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BACKGROUND DATA: Computed Tomography (CT) is the gold standard for cervical spine (c-spine) evaluation. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) emerges due to its increasing availability and the lack of radiation exposure. However, MRI is costly and time-consuming, questioning its role in the emergency department (ED). This study investigates the added the value of an additional MRI for patients presenting with a c-spine injury in the ED. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective monocenter cohort study that included all patients with neck trauma presenting in the ED, who received imaging based on the NEXUS criteria. Spine surgeons performed a full-case review to classify each case into "c-spine injured" and "c-spine uninjured". Injuries were classified according to the AO Spine classification. We assessed patients with a c-spine injury detected by CT, who received a subsequent MRI. In this subset, injuries were classified separately in both imaging modalities. We monitored the treatment changes after the additional MRI to evaluate characteristics of this cohort and the impact of the AO Spine Neurology/Modifier modifiers. RESULTS: We identified 4496 subjects, 2321 were eligible for inclusion and 186 were diagnosed with c-spine injuries in the retrospective case review. Fifty-six patients with a c-spine injury initially identified through CT received an additional MRI. The additional MRI significantly extended (geometric mean ratio 1.32, p < 0.001) the duration of the patients' stay in the ED. Of this cohort, 25% had a change in treatment strategy and among the patients with neurological symptoms (AON ≥ 1), 45.8% experienced a change in treatment. Patients that were N-positive, had a 12.4 (95% CI 2.7-90.7, p < 0.01) times higher odds of a treatment change after an additional MRI than neurologically intact patients. CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE: Our study suggests that patients with a c-spine injury and neurological symptoms benefit from an additional MRI. In neurologically intact patients, an additional MRI retains value only when carefully evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
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Vértebras Cervicais , Imageamento por Ressonância Magnética , Traumatismos da Coluna Vertebral , Tomografia Computadorizada por Raios X , Humanos , Estudos Retrospectivos , Imageamento por Ressonância Magnética/métodos , Masculino , Feminino , Vértebras Cervicais/lesões , Vértebras Cervicais/diagnóstico por imagem , Tomografia Computadorizada por Raios X/métodos , Traumatismos da Coluna Vertebral/diagnóstico por imagem , Traumatismos da Coluna Vertebral/diagnóstico , Traumatismos da Coluna Vertebral/terapia , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Adulto , Serviço Hospitalar de Emergência , Lesões do Pescoço/diagnóstico por imagem , Lesões do Pescoço/diagnóstico , Tomada de Decisão Clínica/métodosRESUMO
BACKGROUND: To our knowledge, there is no previous report in the literature of non-traumatic neglected complete cervical spine dislocation characterized by anterior spondyloptosis of C4, extreme head drop, and irreducible cervicothoracic kyphosis. CASE PRESENTATION: We report the case of a 33-year-old Caucasian man with a 17-year history of severe immune polymyositis and regular physiotherapy who presented with severe non-reducible kyphosis of the cervicothoracic junction and progressive tetraparesia for several weeks after a physiotherapy session. Radiographs, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a complete dislocation at the C4-C5 level, with C4 spondyloptosis, kyphotic angulation, spinal cord compression, and severe myelopathy. Due to recent worsening of neurological symptoms, an invasive treatment strategy was indicated. The patient's neurological status and spinal deformity greatly complicated the anesthetic and surgical management, which was planned after extensive multidisciplinary discussion and relied on close collaboration between the orthopedic surgeon and the anesthetist. Regarding anesthesia, difficult airway access was expected due to severe cervical angulation, limited mouth opening, and thyromental distance, with high risk of difficult ventilation and intubation. Patient management was further complicated by a theoretical risk of neurogenic shock, motor and sensory deterioration, instability due to position changes during surgery, and postoperative respiratory failure. Regarding surgery, a multistage approach was carefully planned. After a failed attempt at closed reduction, a three-stage surgical procedure was performed to reduce displacement and stabilize the spine, resulting in correct spinal realignment and fixation. Progressive complete neurological recovery was observed. CONCLUSION: This case illustrates the successful management of a critical situation based on a multidisciplinary collaboration involving radiologists, anesthesiologists, and spine surgeons.
