Cureus, 2022 · DOI: 10.7759/cureus.23830 · Published: April 4, 2022
This case report describes a rare and severe spinal injury where the bones in the thoracic spine (mid-back) are significantly dislocated after a high-energy trauma. The patient, a 57-year-old male, experienced complete loss of movement and sensation below the level of the injury. Surgery was performed to realign and stabilize the spine using screws and rods, but the patient's neurological condition did not improve, and he later passed away due to complications.
Early surgical stabilization is crucial for managing traumatic thoracic fracture-dislocations to facilitate mobilization and rehabilitation, even if neurological recovery is not guaranteed.
Posterolateral dislocations of the thoracic spine are rare but severe injuries that require prompt diagnosis and intervention.
Complete SCI resulting from thoracic spondyloptosis often carries a poor prognosis for neurological recovery, even with surgical intervention.