Burst fracture, in general, is more painful than compression fractures. The condition causes the spreading of the bones in all directions, which damages the spinal cords and its nerves. Let’s talk about the burst fracture in detail. Read on!
What is a Burst Fracture?
A burst fracture is a traumatic injury to the spine. It is characterized by vertebral breaks due to the axial load of higher energy, such as falls from a height, high-speed traffic collision, jumping into the pool, and some kinds of seizures. It causes the vertebra in your spine to penetrate the surrounding muscles and tissues. Also, it affects your spinal canal and causes severe pain.
There are categories of the burst fracture, such as the severity of the spinal canal, the severity of the deformity, the loss of height in the vertebral body, and the neurologic deficit.
This type of condition is more severe than compression fracture due to long-term damage to the nerves of the spine. Research shows that neurologic deficits usually reach their full extent for a prolonged time. However, some studies show that these can occur immediately, as well.
What are the causes of Burst Fracture?
A burst fracture is primarily caused by major trauma, which may be a car accident, a severe fall from the height, or a forceful collision. It can also occur when your spine experience minor trauma as a result of weakening spine, osteoporosis, and damaged discs.
The first step of burst fracture treatment is diagnosing the problem. When you visit the doctor, he or she will perform your physical exam to check for swelling, bruising, or injury to the chest, stomach, back, and head. The aim is to evaluate the coordination, strength, and motion of the arms and legs.
The doctor may also test your muscles’ sensations, which allow rectal movement. He or she may also perform nerve testing to assess your movement and figure out whether your body responds to sensations and reflex actions.
As the name indicates, the burst fracture is damage to your back or any other part of the body due to high-speed collision, and the doctor uses various tools, such as X-rays, CT scans, and MRI imaging to diagnose the area where the fracture has occurred.
What are the Possible Treatments for Burst Fracture?
When it comes to burst fracture treatment, it primarily depends on the severity of the fracture. There are various options to treat this spinal condition, such as physical therapy, medications, steroid injections, and others. However, these are conservative methods, which are not very effective in treating this condition.
On the other hand, the doctor may suggest you undergo surgery. Remember, you have two options, such as traditional, open-back surgery, and minimally invasive surgery. The first option is not as good as the second one because it can cause harm to your muscles and tissues in the back.
Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
When it comes to burst fracture treatment, minimally invasive spine surgery is your ultimate option. Spinal fusion is an effective MIS procedure to stabilize the spine with bone grafts and other instrumentations.
It is a surgical technique that does not involve making large incisions that damage the surrounding muscles and tissues. It is a procedure that enables the surgeon to make a small incision, remove the damaged vertebra, and inserts the bone graft. This material heals itself over time while fusing the two vertebrae into a single, solid bone.
Here at MINT, our qualified and experienced surgeons provide a tailored treatment to the patient. Keep in mind that our surgeon makes the choice of procedure based on various factors. For instance, the surgeon may remove the bone that causes compression of the spinal cord and surrounding nerves.
So, if this is the problem, we will perform a minimally invasive decompression surgery. It is a surgical method that relieves pressure on the surrounding nerves and the spinal cord by removing the lamina. Therefore, it is popularly known as a laminectomy.
Moreover, our experienced and skilled surgeon may also re-establish your spinal strength by performing the spinal fusion surgery, which is about placing the bone graft material in the required area. Then, the bones fuse into a single vertebra. The procedure involves implanting rods and screws to provide extra stability.
Furthermore, the minimally invasive technique is beneficial in terms of less scarring, less blood, shorter stays, and a faster recovery period. Contact MINT today if you have a burst fracture, and our surgeons will suggest you the best burst fracture treatment.