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Cifose , Compressão da Medula Espinal , Traumatismos da Coluna Vertebral , Masculino , Humanos , Adulto , Vértebras Cervicais/diagnóstico por imagem , Vértebras Cervicais/cirurgia , Vértebras Cervicais/lesões , Compressão da Medula Espinal/diagnóstico por imagem , Compressão da Medula Espinal/etiologia , Compressão da Medula Espinal/cirurgia , Traumatismos da Coluna Vertebral/complicações , Radiografia , Cifose/diagnóstico por imagem , Cifose/etiologia , Cifose/cirurgiaRESUMO
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to develop and validate a deep learning (DL) algorithm for the quantitative measurement of thoracolumbar (TL) fracture features, and to evaluate its efficacy across varying levels of clinical expertise. METHODS: Using the pretrained Mask Region-Based Convolutional Neural Networks model, originally developed for vertebral body segmentation and fracture detection, we fine-tuned the model and added a new module for measuring fracture metrics-compression rate (CR), Cobb angle (CA), Gardner angle (GA), and sagittal index (SI)-from lumbar spine lateral radiographs. These metrics were derived from six-point labeling by 3 radiologists, forming the ground truth (GT). Training utilized 1,000 nonfractured and 318 fractured radiographs, while validations employed 213 internal and 200 external fractured radiographs. The accuracy of the DL algorithm in quantifying fracture features was evaluated against GT using the intraclass correlation coefficient. Additionally, 4 readers with varying expertise levels, including trainees and an attending spine surgeon, performed measurements with and without DL assistance, and their results were compared to GT and the DL model. RESULTS: The DL algorithm demonstrated good to excellent agreement with GT for CR, CA, GA, and SI in both internal (0.860, 0.944, 0.932, and 0.779, respectively) and external (0.836, 0.940, 0.916, and 0.815, respectively) validations. DL-assisted measurements significantly improved most measurement values, particularly for trainees. CONCLUSION: The DL algorithm was validated as an accurate tool for quantifying TL fracture features using radiographs. DL-assisted measurement is expected to expedite the diagnostic process and enhance reliability, particularly benefiting less experienced clinicians.
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Objective: Cervical spine injuries (CSI) are associated with high rates of permanent disability and mortality, which increase the socioeconomic burden on healthcare systems worldwide. We aimed to investigate the epidemiology of CSI, frequency of operative treatment, and incidence of associated neurological deficits at regional level. Methods: We performed a retrospective monocentric study of patients with sustained CSI from January 2017 to December 2021, carried out only in a first-level trauma center in the Plovdiv metro region. Demographic, clinical, and imaging data from the medical records were thoroughly analyzed. Based on the assumption that all patients with CSI were hospitalized in single trauma center, the percentage of cases indicated for surgical treatment was calculated based on the population of the entire Plovdiv metro area. Results: One hundred forty-nine patients permanently residing in the Plovdiv metro region were included in this study. Of the 149 patients, 97 (65.1%) were surgically treated and 61 (62.9%) were over 60 years of age. The frequency of operative interventions for CSI was 2.9/100,000 patients. Annually, 10.6 people from the Plovdiv metro region suffer from neurological deficits as a result of neck injuries (1.6/100,000 residents). The number of patients with complete spinal cord injury in the surgically treated group was 11 (11.3%); that is, the regional frequency was 2.2 people per year. Conclusion: In the Plovdiv metro region, a significant annual frequency of neurological deficits requiring surgical intervention for CSI has been established, especially in patients aged >60 years.
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Introduction: Traumatic thoracolumbar burst fractures are the most common spinal injuries and the proper treatment is controversial. In central Europe in particular, these fractures are often treated with minimally invasive anterior-posterior reduction and fusion, whereas a conservative approach is preferred in the USA. Independent of the treatment strategy, no data exists regarding the outcome related to return to activity level/sport. Research question: The aim of this study was to evaluate the return to sports and activity levels after 360° fusion in patients with thoracolumbar burst fractures without neurological deficits. Methods: Between January 2013 and December 2022, 46 patients aged 18 to 40 years underwent partial or complete vertebral body replacement in the thoracolumbar region due to traumatic burst fractures without neurologic deficit as an isolated injury. Patients were contacted retrospectively by phone calls to assess their activities using a modified version of the Tegner activity scale at different time points: Before trauma, 3, 6, and 12 months post-surgery. Results: After applying exclusion criteria, data collection was complete for 28 patients. The median modified Tegner activity scale was 5.4 before sustaining the fracture, declined to 2.9 at three months post-trauma, improved to 4.2 at six months, and reached 5.0 at 12 months. The majority (83%) of patients achieved their pre-accident activity level within 12 months. No significant differences were observed between patients with partial or complete corpectomy. Conclusion: This is the first study assessing return to sports/physical activity based on the modified Tegner scale in young patients undergoing 360° fusion for spinal burst fractures. The majority of patients (83%) return to the pre-injury activity level within 12 months after surgery.
