Surgical management of lumbosacral and sacral fractures: roles of the pelvic and spinal surgeons

In young patients, lumbosacral fractures result primarily from high-energy traumas. Life-threatening lesions (e.g. visceral organs) are frequently associated with these fractures. Management consists of medical intensive care for adequate resuscitation and specialized surgical input. Lumbosacral junction represents a frontier between the spine and pelvic ring. Any injury in this area implies a thorough examination of both spine and pelvis through clinical examinations and CT scans. Patients must be assessed specifically for neurological and bladder/bowel symptoms. Several surgical classifications may be required to describe the entire fracture pattern. In unstable fracture with large displacements, definitive surgical fixation is often recommended. Various pelvic and spine surgery techniques can be used depending on the fracture pattern, surgeon’s experience, and available equipment. The use of intraoperative navigation may enhance placement of instrumentation, especially in cases of complex fractures, percutaneous fixations, and/or atypical patients’ anatomy. The fracture itself can cause debilitating complications with long-term consequences such as pain, neurological deficits, and bladder/bowel impairments. Wound infection remains the most common postoperative complication and prominent posterior instrumentation is frequently a source of pain. Irrespective of the treatment, leg discrepancy can be problematic in the case of malunion. Management of lumbosacral fractures requires a thorough understanding of both lumbar spine and pelvic injuries. Surgical treatment may involve a combination of spine and pelvic surgery techniques. Therefore, this implies for the surgeon to be trained specifically for these fractures, or else a close cooperation between the pelvic surgeon and the spine surgeon in managing the patients.