Study of epidemiology, clinical features and early outcome in traumatic spine injuries at a tertiary hospital in Jammu region

Abstract

Background: Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury (TSCI) is a devastating neurological injury, causing paralysis, sensory loss and sphincter disorder in different degrees and indirectly imposes a significant burden on the health care system. Present study was aimed to study epidemiology, clinical features and early outcome in traumatic spine injuries at a tertiary hospital in Jammu region. Material and Methods: Present study was single-center, prospective, observational study, conducted in patients with traumatic spine injuries attending OPD or admitted in emergency. Results: Out of 282 patients, most of the patients were in the age group 51-60 (29.43%) and 41-50(29.08%). Mean age was 51.62 years. Male to female ratio was 2.4:1. Majority of traumatic spine injuries were due to road traffic accidents (54.96%), followed by fall from height (43.26%) and assault (1.77%). Majority of spine fractures occurred at cervical (41.84%) followed by Lumbar (27.30%) followed by thoracic (19.50%) vertebral level. 49.29% patients had neurodeficit. On pre -operative assessment 50.71% patients had ASIA score of E, 15.60 had ASIA score of C, 12.06% had ASIA score of D, 13.48% had ASIA score of A and 8.16% had ASIA score of B. Mean of SLICS score was 3.66 and mean duration of TLICS score was 3.8. Total deaths in our study were 30. Conclusion: Complication rates were higher in patients treated non-operatively. Leading causes in deaths at cervical level were due to respiratory failure and leading causes of deaths in thoracic and lumbar vertebral level were due to secondary complications of long-standing bed sores.