Treatment of ‘Suicidal Jumper Fractures’ with Lumbopelvic Fixation: A Report of Nine Cases

Abstract

: To discuss the characteristics of Suicidal Jumper Fractures (SJF) and evaluate clinical outcomes treated with lumbopelvic fixation. From August 2007 to August 2012, nine consecutive cases with SJF were included into the study. The clinical data of these cases including fracture classifications, associated injuries and the degrees of neurological impairment were analyzed and assessed preoperatively. All cases were followed-up continuously after an average of 42 ± 4.54 months (range: 34-90 months). All fractures healed after 5 ± 1.53 months (range: 3-11 months). None of these cases had fracture re-displacement and fixation failure. Based on the Majeed scoring system, the postoperative prognosis of these patients were excellent in four cases, good in three cases, fair in one case, and poor in one case. There was a significant improve ment in neurologic deficiency in all postoperative patients, and their average Gibbons scores changed from 3.12 ± 0.23 pre operatively to 1.54 ± 0.45 postoperatively; and the difference was statistically significant (t=3.22, P <0.05). Lumbopelvic fixation has a significant advantage in the treatment of this series of fractures, and can help obtain a satisfactory clinical out -come. Intraoperative nerve decompression is necessary if indications exist and the improvement of neurological impairment is optimistic.