Özet:

The aim of this study was to investigate the distribution of traumatic vertebral fractures according to demographic features and anatomical localizations. The study included 351 patients (211 males and 140 females) who presented to emergency service with trauma. Totally 568 vertebral fractures were detected via direct radiograms and computed tomography (CT). Among all 568 fractures, 87 were in cervical, 221 were thoracic and 260 were in lumbar spine. Fractures were most commonly localized to T12 and L1 vertebrae. Fifty-four patients had a fracture at different bones other than vertebrae. The most frequent cause of the trauma was falls, followed by intra-vehicular motor vehicle accident (IVMVA) and extra-vehicular motor vehicle accident (EVMVA). According to our results, almost all of the vertebral fractures occurred due to high energy trauma such as IVMVA, EVMVA and falls from a tall height. Patients presenting to emergency department because of high energy traumas should be regarded to have vertebral fracture until it is ruled out. In our opinion, CT should be used along with two sided direct vertebral radiograms to complete evaluation of the entire spinal area and not to miss vertebral body fractures.

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