Pediatric Thoracic and Lumbar Spinal Fractures

Aim: Vertebral body fractures in childhood are rarely observed and differ from those in adults due to incomplete ossification. There is no guideline for the management of pediatric thoracolumbar spinal fractures. The aim of this study is to examine the epidemiological data of our pediatric patients treated for thoracic and lumbar vertebral fractures and to contribute to the decision-making processes regarding the diagnosis and treatment of these patients. Methods: Patients under 16 years of age who were admitted to the emergency department of Alanya Education and Research Hospital with a history of spinal trauma and diagnosed with thoracic and lumbar vertebral fractures between 2016-2023 were included. Our study included patients whose demographic data, causes of trauma, diagnostic tests, and treatments were accessed using the hospital's clinical database. Results: Among 154 patients admitted to our hospital with a diagnosis of spinal trauma, 21 patients who met the inclusion criteria were included in the study. Thirteen patients had a single vertebral body fracture, five had fractures in two vertebral bodies, and three had pars fractures leading to traumatic spondylolisthesis. Four patients underwent surgery due to vertebral fractures. Conclusion: The pediatric spine's biomechanical structure and self-healing ability differ from adults. Pediatric spinal traumas are important pathologies that need to be studied due to their rarity, difficulty in diagnosis, lack of experience in treatment, and potential complications that may develop in the long term.