Traction bow for acute reduction of fracture and/or dislocation of the thoracic or thoracolumbar spine.

Treatment of acute fractures and/or fracture dislocations of the thoracic or thoracolumbar spine has traditionally involved bedrest or the use of traction devices with external hanging weights, until surgical correction can be accomplished. A fiberglass tubular traction bow with continuous adjustable elastic tension has been designed for the application of skeletal traction. When used to treat thoracic or thoracolumbar fractures and/or dislocations, it can maintain distraction forces in an uninterrupted fashion. Ten patients with acute fractures and/or dislocations of the thoracic or thoracolumbar spine were treated with this traction bow. All of the spinal deformities showed dramatic improvement within the first 3 h of treatment. The patients all showed immediate lessening of acute severe pain, and those with incomplete neurologic loss showed improvement of their neurologic function. The patients all tolerated the device well and were able to undergo radiologic examination and, ultimately, spinal fusion while they were stabilized in the traction bow. We believe this device is especially valuable for immediate reduction of spine and care of patients with fractures or fracture dislocations of the thoracolumbar spine.