title: [Controversies in TL classifications. What are we actually treating? Some perspectives on the evolution of spine fracture classification systems].
abstract: Classification systems can be helpful in our understanding and management of disease states. In spine trauma and thoracolumbar injuries specifically, there is still a fragmentation of concepts between more descriptive term-based and severity-based scoring systems. In thoracolumbar injury care we as a spine community are perhaps closer than other subspecialty areas in arriving at a globally acceptable"universal" classification system; however, more work needs to be done and all of us have to be willing to open our minds in evaluating and adopting a new approach.
authors.affiliation: Harborview Medical Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA. cbella@u.washington.edu
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bellabarba
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wagner
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000145:classification* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D015599:Trauma Severity Indices