Spine Fixation
Spinal fractures are disastrous, and can cause severe complications, including paralysis and even a severely reduced lifespan, but fracture fixation procedures can be utilized to provide pain relief, restore mobility and increase the quality of life.
Causes of Spinal Fractures
Spinal fractures can be caused by a number of events, but most are "high energy" events that cause massive trauma.
- Road traffic accidents
- Fall from heights
- Fall on ground
- High velocity sports injuries
- Gunshot wounds
Spinal fracture fixation is often necessary after accidents and injuries.
Advantages of fixation include-
- Stabilization of the unstable spine - so as to allow the patient to sit from the next day and better rehabilitation and nursing care possible.
- Decompression of the neurological structures so as to give chance of neurological recovery.
- Avoidance of complications of prolonged bed rest such as Bed sore, DVT, Pneumonia etc.
- Restoration of spinal alignment - Avoidance of spinal deformity.