Thoracolumbar Injury

Introduction Thoracic and lumbar spine injuries are mainly damage to the tissue structure of the bones, ligaments and intervertebral discs and the resulting damage to the spinal nerve tissue. Due to anatomical changes, there are no sternum stems in front of T11 and T12, free ribs on both sides, and the stability is worse than other thoracic vertebrae. The thoracic vertebrae are kyphosis, and the lumbar vertebrae are lordosis, which makes the spine under stress. pass. In general, T12 ~ L2 fractures accounted for 60% of spinal fractures, T11 ~ L4 fractures accounted for 90% of spinal fractures. Therefore, the so-called thoracolumbar fractures usually refer to T11 ~ L4 fractures.

Cause

Causes of thoracolumbar injuries

Damage to tissue structures such as bones, ligaments, and intervertebral discs, and the resulting damage.

an examination

Related inspection

reflexive cremaster reflex

Thoracic and lumbar spine injury due to anatomical changes, T11, T12 without sternum stem in front, free ribs on both sides, stability is also worse than other thoracic vertebrae; and thoracic vertebrae is kyphosis, lumbar vertebrae is lordosis, so easy to make the spine Forced to pass down. In general, T12 ~ L2 fractures account for 60% of spinal fractures, T11 ~ L4

Fractures account for 90% of spinal fractures. Therefore, the so-called thoracolumbar fractures usually refer to T11 ~ L4 fractures.

Differential diagnosis

Symptoms of confusing thoracic and lumbar spine injuries:

Thoracolumbar vertebral compression fracture: the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae junction is the place where the bone is concentrated. Therefore, the fracture often occurs in the thoracic 11 and 12 lumbar 1, 2 vertebral bodies, which is called the thoracolumbar fracture. Middle-aged and elderly vertebral osteoporosis, under the action of mild external force can cause vertebral compression fracture.

Lumbar disc herniation: also known as lumbar disc herniation or nucleus pulposus, when the waist of the labor or sports activities suffered from twisting and impacting, lifting heavy objects, excessive force, overwork and other injuries caused by intervertebral disc fiber rupture, The nucleus pulposus tissue emerges from the rupture port, stimulating or compressing the spinal nerve roots and causing pain in the lower back and leg.

Lumbar degeneration: The lumbar vertebrae consist of five vertebral bodies, and the nerve holes located behind the vertebral body extend out five pairs of lumbar sacral nerves. These phrenic nerves, together with the lower sacral nerves, form the largest part of the body. A peripheral nerve - the sciatic nerve. When the spurs proliferate with age, they are pressed into the nerve holes, causing annoying symptoms such as back pain and sciatica.

Lumbar spinal stenosis: Generally speaking, it refers to the abnormality of the bone or fibrous tissue that constitutes the spinal canal, which causes the effective volume in the spinal canal to decrease, so that the nerve tissue located in the pipeline is compressed or stimulated to produce a function. Disorders and a range of symptoms.

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