Computed Tomography Findings and Classification of Traumatic Lumbosacral Spine Injuries: Insights from the AOSpine Classification System

Abstract

Purpose

The main objective of this study was to provide a description and classification of lumbosacral spine injuries based on the new AOSpine classification system.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted on 75 patients with lumbosacral spine trauma who were admitted to Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital in Hue, Vietnam, between April 2021 and July 2022. All patients underwent lumbosacral computed tomography, and each injured vertebra was classified according to the AOSpine classification system. The frequency and percentage of subtypes of lumbosacral spine trauma were determined.

Results

The mean age of the patients was 50.6 ± 16.1 years, and the male-to-female ratio was 1.5:1. Falls and traffic accidents were found to be the main causes of injuries. Among the patients, 78.7% did not exhibit any neurological symptoms, while 1.3% experienced complete hemiplegia and 20% had incomplete hemiplegia. The most common fracture subtype was A3, accounting for 34.6% of cases.

Conclusion

This study provides valuable insights into the demographics, associated injuries, and classification of traumatic lumbosacral spine injuries based on the new AOSpine classification system. The study found that falls and motor vehicle accidents were the main causes of these injuries, with a higher proportion of male patients. The majority of injuries were classified as type A fractures, while type C fractures were the least common. Sacral fractures were relatively infrequent and often associated with pelvic ring fractures. These findings contribute to our understanding of lumbosacral spine trauma and can aid in the development of more effective treatment protocols.

Keywords:

• lumbosacral spine injury
• AOSpine classification
• computed tomography

Ethical Statement

The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki (as revised in 2013). The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hue University, Vietnam. Approval number: H2021/157. All patients gave written informed consent.

Acknowledgment

This work was supported by Hue University through the Core Research Program (NCM.DHH.2020.09).

Disclosure

The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.