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Spinal injuries, including cervical and thoracolumbar fractures, continue to be a major public health concern. Recent advancements in machine learning and deep learning technologies offer exciting prospects for improving both diagnostic and prognostic approaches in spinal injury care. This narrative review systematically explores the practical utility of these computational methods, with a focus on their application in imaging techniques such as computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), as well as in structured clinical data. Of the 39 studies included, 34 were focused on diagnostic applications, chiefly using deep learning to carry out tasks like vertebral fracture identification, differentiation between benign and malignant fractures, and AO fracture classification. The remaining five were prognostic, using machine learning to analyze parameters for predicting outcomes such as vertebral collapse and future fracture risk. This review highlights the potential benefit of machine learning and deep learning in spinal injury care, especially their roles in enhancing diagnostic capabilities, detailed fracture characterization, risk assessments, and individualized treatment planning.
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STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey study. OBJECTIVE: To investigate factors affecting decision-making in thoracolumbar burst-fractures without neurologic deficit. METHODS: A 40-question survey addressing expert-related, economic, and radiological factors was distributed to 30 international trauma experts. Descriptive statistics were used to assess the impact of these factors on operative or non-operative management preferences. RESULTS: Out of 30 experts, 27 completed the survey. The majority of respondents worked at level 1 trauma centers (81.5%) within university settings (77.8%). They were primarily orthopedic surgeons (66.7%) and had over 10 years of experience (70.4%). About 81% found distinguishing between A3 and A4 fractures relevant for decision-making. Most experts (59%) treated A3 fractures non-surgically, while only 30% treated A4 fractures conservatively. Compensation systems did not influence treatment recommendations, and hospital measures promoting surgeries did not significantly affect distribution. Radiological factors, such as local kyphosis (25/27), fracture comminution (23/27), overall sagittal balance (21/27), and spinal canal narrowing (20/27), influenced decisions. CONCLUSION: Incomplete burst fractures (A3) are predominantly treated non-surgically, while complete burst fractures (A4) are primarily treated surgically. Compensation, third-party incentives, and outpatient care did not significantly impact decision-making. Radiological factors beyond the AO Spine thoracolumbar classification system seem to be essential and warrant further evaluation.
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OBJECTIVES: To compare diagnostic accuracy of a deep learning artificial intelligence (AI) for cervical spine (C-spine) fracture detection on CT to attending radiologists and assess which undetected fractures were injuries in need of stabilising therapy (IST). METHODS: This single-centre, retrospective diagnostic accuracy study included consecutive patients (age ≥18 years; 2007-2014) screened for C-spine fractures with CT. To validate ground truth, one radiologist and three neurosurgeons independently examined scans positive for fracture. Negative scans were followed up until 2022 through patient files and two radiologists reviewed negative scans that were flagged positive by AI. The neurosurgeons determined which fractures were ISTs. Diagnostic accuracy of AI and attending radiologists (index tests) were compared using McNemar. RESULTS: Of the 2368 scans (median age, 48, interquartile range 30-65; 1441 men) analysed, 221 (9.3%) scans contained C-spine fractures with 133 IST. AI detected 158/221 scans with fractures (sensitivity 71.5%, 95% CI 65.5-77.4%) and 2118/2147 scans without fractures (specificity 98.6%, 95% CI 98.2-99.1). In comparison, attending radiologists detected 195/221 scans with fractures (sensitivity 88.2%, 95% CI 84.0-92.5%, p < 0.001) and 2130/2147 scans without fracture (specificity 99.2%, 95% CI 98.8-99.6, p = 0.07). Of the fractures undetected by AI 30/63 were ISTs versus 4/26 for radiologists. AI detected 22/26 fractures undetected by the radiologists, including 3/4 undetected ISTs. CONCLUSION: Compared to attending radiologists, the artificial intelligence has a lower sensitivity and a higher miss rate of fractures in need of stabilising therapy; however, it detected most fractures undetected by the radiologists, including fractures in need of stabilising therapy. Clinical relevance statement The artificial intelligence algorithm missed more cervical spine fractures on CT than attending radiologists, but detected 84.6% of fractures undetected by radiologists, including fractures in need of stabilising therapy. KEY POINTS: The impact of artificial intelligence for cervical spine fracture detection on CT on fracture management is unknown. The algorithm detected less fractures than attending radiologists, but detected most fractures undetected by the radiologists including almost all in need of stabilising therapy. The artificial intelligence algorithm shows potential as a concurrent reader.
