title: Multilevel Noncontiguous Spinal Fractures: Surgical Approach towards Clinical Characteristics.
abstract: METHODS
  The study retrospectively investigated 15 cases with multilevel noncontiguous spinal fractures (MNSF).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To clarify the evaluation of true diagnosis and to plane the surgical treatment.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  MNSF are defined as fractures of the vertebral column at more than one level. High-energy injuries caused MNSF, with an incidence ranging from 1.6% to 16.7%. MNSF may be misdiagnosed due to lack of detailed neurological and radiological examinations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with metabolic, rheumatologic diseases and neoplasms were excluded. Despite the presence of a spinal fracture associated clearly with the clinical picture, all patients were scanned within spinal column by direct X-rays, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. When there were ≥5 intact vertebrae between two fractured vertebral segments, each fracture region was managed with a separated stabilization. In cases with ≤4 intact segments between two fractured levels, both fractures were fixed with the same rod and screw system.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 32 vertebra fractures in 15 patients. Eleven (73.3%) patients were male and age ranged from 20 to 64 years (35.9±13.7 years). Eleven cases were the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) E, 3 were ASIA A, and one was ASIA D. Ten of the 15 (66.7%) patients returned to previous social status without additional deficit or morbidity. The remaining 5 (33.3%) patients had mild or moderate improvement after surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The spinal column should always be scanned to rule out a secondary or tertiary vertebra fracture in vertebral fractures associated with high-energy trauma. In MNSF, each fracture should be separately evaluated for decision of surgery and planned approach needs particular care. In MNSF with ≤4 intact vertebra in between, stabilization of one segment should prompt the involvement of the secondary fracture into the system.
authors.affiliation: Neurosurgery Clinic, Sanko University, School of Medicine, Gaziantep, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Seçer
authors.affiliation: Neurosurgery Clinic, Ankara Numune Research and Training Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Fatih
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Alagöz
authors.affiliation: Neurosurgery Clinic, Eskisehir Yunus Emre State Hospital, Eskişehir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ozhan
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Uçkun
authors.affiliation: Neurosurgery Clinic, Ankara Numune Research and Training Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Oğuz Durmuş
authors.initials: OD
authors.lastname: Karakoyun
authors.affiliation: Neurosurgery Clinic, Sanko University, School of Medicine, Gaziantep, Turkey.
authors.forename: Murat Ömer
authors.initials: MÖ
authors.lastname: Ulutaş
authors.affiliation: Neurosurgery Clinic, Fatma Hatun Private Hospital, Bolu, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ömer
authors.initials: Ö
authors.lastname: Polat
authors.affiliation: Neurosurgery Clinic, Ankara Numune Research and Training Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ergün
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dağlıoğlu
authors.affiliation: Neurosurgery Clinic, Ankara Numune Research and Training Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dalgıç
authors.affiliation: Neurosurgery Clinic, Ankara Numune Research and Training Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Deniz
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Belen
keywords: Multilevel; Spinal column; Spinal fracture; Surgery