title: Lumbar fractures involving five vertebrae: a case report.
abstract: We report a 20-year-old man who sustained lumbar fractures involving 5 vertebrae following a road traffic accident. He was initially treated non-operatively to allow multiple pedicles to heal. He developed post-traumatic kyphosis for which corrective osteotomy and posterior spinal instrumented fusion was performed. He achieved a good functional outcome. We emphasise the need for careful radiological evaluation in patients with high-energy trauma, and the option of treating such complex injuries by non-operative means. If post-traumatic kyphosis develops, it can be dealt with later and the most mobile segments of the lumbar spine can be preserved.
authors.affiliation: Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom. Prithee.Jettoo@nhs.net
authors.forename: Prithee
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jettoo
authors.forename: Himanshu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: John R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Andrews
authors.forename: Paul L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Sanderson
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D007738:Kyphosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries*; D008297:Male; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000601:surgery*; D010027:Osteotomy; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D013123:Spinal Fusion; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed