Burst Fracture
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento Personal Injury Lawyer. Spinal cord fractures are always serious and a burst fracture of the vertebrae is no different.
What is a Burst Fracture?
Burst fractures are serious traumatic injuries of the vertebral spine. In a burst fracture, one or more of the vertebrae has essentially “blown” open. The vertebrae wind up shattered into multiple pieces. These bone fractures can be serious injuries which have the potential to cause lifelong complications for patients.
Mechanism of Injury
A burst fracture results from a serious amount of force being applied from either above or below. The vertebrae are only designed to withstand a certain amount of weight. If the force exceeds this weight, a severe compressive force can lead to a burst fracture. Think about someone possibly falling out of a tree, winding up in a severe auto accident, or getting hit by a car in a pedestrian injury.
Treatment of a Burst Fracture
Treatment always starts with a proper diagnosis and most burst fractures can be seen clearly on x-rays. Once the fracture has been properly diagnosed, the patient may receive some pain medication to take away some of the symptoms of a fracture. If there is no neurologic injury, the spine can be stabilized, immobilized, and allowed to heal. If there are neurologic symptoms, such as damage to peripheral nerves, other treatment options may be considered
Serious Complications
Because a burst fracture results in one vertebra being shattered into multiple pieces, there are several comorbidities that must be considered. People may lose some range of motion in their spine depending on the severity of the injury. Others may develop chronic pain which could last for weeks, months, or even the rest of their life.
Structures at Risk
The most important structure that is at risk with this injury is the spinal cord itself. The cord runs through the vertebrae and provides motor and sensory function for the entire body. If the cord is damaged, patients could wind up with neurological symptoms that could include a loss of motor or sensory function. It is essential to check the cord to make sure that it is intact.
Differential Diagnosis
There are a handful of diagnoses that must be considered with a burst fracture. These include:
- Spinous process fracture
- Cauda equine syndrome
- Laminar fracture
- Compression fracture
- Cervical spine fracture
Injury Prognosis
The injury prognosis of a burst fracture varies widely based on the patient’s age and injury severity. Younger patients tend to recover faster than older patients. If the patient does not have any neurological symptoms, their prognosis is generally very good.
Surgery is Unusual
Neurological symptoms are usually the prime indication for a surgical approach. This is because there is a chance that nerves could be damaged, requiring further attention from a surgeon.
Sacramento Personal Injury Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento Personal Injury Lawyer. Burst fractures have the potential to be serious. Anyone who has suffered a burst fracture in a motor vehicle accident may give me a call at (916) 921-6400 for friendly, free advice. I also have a toll-free number for those calling from outside of Sacramento, at (800) 404-5400.
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