Spine fracture
Duke spine surgeons in Raleigh and Durham use the latest advances and technology to repair spine fractures, or a broken back, caused by injury or chronic conditions such as spinal arthritis. Our surgical team is one of the busiest in North Carolina; we perform more than 1,200 minimally invasive procedures and complex reconstructive surgeries every year. Our goal is to avoid serious complications that can result from spine fractures or a broken back, eliminate your pain, and improve your quality of life.
Expert spine fracture care
If you or your loved one has suffered a traumatic spine fracture or a broken back, experience matters to minimize complications and achieve the best possible results. Duke Spine Center has all the resources you need for excellent care. Our experienced spine surgeons use intraoperative imaging tools to quickly view your spine fracture or broken back. This technology -- available at only a few hospitals nationwide -- provides detailed pictures of your spinal cord and spine injury as we operate. Some people struggle with pain when they have a broken back or spine fracture. We offer comprehensive treatment options for chronic back pain, and we have a psychologist specializing in working with patients coping with the emotional stress of long-term pain.
Choose Duke Spine Center to treat your spine fracture because we offer:
- Level I trauma center. We provide the highest level of surgical care to patients with spinal injuries. Our trauma center is a regional and national referral center for neck and spine injuries and disorders. Our trauma neurosurgeons and orthopaedic surgeons regularly treat adult and pediatric patients. They know exactly how to respond to all types of injuries for the best possible outcome.
- Leaders in spine surgery. We are among the most experienced and busiest surgical teams in the state. Our spine surgeons perform more than 1,200 spine surgeries every year, including minimally invasive procedures and complex reconstructive surgeries.
- Intraoperative imaging technology. We offer advanced, intraoperative capabilities with CT and MRI. Our surgeons use detailed, 3-D pictures of your spine and the tiny nerves and roots of your spinal cord in the operating room as they work, saving time when it matters the most.
- Chronic pain solutions. If you struggle with long-term pain, our pain experts offer relief with neuromodulation, a technique that uses implantable devices to directly treat the nerves causing your pain. Learn more about these treatments for chronic back pain.
- Stress management service. It’s not easy to recover from any type of traumatic injury, physically or emotionally. Our psychologist can help you cope with any emotions you may be experiencing, such as anger, sadness, anxiety or grief, and specializes in working with patients who have suffered traumatic back injuries.
SPINE FRACTURES AND DISLOCATIONS
Treatments
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Immobilizing your spine can promote healing and reduce your pain. We offer many different braces, depending upon the location and severity of your spine fracture. We use braces for stable fractures, which means your bone is not likely to move after we stabilize it. Unstable fractures are more serious and challenging to align, so surgery is often necessary.
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We use minimally invasive techniques through a small incision to minimize your pain, quicken your recovery, and lower your risk for surgical complications. Surgeries include:
- Spinal fusion. Fuses damaged vertebrae with a bone graft using plates or rods to form a single, solid piece of bone that is more stable.
- Kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty. Uses bone cement to stabilize compression fractures, which are less severe than traumatic fractures.
SPINE FRACTURES AND DISLOCATIONS
Tests
Your doctor may use one or more of these imaging tests to determine the location and severity of your spine fracture and back injury. In the case of emergency surgeries, our operating room has intraoperative CT and MRI so your surgeon can quickly evaluate your spinal cord and back injury. Imaging tests include:
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Takes pictures of bones inside your body. Your doctor will use this test to locate bone fractures, but a CT or MRI may be needed to find any nerve injury.
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Magnets and radio waves are used to take detailed pictures of your spinal disc and the nerve roots of your spinal cord.
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A series of cross-sectional pictures produce detailed, 3-D images of your spine and spinal cord.