Diseases

Falls or trauma can cause spinal fractures. Although some of these injuries do not require surgery, large fractures should be treated promptly and appropriately. Delaying treatment in major spinal fractures can cause serious long-term problems.

Fractures or dislocations due to minor accidents and traumas are frequently seen in patients with osteoporosis. Osteoporosis or weakening of the bones can cause serious injuries even in simple accidents.

Spinal fractures can lead to extremely serious consequences, as they affect the nerve structures passing through the spine and the vital vessels and organs around it. 70% of spinal fractures occur in the dorsal and lumbar vertebrae, 5-10% in the cervical vertebrae, the rest in other parts of the spine.

In partial paralysis, especially when it is determined that the paralysis is progressively progressing, surgery is absolutely and urgently required. Complete or nearly complete recovery can be achieved in most of these patients.

Spine and Spinal Cord Anatomy

Let's briefly review the anatomy of the spine to understand the spinal fracture issue a little better. The spine consists of 33 bones called vertebrae, which are connected to each other by soft tissue, joints and intervertebral pads (disc).

This chain of vertebrae forms a support structure that allows our body to stand upright and to move in all directions (bending forward, backward, turning to the sides). In addition, at the back of each vertebra there is a ring of bone structure through which the spinal cord passes, and these protect the spinal cord.

The spinal cord consists of nerve tissue that provides the connection between the brain and the arms, trunk and legs and carries orders from the brain to these regions. By acting just like an electrical cable; It enables our hands and arms, feet and legs, and our sensory function to work. It also helps us breathe, controls urine and stool functions.

What Are Spinal Injuries?

Spinal injuries can occur in various severity, from mild soft tissue trauma to spinal fracture and spinal cord injury. Fractures and dislocations of the spine can cause spinal cord injury and thus paralysis. The treatment of spinal injuries also varies according to the severity of the case.

Where Do Spinal Fractures Occur?

5 or 10% of fractures occur in the cervical vertebrae, 70% in the dorsal and lumbar vertebrae, and the remainder in the lower regions. The most frequently injured area is the 12th dorsal vertebra and the 1st lumbar vertebra, where the dorsal and lumbar vertebrae meet, in the most mobile region of the spine.

Reasons

When a force, such as a fall or impact, is applied to the spine, the bone in the spine may not be able to carry the load. This can cause the spine to be crushed and fractured. If the compression is light, you will only experience mild pain and minimal deformation.

It usually occurs after high-energy traumas (traffic accident, falling from a height, jumping, etc.). There is also a special type of spinal fractures caused by the problem of osteoporosis, which causes the bones to lose their strength. These fractures, which can occur even in normal daily activities, develop due to bone weakness (osteoporosis), which is more common in older ages.

If the trauma affecting the spinal cord or nerve roots is severe, severe pain may be experienced. This can cause kyphosis after a while. Especially in osteoporosis patients, this is among the most common risk factors for fractures, especially spine fractures, as the disease causes weakening of the bones.

Spinal Fractures may develop due to the following reasons:

Accidents due to falling, sports or other causes

osteoporosis

Spinal tumors

What Are the Causes of Spine Fractures?

Spinal fractures usually develop due to high-energy trauma. Traffic accidents are shown as one of the most common causes. Apart from that, falls (especially falls from height), gunshot injuries and sports accidents are among the main causes of spinal fractures. In the elderly with osteoporosis and in patients with spinal tumors, severe fractures may occur even after low-energy traumas such as minor falls, as the spinal bones affected by these diseases weaken.

Who is most affected by spinal fractures?

80% of patients with spinal fractures are between the ages of 18-50. Men are 4 times more likely to suffer a spinal fracture than women.