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Algoritmos , Inteligência Artificial , Vértebras Cervicais , Radiologistas , Sensibilidade e Especificidade , Fraturas da Coluna Vertebral , Tomografia Computadorizada por Raios X , Humanos , Masculino , Feminino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Vértebras Cervicais/lesões , Vértebras Cervicais/diagnóstico por imagem , Tomografia Computadorizada por Raios X/métodos , Fraturas da Coluna Vertebral/diagnóstico por imagem , Adulto , Estudos Retrospectivos , Idoso , Aprendizado ProfundoRESUMO
PURPOSE: Assessing the diagnostic performance and supplementary value of whole-body computed tomography scout view (SV) images in the detection of thoracolumbar spine injuries in early resuscitation phase and identifying frequent image quality confounders. METHODS: In this retrospective database analysis at a tertiary emergency center, three blinded senior experts independently assessed SV to detect thoracolumbar spine injuries. The findings were categorized according to the AO Spine classification system. Confounders impacting SV image quality were identified. The suspected injury level and severity, along with the confidence level, were indicated. Diagnostic performance was estimated using the caret package in R programming language. RESULTS: We assessed images of 199 patients, encompassing 1592 vertebrae (T10-L5), and identified 56 spinal injuries (3.5%). Among the 199 cases, 39 (19.6%) exhibited at least one injury in the thoracolumbar spine, with 12 (6.0%) of them displaying multiple spinal injuries. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were 47%, 99%, and 97%, respectively. All experts correctly identified the most severe injury of AO type C. The most common image confounders were medical equipment (44.6%), hand position (37.6%), and bowel gas (37.5%). CONCLUSION: SV examination holds potential as a valuable supplementary tool for thoracolumbar spinal injury detection when CT reconstructions are not yet available. Our data show high specificity and accuracy but moderate sensitivity. While not sufficient for standalone screening, reviewing SV images expedites spinal screening in mass casualty incidents. Addressing modifiable factors like medical equipment or hand positioning can enhance SV image quality and assessment.
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Traumatismo Múltiplo , Fraturas da Coluna Vertebral , Traumatismos da Coluna Vertebral , Humanos , Estudos Retrospectivos , Vértebras Lombares/diagnóstico por imagem , Vértebras Lombares/lesões , Vértebras Torácicas/diagnóstico por imagem , Vértebras Torácicas/lesões , Tomografia Computadorizada por Raios X/métodos , Traumatismos da Coluna Vertebral/diagnóstico por imagemRESUMO
The integrity of the high cervical spine, the transition zone from the brainstem to the spinal cord, is crucial for survival and daily life. The region protects the enclosed neurovascular structure and allows a substantial portion of the head motion. Injuries of the high cervical spine are frequent, and the fractures of the C2 vertebra account for approximately 17-25% of acute cervical fractures. We review the two major types of C2 vertebral fractures, odontoid fracture and Hangman's fracture. For both types of fractures, favorable outcomes could be obtained if the delicately selected conservative treatment is performed. In odontoid fractures, as the most common fracture on the C2 vertebrae, anterior screw fixation is considered first for type II fractures, and C1-2 fusion is suggested when nonunion is a concern or occurs. Hangman's fractures are the second most common fracture. Many stable extension type I and II fractures can be treated with external immobilization, whereas the predominant flexion type IIA and III fractures require surgical stabilization. No result proves that either anterior or posterior surgery is superior, and the surgeon should decide on the surgical method after careful consideration according to each clinical situation. This review will briefly describe the basic principles and current treatment concepts of C2 fractures.
