Spinal Fractures

What Are Spine Fractures?

A fracture is partial or complete bone breakage. The spine bones may break into specific small fragments due to different causes such as degeneration, kyphosis, osteoporosis, shallow thrust, accident, or free-fall. The broken pieces or fractures may cause spine problems or nerve pinches.

Symptoms Of Spine Fractures

The fractures are usually distinguished with sharp shooting pain and back inflammation. However, some other symptoms include:

• Sudden pain
• Sharp Shooting pain
• Trouble in joints movement or immobility
• Inability to lift the weight
• Swelling
• Deformity or asymmetry in shape
• The warmth felt in fractures
• Bruising or redness

Different Types Of Spine Fractures

The fractures can be classified into different types according to the severity of the fracture, the shape of breakage, causative agent, and few other reasons. Some well-known types of fractures are :

• Compound Fracture:  These are multiple and deep fractures that expose the bone through multiple facets of skin.
• Closed fracture (simple fracture)– In this, the bone is broken, but the skin is intact.

Fractures have different names. Here is a list of fracture types :

• Greenstick Fracture– It is an incomplete breakage fracture that tends to bend.
• Transverse– The break is in a straight line along the bone.
• Spiral Fracture– This fracture occurs due to rotational or twisting force.
• Oblique Fracture –   A diagonal or angular fracture across the bone is called an oblique fracture.
• Compression Fracture – When the bone is crushed due to compressional forces that give it a wider or flatter appearance is called a compression fracture. They are usually caused by osteoporosis.
• Comminuted Fracture– When the bone breaks into three or more pieces and fragments are present at the fracture site, they are called comminuted fractures.
• Segmental Fracture-. The fracture in the bone that has two fracture lines such that together they isolate a segment of bone is called a segmental fracture.

Diagnosis And Treatment

The orthopedic doctor analyzes the inflamed, painful, or fractured part and recommends screening tests such as bone X-rays. If the fracture is not observed with an x-ray, but the pain aggravates, then the doctor asks for an MRI scan.

Following diagnosis, the doctor prepares a treatment plan or schedules a surgery.

Medical Treatment

Mild fractures can be treated with immobilization in braces or corsets for about 12-14 weeks. Then with physiotherapist guidance, the mobility and functionality of bones are restored. Meanwhile, the doctor provides analgesic as well as fast bone healing medicines for faster recovery.

However, some fractures are severe that cannot be reprimanded with braces. They then need internal healing and fusion to restore the structure and functionality. The following surgeries are done to mend fractures.

Vertebroplasty

It is a surgical procedure for mending compression fractures. In this, the surgeon makes a small incision on the skin to make its way to fracture, then inserts camera mounted and x-guided catheter. Next, the catheter leads to fractured bone and slips bone cement in it that solidifies in minutes. Then, the surgeon carefully examines all fractures and pushes bone cement in them. Once the process is done and the cement solidifies, the catheter is withdrawn, and the incision is closed with sutures.

Kyphoplasty 

It is a version of vertebroplasty. In this, along with the camera and X-ray-guided catheter, an inflatable bone-tamp is also inserted through a tiny incision. The inflated bone tamps the vertebral body backward, making a cavity in the collapsed fractured part to push the bone cement. Once the cavity is mended, and the bone cement has solidified, the equipment is withdrawn, and the incision is closed with sutures.

Bone cementing is a bone-strengthening procedure that might not help with deformity caused due to fracture.

Fusion Surgery

If the spine bone has broken into clear pieces, such that the above two procedures might not help long-term restoration, the surgeon recommends fusion surgery. In spine fusion, the broken segment is trimmed or cut out, and the vertebrae are joined with metal plates, screws, and drills to unify them in one structure and make them stable.