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. 2022 May 14;17(1):270.
doi: 10.1186/s13018-022-03147-9.

Epidemiologic analysis of 8000 acute vertebral fractures: evolution of treatment and complications at 10-year follow-up

Sebastian F Bigdon  1 , Yannis Saldarriaga  2 , Katharina A C Oswald  2 , Martin Müller  3 , Moritz C Deml  2 , Lorin M Benneker  2 , Timo M Ecker  4 , Christoph E Albers  2
Affiliations

Epidemiologic analysis of 8000 acute vertebral fractures: evolution of treatment and complications at 10-year follow-up

Sebastian F Bigdon et al. J Orthop Surg Res. .

Abstract

Study design: This is a retrospective cohort study.

Objectives: This study aims to determine the proportional incidence, clinical characteristics, treatment patterns with complications and changes in treatment of vertebral fractures over 10 years at a Swiss university hospital.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed. All patients with an acute vertebral fracture were included in this study. The extracted anonymized data from the medical records were manually assessed. Demographic data, exact location, etiology, type of treatment and complications related to the treatment were obtained.

Results: Of 330,225 treated patients, 4772 presented with at least one vertebral fracture. In total 8307 vertebral fractures were identified, leading to a proportional incidence of 25 vertebral fractures in 1000 patients. Fractures were equally distributed between genders. Male patients were significantly younger and more likely to sustain a traumatic fracture, while female patients more commonly presented with osteoporotic fractures. The thoracolumbar junction (Th11-L2) was the most frequent fracture site in all etiologies. More than two-thirds of vertebral fractures were treated surgically (68.6%). Out of 4622 performed surgeries, we found 290 complications (6.3%). The odds for surgical treatment in osteoporotic fractures were two times higher before 2010 compared to 2010 and after (odds ratio: 2.1, 95% CI 1.5-2.9, p < 0.001).

Conclusion: Twenty-five out of 1000 patients presented with a vertebral fracture. More than 4000 patients with over 8307 vertebral body fractures were treated in 10 years. Over two-thirds of all fractures were treated surgically with 6.3% complications. There was a substantial decrease in surgeries for osteoporotic fractures after 2009.

Keywords: Complications; Epidemiology; Osteoporosis; Revision surgery; Spine fractures; Spine surgery; Treatment patterns; Vertebral fractures.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Flowchart: extraction and elimination process
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Distribution of age and etiology
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Distribution of age and etiology in male patients
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Distribution of age and etiology in female patients
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Fracture localization and etiology
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
Lateral view of the spinal column with anatomic levels and the detailed distribution of vertebral fractures according to the vertebral level
Fig. 7
Fig. 7
Distribution of fractures according to etiology and biomechanical region
Fig. 8
Fig. 8
Distribution of fractures according to etiology and biomechanical region (% of total fractures)
Fig. 9
Fig. 9
Surgically and conservatively treated fractures according to the fracture level
Fig. 10
Fig. 10
Relative number of operatively treated spine fractures according to spine fracture etiology
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