title: Operative treatment of chance injuries in the paediatric population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Chance fractures are an uncommon spine injury in the paediatric population. As such there is a relative paucity of evidence in the literature to guide management decisions. We present our single centre experience in the operative management of these injuries.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients presenting to a tertiary paediatric trauma centre between 2000 and 2008 were included. Retrospective analysis of clinical (SRS-22 and Oswestry) and radiological outcomes was undertaken.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twelve patients underwent operative stabilization of a Chance type injury. Radiological and clinical outcome measures demonstrated excellent outcomes in the majority of patients with no significant complications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Operative management of paediatric chance injuries with instrumentation results in excellent clinical and radiological outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, Australia. seansuttor@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Sean
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Suttor
authors.forename: Randolph
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.forename: Corrine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bridge
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cree
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000293:injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D013123:Spinal Fusion; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000293:injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome