Spinal Fractures – Current Treatment Options and Perspectives

Spinal trauma is a complex injury that often requires a multidisciplinary approach and treatment. It is frequently associated with spinal cord injury and neurologic deficit. Spinal column injuries are most often caused by the action of a force of great intensity (traffic accidents, falls from a height, blows with a hard object) or the effect of a minor trauma (based on a previously altered vertebra, most often due to osteoporosis or tumor). This chapter will focus on providing a summary of steps in the initial evaluation of spinal trauma, spinal cord injuries, classification systems, and modern patterns of treatment.