title: Undetected posttraumatic instability of "stable" thoracolumbar fractures.
abstract: A review of 106 consecutive patients who had operative stabilization of thoracolumbar fractures revealed that 16 patients had surgery 4 months to 13 years after injury, for chronic instability. In these 16 patients, there were 8 wedge-compression fractures, 6 flexion-distraction injuries, 1 burst fracture, and 1 fracture-dislocation. All six patients with flexion-distraction injuries and the two patients with either a burst fracture or a fracture-dislocation had good results. Only two of the eight patients with wedge-compression fractures had good results. We concluded from this study that: (a) instability that presents without a progressive spinal deformity may go unrecognized; (b) all types of spine fractures can produce chronic, painful instability; and (c) poor results predominate in wedge-compression fractures operated more than 13 months after injury, regardless of the type of surgical treatment rendered.
authors.affiliation: Division of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Wisconsin Clinical Science Center, Madison 53792.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Keene
authors.forename: E G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Lash
authors.forename: T F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Kling
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal; D006801:Humans; D004204:Joint Dislocations / Q000601:surgery; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011859:Radiography; D013123:Spinal Fusion; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries*