FRACTURE-DISLOCATION OF THE THORACIC SPINE DURING SECOND TRIMESTER OF PREGNANCY: CASE REPORT AND LITERATURE REVIEW

Spinal fractures associated with spinal cord injury rarely affect pregnant patients. The authors present the case of a 20-year-old woman in her 20th week of pregnancy, who suffered fracture-dislocation of the thoracic spine (T4-T5) and underwent decompression, reduction and posterior fusion with pedicle screws. Despite the complete spinal cord injury presented, the pregnancy progressed uneventfully and resulted in birth via normal delivery of a healthy newborn at term. Some particular features of this case, like the care needed in using ionizing radiation, the surgical approach and delivery, use of steroids and pregnancy complications in such patients are discussed here. Only a multidisciplinary team composed by physicians from different specialties (spinal surgeons, obstetricians and physiatrists), nurses and physiotherapists is capable of assisting pregnant patients with spinal cord injuries satisfactorily.