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BACKGROUND: Healthcare-associated pressure injuries (HAPI) are known to be associated with medical devices and are preventable. Cervical spine immobilization is commonly utilized in injured children prior to clinical clearance or for treatment of an unstable cervical spinal injury. The frequency of HAPI has been quantified in adults with cervical spine immobilization but has not been well-described in children. The aim of this study was to describe characteristics of children who developed HAPI associated with cervical immobilization. METHODS: We analyzed a retrospective cohort of children (0-18 years) who developed a stage two or greater cervical HAPI. This cohort was drawn from an overall sample of 49,218 registry patients treated over a five-year period (2017-2021) at ten pediatric trauma centers. Patient demographics, injury characteristics, and cervical immobilization were tabulated to describe the population. RESULTS: The cohort included 32 children with stage two or greater cervical HAPI. The median age was 5 years (IQR 2-13) and 78% (n = 25) were admitted to the intensive care unit. The median (IQR) time to diagnosis of HAPI was 11 (7-21) days post-injury. The majority of cervical HAPI (78%, 25/32) occurred in children requiring immobilization for cervical injuries, with only four children developing HAPI after wearing a prophylactic cervical collar in the absence of a cervical spine injury. CONCLUSION: Advanced-stage HAPI associated with cervical collar use in pediatric trauma patients is rare and usually occurs in patients with cervical spine injuries requiring immobilization for treatment. More expedient cervical spine clearance with MRI is unlikely to substantially reduce cervical HAPI in injured children. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III (Epidemiologic and Prognostic).
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Úlcera por Pressão , Traumatismos da Coluna Vertebral , Criança , Humanos , Pré-Escolar , Adolescente , Estudos Retrospectivos , Traumatismos da Coluna Vertebral/epidemiologia , Traumatismos da Coluna Vertebral/etiologia , Traumatismos da Coluna Vertebral/terapia , Pescoço , Vértebras Cervicais/lesões , Centros de TraumatologiaRESUMO
ABSTRACT Objective: Quantify the time elapsed between the arrival of the patient with surgical trauma in the spine at the emergency room and the completion of the surgical procedure, analyzing the factors that may have influenced this process. Methods: Retrospective study that included individuals of both sexes aged between 18 and 100 years who arrived at a tertiary trauma center with surgical fractures in the spine. Patients treated between March 2018 and March 2022 were included in the sample. All data to compose the study sample were collected from secondary data sources (medical records). Results: Medical records of 259 patients with spinal injuries were evaluated. Approximately one-third of the patients were operated on between 13h and 24h, and the other third over 72h. Only 6.6% were operated within 12 hours. The mean time to perform the surgical process was 84.3 ± 144.6 hours. Surgical intervention for most patients (59.1%) occurred within the first 48 hours. Patients with systemic arterial hypertension and patients with at least one comorbidity had a statistically longer mean waiting time for the surgical procedure than patients who did not have these characteristics. Conclusion: Most surgical interventions occurred in the first 48 hours, which is considered early. In addition, some factors, such as the existence of comorbidities, are directly associated with the time it takes to perform the surgical procedure. Level of Evidence II; Retrospective Prognostic.
Resumo: Objetivo: Quantificar o tempo decorrido entre a chegada do paciente com trauma cirúrgico na coluna vertebral ao pronto-socorro e a realização da intervenção cirúrgica, analisando os fatores que podem ter influenciado neste tempo. Métodos: Estudo retrospectivo que incluiu indivíduos de ambos os sexos com faixa etária de 18 a 100 anos que deram entrada em um pronto-socorro terciário referência em trauma, apresentando fraturas cirúrgicas na coluna vertebral. Foram incluídos na amostra os pacientes atendidos entre março de 2018 até março de 2022. Todos os dados para compor a amostra do estudo foram coletados a partir de fontes secundárias de dados (prontuário médico). Resultados: Foram avaliados prontuários de 259 pacientes com lesões na coluna. Aproximadamente um terço dos pacientes realizaram cirurgia entre 13hs e 24hs e outro terço acima de 72hs. Somente 6,6% foram operados em até de 12hs. A média de tempo para realização da intervenção cirúrgica foi de 84,3 ± 144,6 horas sendo que para a maioria dos pacientes (59,1%) a intervenção ocorreu nas primeiras 48 horas. Os pacientes com hipertensão arterial sistêmica e pacientes com pelo menos uma comorbidade tiveram um tempo médio de espera até a intervenção cirúrgica estatisticamente maior do que os pacientes que não possuíam essas características. Conclusão: Conclui-se que a maioria das intervenções cirúrgicas ocorreram nas primeiras 48h, dentro do que se considera precoce. Além disso, alguns fatores como existência de comorbidades estão diretamente associados ao tempo que se leva para a realização do procedimento cirúrgico. Nível de Evidência II; Prognóstico Retrospectivo.
