title: Demographics of Thoracolumbar Fracture in Indian Population Presenting to a Tertiary Level Trauma Centre.
abstract: METHODS
  Prospective, cross-sectional, observational study.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Spine traumata are devastating injuries, which may result in serious disabilities and dire consequences. The current study involves a detailed analysis and description of patients, who were operated at a tertiary care, urban level 1 Spine Centre in India.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Various studies in literature have discussed the epidemiology and patterns of these injuries in trauma patients. However, literature describing the demographic profile and distribution of these traumata in the Indian population is scarce.
  
  
  METHODS
  The current study was conducted as a prospective trial involving patients, who were treated at our Spine Centre in India between July 2009 to December 2012. We studied 92 patients with thoraco-lumbar spine fracture, who were operated with short or long segment posterior stabilization. Epidemiological details, pre- and post-hospitalisation care received and other injury pattern factors were studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fall from height (46 patients, 50%) was the most common mechanism observed in the patients. Sixty-three percent injuries belonged to AO type A fractures, while 16.2% and 19.4% of the patients had suffered from AO types B and C injuries, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We identified interesting epidemiological data and prevailing inadequacies in Emergency Spine care management in the study patients. These observations could facilitate implementation of the changes required to improve current standards of patient care.
authors.affiliation: Department of Spine Surgery, Sancheti Institute for Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, Pune, India.
authors.forename: Ketan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Khurjekar
authors.affiliation: Department of Spine Surgery, Sancheti Institute for Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, Pune, India.
authors.forename: Shailesh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hadgaonkar
authors.affiliation: Department of Spine Surgery, Sancheti Institute for Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, Pune, India.
authors.forename: Ajay
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kothari
authors.affiliation: Department of Spine Surgery, Sancheti Institute for Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, Pune, India.
authors.forename: Rishikesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Raut
authors.affiliation: Department of Spine Surgery, Sancheti Institute for Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, Pune, India.
authors.forename: Vibhu
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Krishnan
authors.affiliation: Department of Spine Surgery, Sancheti Institute for Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, Pune, India.
authors.forename: Ashok
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shyam
authors.affiliation: Department of Spine Surgery, Sancheti Institute for Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, Pune, India.
authors.forename: Parag
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sancheti
keywords: Demography; India; Spinal fractures; Thoracic vertebrae injuries; Trauma center