title: Transpedicular short-segment fusions for treatment of lumbar burst fractures.
abstract: A retrospective review of 13 patients who underwent decompression and transpedicular instrumentation for lumbar burst fractures is presented. Average follow-up was 22.5 months. Eighty-four percent of patients reported little or no pain at follow-up. Sixty-nine percent of patients returned to full preinjury activity. Radiographic review demonstrated an average postoperative progression of kyphosis of 8.7%. Anterior vertebral body height was unchanged between preoperative evaluation and follow-up. Although short-segment posterior transpedicular instrumentation with VSP plates did not reestablish or maintain anatomic alignment of the lumbar spine after burst fractures, the clinical outcome was excellent.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232-2550.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: McNamara
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Stephens
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Spengler
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007738:Kyphosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008161:Lumbosacral Region; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D009984:Orthopedic Fixation Devices; D010146:Pain; D010149:Postoperative Pain; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013123:Spinal Fusion; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed