[Evidence-based guideline for the management of acute thoracolumbar injury].

In order to provide the clinical guidelines of acute thoracolumbar injury for the Chinese orthopedic surgeons, the Spine Trauma Group of Chinese Association of Orthopedic Surgeons compiled this guideline. The guideline applies to adult patients with acute (less than 3 weeks) thoracolumbar fracture and(or) dislocation with or without spinal cord, cauda equina or nerve root injuries. The Study Group wrote the guideline by setting up questions, determining search words, screening literatures according to inclusion and exclusion criteria, analyzing the included literatures, confirming evidence levels and then providing recommendations. The guideline include 247 literatures, of which 35 articles were in Chinese and 212 articles were in English. The guidelines set up 20 questions divided into 4 sections: pre-hospital care, diagnosis and evaluation, treatment and prevention of complications, which include 39 recommendations.