European Joumal of Trauma and Emergency Surgeryhttp5/doi.org/10.1007/s00068-023-02247-3GUIDELINEESTES recommendation on thoracolumbar spine fracturesJanuary 2023Klaus Wendt'.Christoph Nau2.Marko Jug3.Hans Christoph Pape4.Richard Kdolsky5.Sam Thomas5.Frank Bloemers7.Radko Komadina8Received:17 November 2022/Accepted:8 February 2023eThe Author(s)2023Chapter 1:Introduction5.Methods of non-operative management6.No consensus is found yet for the care of elderly patientsSpinal trauma is less common than other musculoskeletalwith concurrent complex disorders [1].injuries,yet leads to more disability and costs.In recentdecades reliable classification and injury assessment systemsAfter initial assessment and management,a decisionhave been published and surgical techniques have greatlyabout the definitive treatment has to be made.There areimproved.There are many new insights into the principlestwo possibilities:conservative or operative treatment.Theand timing of the treatment of thoracolumbar injuries,butdecision depends on the severity of the fracture (classifi-many unsolved problems remain:cation),spinal cord injury and possible comorbidity,andmust be made together with the patient(shared decision-1.Role and timing of medical and surgical interventionsmaking).There are many different ways to treat a patient.for patients with associated neurological injury.both conservative and operative.Because of the impact of2.Timing of surgical intervention in patients with multiplethoracolumbar injuries and the many options for treatinginjuries.these injuries,the European Society of Trauma and Emer-3.Wide variation in practice between operative versus non-gency Surgery established a working group on this topic.operative management,without clear reasons.The members are:4.The role of different surgical approaches and techniquesFrank Bloemers:The Netherlands.in certain injury types is not clarified yet.Marko Jug:Slovenia.Richard Kdolsky:Austria.Radko Komadina:Slovenia☒Klaus WendtChristoph Nau:Germany.K.W.Wendt@umcg.nlHans Christoph Pape:Switzerland.Sam Thomas:Belgium.University Medical Center Groningen,Universityof Groningen,Groningen,The NetherlandsKlaus Wendt:The Netherlands.University Hospital Frankfurt,Goethe University,Frankfurt,Every working group member took care of one or twoGermanychapters.The content of the chapters is based on recent lit-University Medical Centre Ljubljana,Universityerature.In June 2022 a consensus meeting took place inof Ljubljana,Ljubljana,SloveniaFrankfurt and all chapters were discussed,resulting in con-University Hospital of Zurich,University of Zurich,Zurich.sensus on all topics.After the meeting this draft was editedSwitzerlandby Klaus Wendt and sent to all members for final comments.5University Clinic for Trauma Surgery,Medical Universityof Vienna,Vienna,Austria6Jan Yperman Hospital,Ypres,BelgiumAmsterdam University Medical Centre,Vrije UniversiteitAmsterdam,Amsterdam,The NetherlandsMedical Faculty,University of Ljubljana,Ljubljana,Sl
