Clinical results of early stabilization of spine fractures in polytrauma patients

Purpose: The purpose of study was to evaluate the clinical results of early stabilization of spine fractures in polytrauma patients. Materials and methods: Between August 2003, and May 2012, 166 polytrauma patients with thoracolumbar spine fractures were included. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to injury-to-operation time (time cut-off, 72 hours). Patients were also subdivided into 4 groups according to injury severity score (ISS), and the clinical course was evaluated. Results: Group A showed shorter hospital length of stay, intensive care unit, and ventilator days than group B. For each of these categories, the differences between the 2 groups were statistically significant (P = .004, P = .044, and P = .043). Patients with moderate to severe injury (ISS, >= 26), those who were treated with early stabilization showed shorter hospital length of stay, intensive care unit, and ventilator days than the patients with mild to moderate injury (ISS, <26), and the differences were statistically significant (P = .004, P = .006, and P = .006). Conclusion: Polytrauma patients whose spine fractures were stabilized within 72 hours had better clinical outcomes than those with late stabilization. In addition, more severely injured patients (ISS, >= 26) benefited more from early stabilization. (C) 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.