Spine fracture study: is surgery necessary when nerves are fine?

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Age 18 - 70 years at inclusion * Acute traumatic burst fracture of the thoracolumbar spine (10th thoracic to 3rd lumbar vertebral body) * Informed consent for study participation Exclusion Criteria: * Injury of the posterior tension band/posterior column of the thoracolumbar spine * Any neurological deficit (American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale \[AISA\] Grade A-D) * Pathological vertebral body fractures (diagnosed by MRI and CT scan), which, in the opinion of the research/investigative team, would compromise (or interfere with) patients' ability to participate in the study * Concomitant spinal fractures at any other level of the spine outside the T10-L3 level, which, in the opinion of the research/investigative team, would compromise (or interfere with) patients' ability to participate in the study * Multiple trauma or Injury Severity Score (ISS) \> 16 or additional injuries according to the investigator may, which, in the opinion of the research/investigative team, would compromise (or interfere with) patients' ability to participate in the study (impairment of early ambulation) * Any known previous spinal surgery in the thoracolumbar spine, which, in the opinion of the research/investigative team, would compromise (or interfere with) patients' ability to participate in the study * Any severe, progressive, or uncontrolled medical or psychiatric condition, or other factors at randomization that in the judgment of the investigator prevents the patient from participating in the study * Known history of substance abuse (i.e., recreational drugs, alcohol) that would preclude reliable assessment in the opinion of the investigator * Pregnancy or women planning to conceive within the study period. All women included in this study must have a negative blood pregnancy test (human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) blood level at visit 1. If pregnancy occurs during the study period, the patients drop out of the study * Inability to follow the procedures of the study, e.g., due to inability to understand German, French or English, which, according to the investigator, may jeopardize the patient in case of participation in the study or prevents the patient from participating in the study