Resumen: Objetivo: Cuantificar el tiempo transcurrido entre la llegada del paciente con traumatismo quirúrgico en la columna a urgencias y la del procedimiento quirúrgico, analizando los factores que pueden haber influido en finalización este proceso. Métodos: Estudio retrospectivo que incluyó individuos de ambos sexos con edades entre 18 y 100 años que llegaron a un centro traumatológico de tercer nivel con fracturas quirúrgicas en la columna vertebral. Se incluyeron en la muestra los pacientes atendidos entre marzo de 2018 y marzo de 2022. Todos los datos para componer la muestra del estudio fueron recolectados de fuentes de datos secundarias (historias clínicas). Resultados: Se evaluaron las historias clínicas de 259 pacientes con lesiones medulares. Aproximadamente un tercio de los pacientes fueron operados entre las 13 y las 24 horas y el otro tercio sobre las 72 horas. Solo el 6,6% fueron operados dentro de las 12 horas. El tiempo medio para realizar el proceso quirúrgico fue de 84,3 ± 144,6 horas. La intervención quirúrgica para la mayoría de los pacientes (59,1%) ocurrió dentro de las primeras 48 horas. Los pacientes con hipertensión arterial sistémica y pacientes con al menos una comorbilidad tuvieron un tiempo medio de espera para el procedimiento quirúrgico estadísticamente mayor que los pacientes que no presentaban estas características. Conclusión: Se concluye que la mayoría de las intervenciones quirúrgicas ocurrieron en las primeras 48 horas, dentro de lo que se considera precoz. Además, algunos factores como la existencia de comorbilidades están directamente asociados al tiempo de realización del procedimiento quirúrgico. Nivel de Evidencia II; pronóstico retrospectivo.
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Humanos , Masculino , Feminino , Adulto , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Traumatismos da Coluna Vertebral , Coluna Vertebral , Procedimentos Cirúrgicos Operatórios , Fatores de TempoRESUMO
Background: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is the second cause of complications and disability after brain injury. Although primary prevention is the best strategy, obtaining the necessary knowledge about the patient's condition and follow-up treatment can lead to the use of safety measures and appropriate healthcare planning. This is the basis of this study with the aim of a two-year follow-up of patients with traumatic SCI (TSCI) who underwent surgery. Materials and Methods: This study was a descriptive and analytical type that examined 79 patients with TSCI who had undergone surgery two years ago. The data were collected by a standard questionnaire and analyzed in Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 24 software. Results: Among the patients in our study, 39.2% of them had the initial C American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) score followed by patients with grade D (31.6%), grade A (15.2%), and grade E (14%), respectively, and also, a most common type of vertebral column injuries is burst fractures with a prevalence of 62%, followed by fracture-dislocation injury (25.3%) and compressed fracture (12.7%). Regarding the improvement of patients according to ASIA grade, the highest percentage of improvement is seen in grad grades D (84% and 77%), and grade A patients have improved to grade B by about 33.3%. In the study conducted, 5% of patients died during 24 months of follow-up, which means 75% of the deceased patients were grade A patients at the time of admission. Conclusion: As mentioned, the most important predictor of the patient's prognosis is the patient's initial condition.
