Acute injuries of the upper thoracic spine associated with paraplegia.
A review of 35 cases of acute injury of the upper thoracic spine associated with paraplegia was done. In 32, a fracture-dislocation was present; in two, there was a dislocation without associated fracture; and in one, neither fracture nor dislocation was identified. A total of 22 cases conformed to a pattern of injury consisting of anterior fracture dislocation with disruption of the intervening facets joints and various vertebral body fractures. Tomography was necessary for characterizationof the injuries. There was a 17% incidence of associated second level spinal injuries, usually a hyperextension injury of the cervical spine.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D004204:Joint Dislocations / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010264:Paraplegia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000209:etiology; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed