Clinical relevance and validity of TLICS system for thoracolumbar spine injury

• Authors: Chan-Jin Park, Chonnam National University Medical School; Sung-Kyu Kim, Emory University; Tae-Min Lee, Chonnam National University Medical School; Eric T. Park, Emory University
• Journal Title: Scientific Reports
• Volume: Volume 10, Number 1
• Publisher: Nature Research | 2020-12-01, Pages 19494-19494
• Type of Work: Article | Final Publisher PDF
• Publisher DOI: http://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-76473-9
• Subjects: Gerontology; Health Sciences, Medicine and Surgery; Health Sciences, Radiology
• Keywords: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Conservative Treatment; Female; Fractures, Bone; Humans; Injury Severity Score; Ligaments; Lumbar Vertebrae; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Middle Aged; Retrospective Studies; Spinal Injuries; Thoracic Vertebrae; Trauma Severity Indices; Young Adult

Abstract

In order to enhance the reliability of the application to clinical practice of the TLICS classification, we retrospectively reviewed the patients with thoracolumbar spine injuries who underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and analyzed the validity of the TLICS classification and the necessity of MRI. We enrolled 328 patients with thoracolumbar spine injury who underwent MRI. All patients were classified into conservative and operative treatment groups. The TLICS score of each group was analyzed and the degree of consistent with the recommended treatment through the TLICS classification was examined. Of the total 328 patients, 138 patients were treated conservatively and 190 patients were treated by surgery. Of the 138 patients who underwent conservative treatment, 131 patients (94.9%) had a TLICS score of 4 points or less, and matched with the recommendation score for conservative treatment according to the TLICS classification (match rate 94.9%, 131/138). Of the 190 patients who underwent operative treatment, 160 patients (84.2%) had a TLICS score of 4 points or more (match rate 84.2%, 160/190). All of 30 mismatched patients with a TLICS score of 3 points or less (15.8%) had stable burst fracture without neurological deficit. We retrospectively reviewed the validity of the TLICS classification for the injuries of the thoracolumbar spine, based on MRI in a large group of patients. Treatment with TLICS classification showed high validity, especially in conservative group, and MRI should be an essential diagnostic tool for accurate evaluation of posterior ligamentous complex injury.