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STUDY DESIGN: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. OBJECTIVE: Identify the incidence, mechanism of injury, investigations, management, and outcomes of Vertebral Artery Injury (VAI) after cervical spine trauma. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines (PROSPERO-ID CRD42021295265). Three databases were searched (PubMed, SCOPUS, Google Scholar, CINAHL PLUS). Incidence of VAI, investigations to diagnose (Computed Tomography Angiography, Digital Subtraction Angiography, Magnetic Resonance Angiography), stroke incidence, and management paradigms (conservative, antiplatelets, anticoagulants, surgical, endovascular treatment) were delineated. Incidence was calculated using pooled proportions random effects meta-analysis. RESULTS: A total of 44 studies were included (1777 patients). 20-studies (n = 503) included data on trauma type; 75.5% (n = 380) suffered blunt trauma and 24.5% (n = 123) penetrating. The overall incidence of VAI was .95% (95% CI 0.65-1.29). From the 16 studies which reported data on outcomes, 8.87% (95% CI 5.34- 12.99) of patients with VAI had a posterior stroke. Of the 33 studies with investigation data, 91.7% (2929/3629) underwent diagnostic CTA; 7.5% (242/3629) underwent MRA and 3.0% (98/3629) underwent DSA. Management data from 20 papers (n = 475) showed 17.9% (n = 85) undergoing conservative therapy, anticoagulation in 14.1% (n = 67), antiplatelets in 16.4% (n = 78), combined therapy in 25.5% (n = 121) and the rest (n = 124) managed using surgical and endovascular treatments. CONCLUSION: VAI in cervical spine trauma has an approximate posterior circulation stroke risk of 9%. Optimal management paradigms for the prevention and management of VAI are yet to be standardized and require further research.
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PURPOSE: The purpose of the National Spinal Cord Injury Registry of Iran (NSCIR-IR) is to create an infrastructure to assess the quality of care for spine trauma and in this study, we aim to investigate whether the NSCIR-IR successfully provides necessary post-discharge follow-up data for these patients. METHODS: An observational prospective study was conducted from April 11, 2021 to April 22, 2022 in 8 centers enrolled in NSCIR-IR, respectively Arak, Rasht, Urmia, Shahroud, Yazd, Kashan, Tabriz, and Tehran. Patients were classified into three groups based on their need for care resources, respectively: (1) non-spinal cord injury (SCI) patients without surgery (group 1), (2) non-SCI patients with surgery (group 2), and (3) SCI patients (group 3). The assessment tool was a self-designed questionnaire to evaluate the care quality in 3 phases: pre-hospital, in-hospital, and post-hospital. The data from the first 2 phases were collected through the registry. The post-hospital data were collected by conducting follow-up assessments. Telephone follow-ups were conducted for groups 1 and 2 (non-SCI patients), while group 3 (SCI patients) had a face-to-face visit. This study took place during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data on age and time interval from injury to follow-up were expressed as mean ± standard deviation (SD) and response rate and follow-up loss as a percentage. RESULTS: Altogether 1538 telephone follow-up records related to 1292 patients were registered in the NSCIR-IR. Of the total calls, 918 (71.05%) were related to successful follow-ups, but 38 cases died and thus were excluded from data analysis. In the end, post-hospital data from 880 patients alive were gathered. The success rate of follow-ups by telephone for groups 1 and 2 was 73.38% and 67.05% respectively, compared to 66.67% by face-to-face visits for group 3, which was very hard during the COVID-19 pandemic. The data completion rate after discharge ranged from 48% to 100%, 22%-100% and 29%-100% for groups 1 - 3. CONCLUSIONS: To improve patient accessibility, NSCIR-IR should take measures during data gathering to increase the accuracy of registered contact information. Regarding the loss to follow-ups of SCI patients, NSCIR-IR should find strategies for remote assessment or motivate them to participate in follow-ups through, for example, providing transportation facilities or financial support.
