Journal
NEUROSURGICAL FOCUS
Volume 37, Issue 1, Pages -Publisher
AMER ASSOC NEUROLOGICAL SURGEONS
DOI: 10.3171/2014.4.FOCUS1477
Keywords
osteoporotic vertebral fracture; brace; lumbar; burst; compression
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Traumatic fractures of the thoracolumbar spine are relatively common occurrences that can be a source of pain and disability. Similarly, osteoporotic vertebral fractures are also frequent events and represent a significant health issue specific to the elderly. Neurologically intact patients with traumatic thoracolumbar fractures can commonly be treated nonoperatively with bracing. Nonoperative treatment is not suitable for patients with neurological deficits or highly unstable fractures. The role of operative versus nonoperative treatment of burst fractures is controversial, with high-quality evidence supporting both options. Osteoporotic vertebral fractures can be managed with bracing or vertebral augmentation in most cases. There is, however, a lack of high-quality evidence comparing operative versus nonoperative fractures in this population. Bracing is a low-risk, cost-effective method to treat certain thoracolumbar fractures and offers efficacy equivalent to that of surgical management in many cases. The evidence for bracing of osteoporotic-type fractures is less clear, and further investigation will be necessary to delineate its optimal role.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available