Results after surgical treatment of unstable thoracolumbar fractures

Seventy-eight patients with unstable, one-level fracture of the thoracolumbar spine and no neurological impairment were treated with short segment fixation, transpedicular autologous bone transplantation and posterolateral fusion. Kyphotic deformity and anterior column height improved significantly....

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Bibliographic Details
Published inUgeskrift for læger Vol. 161; no. 13; p. 1910
Main Authors Laursen, M, Eiskjaer, S P, Christensen, F B, Thomsen, K, Bünger, C E
Format Journal Article
LanguageDanish
Published Denmark 29.03.1999
Subjects
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Bone Screws
Bone Transplantation
Child
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Fracture Fixation, Internal - adverse effects
Fracture Fixation, Internal - methods
Humans
Lumbar Vertebrae - diagnostic imaging
Lumbar Vertebrae - injuries
Lumbar Vertebrae - surgery
Middle Aged
Radiography
Spinal Fractures - diagnostic imaging
Spinal Fractures - surgery
Spinal Fusion
Thoracic Vertebrae - diagnostic imaging
Thoracic Vertebrae - injuries
Thoracic Vertebrae - surgery
Treatment Outcome
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Summary:Seventy-eight patients with unstable, one-level fracture of the thoracolumbar spine and no neurological impairment were treated with short segment fixation, transpedicular autologous bone transplantation and posterolateral fusion. Kyphotic deformity and anterior column height improved significantly. Complications consisted of one case of late deep infection, three cases of seroma, four cases with 5 mm schantz screw breakage and two cases with screw loosening. Mild to moderate pain was present in 79% of the patients at follow-up, median 32 (13-72) months. Sixty-seven percent of the patients had returned to previous activity levels of employment. Short posterior internal fixation, transpedicular transplantation and posterolateral fusion allowed neurologically intact patients to be mobilized early, to spend median 12 days in hospital, and carried no risk of deterioration in neurological function.
ISSN:0041-5782