OBJECTIVE: To conduct an epidemiological survey of fractures of the spine. METHODS: We conducted a chart review retrospective study, analyzing clinical and epidemiological data from 1991 to 2010. The evaluated data were age, sex, origin, Frankel scale at admission, injury mechanism, fracture type, treatment and complications in the medical records of 1,917 patients treated for fractures of the spine. The chi-square test was used to compare discrete variables and Student t test was used in the case of continuous variables, adopting a significance level of p<0.05. RESULTS: Most patients were male (85.2%), mean age 34 years, urban origin (69.2%) and the mechanism was fall from height (40.4%). When the cause is diving into shallow water, it is associated with lesions in the cervical region, younger patients and more likely to cause neurological deficit. Isolated fractures occurred in 75.6% of cases, being the most affected the L1 level (11.4%), and surgical treatment was indicated in 88.2% without postoperative complications (61.7%) in most cases. CONCLUSION: The authors suggest changes in the mainly residential areas with educational campaigns and prevention guidelines for young people who like to do recreational activities like diving into shallow water.
Spine; Spinal fractures; Spinal injuries
