What Are the Treatments for a Torus Fracture of the Cervical Spine?

A torus fracture, or compression fracture, is most common in children. This type of fracture is caused by buckling of the outer part of the bone. Torus fractures are also common in people with osteoporosis because of the thinness of the bones. A cervical compression fracture is one which occurs in the cervical vertebrae of the spine, or the first seven bones. These bones are located in the neck.

Diagnosis

• If you are experiencing neck pain and have recently suffered an injury or have osteoporosis, you may have a torus fracture. To diagnose it, a doctor will perform an x-ray, CT scan or MRI to determine possible spinal cord damage before immobilizing the neck. After the x-rays, doctors need to perform a series of tests of neurological function.

Treatment

• Torus fractures in the cervical spine are often treated with a neck collar. Doctors prescribe muscle relaxants for pain. After the brace is removed, the patient will go through up to 12 weeks of physical therapy. The exact treatment depends on which of the seven cervical vertebrae was fractured. If the brace fails, surgery like balloon kyphoplasty is necessary to prevent spinal cord damage due to bone compression. This surgery involves inserting a balloon into the vertebrae and inflating it to solve the torus fracture. Another treatment procedure is the percutaneous vertebroplasty, or injection of bone cement into the spine via catheter.

Recovery

• The extent of recovery depends on the severity of the fracture. If the spinal cord is damaged, there may be paralysis. However, isolated compression fractures are usually considered minor and have a good prognosis, though patients may lose some mobility in the neck. Patients should perform postural exercises to rehabilitate the neck.