Abstract
Study design
Retrospective cohort study.
Objectives
To study the incidence of concomitant calcaneum fractures in participants with traumatic spine fractures and to study the association of calcaneum injury with the mode of trauma, morphology and level of vertebral fracture and neurological status in participants with concomitant spine and calcaneum fracture.
Setting
Central Institute of Orthopaedics, Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India.
Methods
Records of participants with traumatic spine fractures were analyzed. Participants who had calcaneum fracture confirmed on radiographs were considered to have concomitant spine and calcaneum fracture. In these participants, variables noted were age, gender, mode of trauma, level and morphology of vertebral fracture and neurological status.
Results
Concomitant calcaneum fracture was present in 43 participants out of a total of 358. The lumbar spine was involved in 72.09% of participants. 46.51% of participants had complete burst type of vertebral fractures. Neurology was found to be intact in 58.13% of participants. The association of concomitant calcaneum injury with the level of spine fracture and type of fracture were found to be statistically significant (p < 0.05). In particular, the association of concomitant calcaneal fracture with intact neurology and incomplete paraplegia (ASIA B, C or D) as compared to spinal injury cases without calcaneal fractures was statistically significant (p < 0.001).
Conclusion
Calcaneum fractures co-exist with spine fractures in 12.01% participants. Concomitant calcaneal fracture(s) with spine trauma indicate a greater chance of incomplete injury or intact neurology possibly due to dispersion of force vectors.
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Data archiving
All data generated or analysed during this study are included in this published article [and its Supplementary Information files].
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TB conceptualized the study and was involved in the overall manuscript planning and supervision. AS and RS gave valuable insights. SK was mainly involved in data collection, manuscript writing, submission, and revision as the corresponding author. VC was involved in data collection and manuscript writing. MKP provided valuable interpretations regarding the data analysis and meaning of the results, and participated in responding to reviewers and revising the manuscript. RK was involved in overall supervision of the study, manuscript writing, and provided valuable critical insights. All authors had approved the manuscript.
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Boruah, T., Sareen, A., Sreenivasan, R. et al. Concomitant spine and calcaneum fractures: a possible indication of less extensive injury. Spinal Cord Ser Cases 8, 1 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41394-021-00473-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41394-021-00473-8
