title: Clinical results of early stabilization of spine fractures in polytrauma patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of study was to evaluate the clinical results of early stabilization of spine fractures in polytrauma patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between August 2003, and May 2012, 166 polytrauma patients with thoracolumbar spine fractures were included. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to injury-to-operation time (time cut-off, 72 hours). Patients were also subdivided into 4 groups according to injury severity score (ISS), and the clinical course was evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Group A showed shorter hospital length of stay, intensive care unit, and ventilator days than group B. For each of these categories, the differences between the 2 groups were statistically significant (P=.004, P=.044, and P=.043). Patients with moderate to severe injury (ISS, ≥26), those who were treated with early stabilization showed shorter hospital length of stay, intensive care unit, and ventilator days than the patients with mild to moderate injury (ISS, <26), and the differences were statistically significant (P=.004, P=.006, and P=.006).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Polytrauma patients whose spine fractures were stabilized within 72 hours had better clinical outcomes than those with late stabilization. In addition, more severely injured patients (ISS, ≥26) benefited more from early stabilization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Guri Hospital, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Guri, Korea.
authors.forename: Ki-Chul
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Guri Hospital, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Guri, Korea. Electronic address: hyparkys@hanyang.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Ye-Soo
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Guri Hospital, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Guri, Korea.
authors.forename: Wan-Sik
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Guri Hospital, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Guri, Korea.
authors.forename: Jun-Ki
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Guri Hospital, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Guri, Korea.
authors.forename: Bo-Hyun
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D007902:Length of Stay; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000293:injuries*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000150:complications*; D012121:Respiration, Artificial / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000145:classification / Q000601:surgery*; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000293:injuries*; D061665:Time-to-Treatment; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Early stabilization; ISS (injury severity score); Polytrauma; Thoracolumbar spine fracture