[Controversies in TL classifications. What are we actually treating? Some perspectives on the evolution of spine fracture classification systems].

Classification systems can be helpful in our understanding and management of disease states. In spine trauma and thoracolumbar injuries specifically, there is still a fragmentation of concepts between more descriptive term-based and severity-based scoring systems. In thoracolumbar injury care we as a spine community are perhaps closer than other subspecialty areas in arriving at a globally acceptable"universal" classification system; however, more work needs to be done and all of us have to be willing to open our minds in evaluating and adopting a new approach.