Spine Trauma Management
In spinal injury the first priority is not the bone but the spinal cord. Immobilisation, careful assessment and imaging come before anything else, because a spine that is unstable can be made permanently worse by careless movement.
- Immobilisation before assessment
- CT and MRI for cord assessment
- Many fractures treated without surgery
- Neurological status monitored closely
Stay
Varies with the injury
Duration
Assessment immediate; surgery where needed
Anaesthesia
General, if surgery is required
About Spine Trauma Management
Not every spinal fracture needs surgery. Many stable fractures heal in a brace. Surgery is for instability, for fractures compressing the spinal cord, and for progressive neurological deterioration. The assessment focuses on whether the injury is stable and whether the cord is at risk, which imaging answers.
- Many spinal fractures are stable and treated in a brace
- Surgery is for instability or cord compression
- Neurological examination is repeated, not done once
- Osteoporotic fractures in older patients are managed differently
Before you read on
Everything here is general information about spine trauma management. Whether it suits you, and how it would be done in your case, is a decision for your doctor after examining you.
Your consultant's instructions always take precedence over anything written on this page.
When is it recommended?
Situations in which a doctor may suggest spine trauma management.
- Spinal fracture after a fall or road accident
- Back or neck pain after significant injury
- Weakness, numbness or tingling after injury
- Osteoporotic vertebral fractures
- Fractures compressing the spinal cord or nerves
- Suspected instability on imaging
Procedure details
The usual sequence, from first consultation through to follow-up.
Immobilisation
The spine is protected from the outset, with careful log-rolling and a collar or board until instability is excluded.
Neurological assessment
Power, sensation and reflexes are documented and repeated, because change over time matters more than a single examination.
Imaging
CT defines the bony injury and MRI assesses the cord, discs and ligaments where there are neurological symptoms.
Treatment
Stable fractures are braced. Unstable fractures or cord compression are stabilised surgically, with referral where neurosurgery is required.
How to prepare
What to sort out before you come in.
- Do not move somebody with a suspected spinal injury unless they are in danger
- Call 108, as ambulance crews are trained to immobilise the spine
- Report any weakness, numbness or difficulty passing urine immediately
- Bring details of osteoporosis or previous spinal problems
- Expect repeated neurological examinations, which are routine rather than a bad sign
Recovery
What to expect afterwards, and roughly when.
- Braces are typically worn for six to twelve weeks for stable fractures
- Report any new weakness, numbness or bladder difficulty immediately
- Physiotherapy focuses on posture and core strength once healing allows
- Osteoporosis is treated after a fragility fracture, which is often overlooked
- Recovery from cord injury is followed over months
Why choose Humayun for spinal injury
In spinal trauma the assessment matters more than the operation, because most injuries are treated without one.
- Immobilisation from arrival, before any assessment, because careless movement causes harm
- Neurological status documented and repeated rather than assessed once
- CT and MRI available immediately
- Osteoporosis treated after a fragility fracture, which is where most services stop
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