Principles of classification and treatment of spinal injuries

Principles of Classification and treatment of Spinal İnjuriesEntrance: This research has been conducted in between January 2004 ? December 2011 in Afyon Kocatepe University Medical Faculty Hospital Neurosurgery Clinic by evaluating 234 patients who were exposed to Spinal Trauma.Objective: To determine the age, gender, reason of injury, neurological status, level of fracture, type of fracture of the cases that are hospitalized in our clinic due to spinal trauma and that are practiced medical or surgical treatment in a retrospective way and to compare the results with the literature and to discuss them.Material and Method: 234 patients who had an inpatient treatment in Afyon Kocatepe University Medical Faculty Hospital Neurosurgery Clinic in between 2004-2011 and who were exposed to Cervical, Thoracal and Lumbar area Trauma have been included to this research. A classification for each patient has been made separately according to the results of X-ray, Computerized Tomography and Imaging Magnetic Resonance of patients, performed just after the patients consulted to the hospital. The patients have been classified in 5 groups according to Upper Cervical, Lower Cervical, Thoracal, Thoracolumbar and Lumbar area Traumas and each group has been evaluated in itself.Discussion: Cervical Trauma rate gradually increases in all societies in direct proportion to the improvement of technology and socioeconomic status. Generally, the main problem in spinal injuries that are resulted from high energy trauma is that there hasn?t been a classification system yet that helps the surgeon in determining the optimal diagnosis and treatment, that has been standardised, that is easy to apply and that has received wide acceptance. Although there are many classification systems that are still applied, there is still a lack of classification system that is needed at the present time, that has received a wide acceptance and that can be a instructive treatment and prognosis estimation.Conclusion: In our research, the most frequent reason of spinal traumas has been determined to be motor vehicle accidents and the most affected area has been determined to be thoracolumbar area (T11-L1). Using a general classification system has turned to be compulsory in determining the treatment that is to be applied to the patient