Surgical Management of Pediatric Spine Trauma: 12 Years of Experience

Objective Spine trauma management in children varies from one team to another, and to date, no clear consensus has been reached. The goal of this study was to describe the epidemiology of spine trauma in children and evaluate the timing and techniques of surgery when it was required. Methods A retrospective review of all patients admitted to our pediatric trauma center for spine traumas that required surgical management, between 2005 and 2016, was performed. All patients were followed with clinical and radiologic examination to evaluate the quality of fusion and realignment. Results Seventy-three children, with a mean age of 14.1 years, were admitted. Spinal injuries were more common in the teenage group (14–18 years). The predominant etiology of spine injuries was motor vehicle collision (36%). The spinal level of injury varied according to the age group: young children presented more cervical traumas ( P P P 5 mm underwent surgical management quicker than patients with no posterior wall recession ( P Conclusions Diskoligament maturation is an essential concept in spine traumas in children, as well as in surgical management. Surgical procedures should be carried out as soon as possible when patients present with neurologic deficits. At the thoracolumbar junction, a 2-level up-and-down fixation is recommended.