Purpose: To describe the incidence and patterns of the spinal injuries in the victims of physical IPV.
Materials and methods: With institutional review board (IRB) approval, we retrospectively reviewed patients referred to our institution's domestic violence intervention and prevention program with a diagnosis directly related to physical abuse between January 2013 and June 2018. Electronic health records and radiology reports were reviewed for all patients.
Results: A total of 21/688 (3%) IPV patients with 41 vertebral injuries were identified. The study population comprised of 19/21 (90%) females. Median age of the included patients was 43 years with a range of 21-72 years. All vertebral injuries were AO type A spinal injuries. Upper lumbar spine (L1 and L2) was the most common level of injury followed by upper to mid-thoracic spine. The reported mechanism of the injury was IPV in 8/21 (38.0%), fall in 8/21(38.0%), and incidental in 5/21 (24.0%). Ten out of 21 (48%) patients had concomitant injuries, most commonly to the craniofacial region 5/21 (23%). Psychiatry history was positive in 17/21 (81%), and substance abuse was positive in 15/21 (71%) of the patients.
Conclusion: Incidence of spinal injuries is relatively low in IPV with morphologic AO type A injury being the most common type of injury and the upper lumbar spine being the most common level of injury.
Keywords: Compression fracture; IPV; Intimate partner violence; Spinal cord injury; Spinal injury; Spine; Vertebral fracture.