[CT-based assessment score after ventral spondylodesis for thoracolumbar spine fracture].
BACKGROUND
Dorsoventral stabilization is a common procedure to treat thoracolumbar spine fractures. Especially in respect of the evaluation of alternative procedures to autogenous bone graft, a standardized evaluation score for ventral spondylodesis is necessary.


METHODS
In a group of 44 patients a follow-up CT scan was evaluated with a standardized scoring system by four different independent evaluators (a trauma surgeon, an orthopedic surgeon, and two radiologists). The score is based on the morphologic classification of the region between graft and vertebral body. It allows a classification of the spondylodesis as sufficient, partial, and not sufficient.


RESULTS
The statistical evaluation of the classification of the different evaluators shows very good interobserver agreement in monosegmental fusion and good agreement in bisegmental fusion.


CONCLUSIONS
The demonstrated score is easy to handle, does not need special equipment for CT scans, and shows good interobserver agreement in the classification of spinal fusion after ventral spondylodesis for thoracolumbar spine fracture.
Badke
A
A
Abteilung für Querschnittgelähmte, Orthopädie und Rehabilitationsmedizin, Berufsgenossenschaftliche Unfallklinik, Tübingen. andreas.badke@t-online.de
Jedrusik
P
P
Feiler
M
M
Dammann
F
F
Claussen
C D
CD
Kaps
H P
HP
Weise
K
K
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016025:Bone Transplantation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D013123:Spinal Fusion; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed