OBJECTIVE: The aim is to find rate of return to work of surgically treated thoracolumbar fracture patients and to know if back pain, compensation issues or neurological status influence this rate.
METHODOLOGY: A retrospective cohort study analysing the patients with thoracolumbar fractures treated surgically from January 2008 till December 2009.
RESULTS: Neurological status is the main factor deciding return to work in this group. Back pain and compensation related issues were not statistically significant in influencing return to work. 74% of patients in this group return to work.
CONCLUSION: Return to work among the patients with thoracolumbar fracture, treated surgically, is mainly dependent on neurological status and not the compensation related issues or back pain.
Spinal involvement in primary amyloidosis is an exceedingly rare condition, presenting with typical pathological fracture symptoms that are often indistinguishable from other pathologies such as bone metastasis, metabolic disorders and infections. Histopathological studies for tissue diagnosis are the cornerstone of a definitive diagnosis, leading to successful treatment. Early diagnosis and intervention play a pivotal role in the care of patients with amyloidosis. Here, we present a unique case of a pathological fracture in the L4 vertebra following minor trauma. This fracture manifested with pain, instability and limitations in daily activities in a patient who had already been diagnosed with systemic amyloidosis and was undergoing chemotherapy. This case represents a distinct instance of vertebral involvement in amyloidosis and was managed with both chemotherapy and surgical intervention to address the spinal pathology, resulting in favourable outcomes.