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Introduction: Clinical decision tools have been shown to reduce imaging rates for clearance of suspected cervical spine injury (CSI). This review provides more comprehensive evidence on the diagnostic capabilities of National Emergency X-Radiography Utilization Study (NEXUS) and Canadian C-spine rule (CCR) in this regard. Method: A systematic review of the current literature was performed on studies published until Jan 26th, 2023, in databases of Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase, investigating the performance of NEXUS and CCR in blunt trauma patients. QUADAS-2 and GRADE guidelines were used to assess the quality and certainty of evidence. All analyses were performed using the STATA 14.0 statistical analysis software. Results: 35 articles comprising 70000 patients for NEXUS and 33000 patients for CCR were included in this review. NEXUS and CCR were evaluated to have a sensitivity of 0.94 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.88 to 0.98) and 1.00 (95% CI: 0.98 to 1.00) in the detection of any CSI and 0.95 (95% CI: 0.89 to 0.98) and 1.00 (95% CI: 0.95 to 1.00) in the detection of clinically important CSI. The area under the curve (AUC) of NEXUS and CCR was 0.85 and 0.97 for any CSI and 0.78 (95% CI: 0.74 to 0.81) and 0.94 (95% CI: 0.91 to 0.96) for clinically important CSI. Conclusion: Our study demonstrates that both NEXUS and CCR can be used in ruling out patients with low risk of CSI, and CCR was shown to have superior performance. Even though these tools have low specificity, their application can still greatly reduce the number of radiographic imaging performed in emergency departments.
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Objectives: During the last decades, spine surgery has grown exponentially. In spite of that, it remains a surgical specialty without a well-defined own certification. It is usually carried out, separately, by neurosurgeons and orthopedic surgeons, even if there is an overlapping of competence and skills. Materials and Methods: In our hospital, from January 2019, a systematic protocol called integrated spine trauma team protocol (ISTTP) was implemented to improve the management of traumatic spinal injuries in a multidisciplinary way. It is characterized by a specific algorithm from diagnosis to postoperative care. According to the new protocol, orthopedic spinal surgeons and neurosurgeons work together as an integrated spine trauma team. The authors analyzed, retrospectively, the results obtained by comparing patients treated before and after the application of the ISTTP. Results: The new protocol allowed a statistically significant reduction in waiting time before surgery and complication rate. Moreover, early discharge of patients was recorded. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that described a specific algorithm for a standardized multidisciplinary management of the spinal trauma with combined orthopedic and neurosurgeon expertise. Conclusion: Our preliminary results suggest that the application of our ISTTP leads to better results for treating traumatic spinal injury (TSI).
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Rationale and objectives: To provide a detailed analysis of injury patterns of the spine following blunt trauma and establish the role of supplementary MRI by evaluating discrepancies in the detection rates of damaged structures in CT and MRI. Method: 216 patients with blunt trauma to the spine who underwent CT followed by supplementary MRI were included in this study. Two board-certified radiologists blinded to clinical symptoms and injury mechanisms independently interpreted all acquired CT and MRI images. The interpretation was performed using a dedicated catalogue of typical findings associated with spinal trauma and assessed for spinal stability using the AO classification systems. Results: Lesions to structures associated with spinal instability were present in 31.0% in the cervical spine, 12.3% in the thoracic spine, and 29.9% in the lumbar spine. In all spinal segments, MRI provided additional information regarding potentially unstable injuries. Novel information derived from supplementary MRI changed clinical management in 3.6% of patients with injury to the cervical spine. No change in clinical management resulted from novel information on the thoracolumbar spine. Patients with injuries to the vertebral body, intervertebral disc, or spinous process were significantly more likely to benefit from supplementary MRI. Conclusion: In patients that sustained blunt spinal trauma, supplementary MRI of the cervical spine should routinely be performed to detect injuries that require surgical treatment, whereas CT is the superior imaging modality for the detection of unstable injuries in the thoracolumbar spine.
RESUMO
This article describes the current status of modern treatment options for traumatic spinal cord injuries with a particular focus on the perioperative phase. Along with a recognition of age-related specific features that can impact successful treatment of spinal injuries, prompt interdisciplinary treatment while adhering to the "time is spine" principle is of high importance. By considering this approach and using modern diagnostic and surgical techniques, successful surgical treatment can be achieved while taking into account individual characteristics, such as reduced bone quality, accompanying injuries as well as oncological and inflammatory rheumatic comorbidities. The preventive and treatment strategies for frequently occurring complications in the management of traumatic spinal cord injuries are presented. By considering case-specific factors, utilizing modern surgical techniques, avoiding or promptly treating typical complications and initiating interdisciplinary treatment, crucial groundwork for a successful long-term treatment of this highly debilitating and life-altering injury can be established in the perioperative phase.