[Conservative versus surgical treatment of spinal fractures]

Not only fractures of joints and shafts may benefit from internal fixation, but also certain fractures of the spine. Stable spine fractures still are suitable for closed treatment. Instable fractures, however especially those with neurological disorders, can be much improved in their results by adequate surgery, by open reduction, rigid fixation and decompression of the medullary canal in case of paraplegia. As simple as closed treatment of the stable fractures is, as difficult is surgery of instable fractures. For all the different types of instable fractures and different types of compression syndromes, individual surgical approaches, decompression and fixation techniques are to be familiar to the surgeon. The basics of such individualized treatment of fractures of the spine are described as it has become standard base on an experience with 750 fractures of the spine, 90 of them having had surgery.