injury between 2003 and 2006. These fractures have previously been described as 'associated' fractures, but since the upper thorax is an anatomical entity composed of the upper thoracic spine, ribs and sternum joined together, we feel that the term 'fra...

BACKGROUND The effect of helmet use on the incidence of cervical and thoracic fractures sustained in motorcycle crashes remains controversial. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed the incidence of these fractures in helmeted and nonhelmeted crash victims at a single Level I trauma hospital with a well-defined system for evaluating spinal fractures. RESULTS Of 422 motorcycle crash victims tre...

OBJECTIVES To evaluate and compare nonoperative treatment methods for traumatic thoracic and lumbar compression fractures and burst fractures. DESIGN Prospective randomized controlled trial with long-term follow-up. SETTING Two general hospitals in the Netherlands. PATIENTS/PARTICIPANTS Patients with a traumatic thoracic or lumbar spine fracture, without neurologic damage, with less than ...