Spinal injury and spinal cord injury is one of morbidity resulting in significant effect on the quality of life. Early intervention results in significantly improved outcomes. The protocol followed is immediate stabilisation of the patient, decompression of the cord and spinal fixation. Fixation at the earliest results in faster neurological decompression, spinal fixation, improved neurological outcome and better rehabilitation efforts.
Various spinal injuries treated are:
1. Craniovertebral junction injuries like Odontoid fracture, Hangman fracture.
2. Cervical spine fracture as burst fracture, subluxations
3. Dorsal and lumbar spine fractures.
4. Osteoporotic fractures -- percutaneous vertebroplasty and balloon kyphoplasty.
5. Minimally invasive treatment of spinal fractures as percutaneous transpedicular screw fixation.
The aim to intervene at the earliest to allow for immediate decompression to salvage the penumbra (nerves that are not damaged but not functioning due to compression) and fixation to allow for immediate stabilisation and aggressive rehabilitation.
Anterior as well as posterior approaches are used for spinal fractures depending upon the level and the nature of injury. Both conventional and minimally invasive surgical methods are utilised for these fractures.