Thoracolumbar burst fractures with a neurological deficit treated with posterior decompression and interlaminar fusion

Jun 21, 2011European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society

Spinal Burst Fractures with Nerve Damage Treated by Back Surgery and Bone Fusion

AI simplified

Regenerative Health on OpenScience ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Abstract

Forty-one patients with thoracolumbar burst fractures and neurological deficits were treated with posterior decompression and interlaminar fusion.

Surgery resulted in an average operative time of 72 minutes and blood loss of 325 ml.
Thirty-eight patients with incomplete neurological lesions improved by at least one grade on the American Spine Injury Association scale.
No neurological deterioration occurred in any of the patients post-surgery.
Sagittal alignment improved significantly, with kyphosis reducing from an average of 22.4° to 4.6°.
The anterior vertebral body height ratio increased from 0.61 preoperatively to 0.90 postoperatively.
Spinal canal encroachment decreased from an average of 61.5% before surgery to 8.7% after surgery.

AI simplified

INTRODUCTION: To our knowledge, thoracolumbar burst fractures with a neurological deficit treated with posterior decompression and interlaminar fusion have never been reported. Our study was to assess the outcome of posterior decompression and interlaminar fusion in treating thoracolumbar burst fractures with a neurological deficit.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-one patients suffering from thoracolumbar burst fractures with a neurological deficit were included this study. All patients were treated with posterior decompression, interlaminar fusion and short-segment fixation of the vertebrae above and below the fracture level and the fractured vertebrae.

RESULTS: All patients were followed up for at least 24 months after surgery. Operative time and blood loss averaged 72 min and 325 ml, respectively. Thirty-eight patients with incomplete neurological lesions improved, by at least one American Spine Injury Association grade, whereas no neurological deterioration was observed in any case. Overall sagittal alignment improved from an average preoperative 22.4°-4.6° kyphosis at the final follow-up observation. The anterior vertebral body height ratio improved from 0.61 before surgery to 0.90 after surgery, whereas posterior vertebral body height ratio improved from 0.90 to 0.95. Spinal canal encroachment was reduced from an average 61.5% before surgery to 8.7% after surgery. Interlaminar radiological fusion was achieved within 6-8 months after surgery. No instrumentation failure was found in any patients.

CONCLUSION: Posterior decompression, interlaminar fusion with posterior short-segment fixation provided excellent immediate reduction for traumatic segmental kyphosis and significant spinal canal clearance, and restored vertebral body height in the fracture level in patients with a thoracolumbar burst fracture and associated neurological deficit.

Full Text

Full text is available at the source.

View full text (PDF) ↗View full text (HTML) ↗View full text ↗

Thoracolumbar burst fractures with a neurological deficit treated with posterior decompression and interlaminar fusion

Abstract

Full Text

You found one interesting study. We’ll send the next 7.

what lands in your inbox each week:

Abstract

Full Text

Related papers

You found one interesting study. We’ll send the next 7.

what lands in your inbox each week: