title: The complexity of seat belt injuries including spinal injury in the pediatric population: a case report of a 6-year-old boy and the literature review.
abstract: We present, along with a literature review, the case report of a 6-year-old boy, involved in a high-speed motor vehicle accident, who sustained a seat belt injury of the lumbar spine. We discuss the clinical presentation of thoracolumbar fractures in children, the sensitivity of clinical examination and radiographic evaluation and the associated abdominal injuries that are commonly present with seat belt spinal injuries. Computerized tomography is limited in the detection of soft tissue spinal fractures because these fractures occur in the plain of the section. Plain lateral x-rays of the lumbar spine and computerized tomographic three-dimensional reconstruction images can be helpful but they cannot evaluate the extent of the soft tissue injury. The magnetic resonance imaging scan is the best diagnostic tool to provide the diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Trauma and Orthopaedic, East Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust, Eastbourne District General Hospital, Eastbourne, UK. PpvslA@aol.com
authors.forename: Athanasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Papavasiliou
authors.forename: Jeremy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stanton
authors.forename: Prateek
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sinha
authors.forename: Justin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Forder
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Skyrme
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000293:injuries* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D012622:Seat Belts / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D013124:Spinal Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology