title: Surgical treatment of thoracolumbar fractures.
abstract: Many studies indicate that spinal canal decompression and stabilization lead to improved neurologic recovery in patients with incomplete neurologic deficits. It is recognized that surgical stabilization of unstable thoracolumbar injuries with complete neurologic deficit or without deficit reduces hospital stay, improves spinal alignment, shortens rehabilitation, and results in fewer medical complications. Unfortunately, many aspects of management remain controversial. For many injuries, more than one treatment method has been shown to be efficacious, although certain injuries have improved outcome with specific treatment modalities. This article is an overview of indications for surgery, operative approaches, types of instrumentation, and treatment options for specific thoracolumbar injuries.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, Michigan 48202-2689, USA.
authors.forename: C I
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Shaffrey
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Shaffrey
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Whitehill
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Nockels
mesh_terms: D019299:Decompression, Surgical / Q000295:instrumentation; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000295:instrumentation*; D017102:Fracture Healing / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D004204:Joint Dislocations / Q000145:classification / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D011859:Radiography; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000145:classification / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000295:instrumentation*; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery