Prevalencia de las fracturas de columna vertebral en pacientes de 18 a 65 años de edad del Hospital Guayaquil Abel Gilbert Pontón en el periodo enero del 2017 a diciembre del 2021.

Abstract

Spinal fractures are the result of traumas or injuries that cause the loss of bone continuity of one or several vertebrae that make up the spine. But the purpose of this paper is to describe their prevalence and their specific characteristics. The sample consisted of 71 patients diagnosed with spinal fractures, treated at the Guayaquil Abel Gilbert Pontón Hospital, during the period January 2017 to December 2021. Through this sample, it was evidenced that the highest incidence of cases was in patients between 25 and 40 years, the male gender was the most susceptible to presenting them, associated with their functions at the work level. Within the aspect of the workplace, men who work in the construction area or on elevated surfaces are personnel exposed to risk, especially if they do not have or do not use safety equipment. The symptomatology is pain at the level of the lesion, which can be associated with more complex symptoms such as plegia. The place where most of these fractures occur is a thoracic level with 27% of cases. Surgical methods were used in the vast majority of cases (73%), this means that patients have fractures that cannot be be stabilized by non-surgical means such as collars, cervical stabilizers, etc. Among the complications of VF we have chronic pain and paraplegia, and death. The prevalence of vertebral fractures at the Abel Gilbert Ponton Hospital in the city of Guayaquil is 2.92%.