title: The influence of correction loss in thoracolumbar fractures treated by posterior instrumentation: a minimum 7-year follow-up.
abstract: We retrospectively studied patients who underwent posterior pedicle screw instrumentation for thoracolumbar fractures to explore the relationship between correction loss after the operation and clinical outcome. The study included 52 patients, with a minimum postoperative follow-up of 7 years (mean of 9.8 years). From the analysis of radiological and clinical outcomes, we found that the relevant factors related to functional outcome were: (i) preoperative anterior vertebral height (AVH; regression coefficient [B]=-0.075, p=0.045); and (ii) the latest follow-up AVH (B=-0.100, p=0.043). This indicates that function is likely to be worse if the anterior vertebral column is compressed more severely at the time of injury, and that function will also be worse if the AVH is decreased at the latest follow-up. However, loss of AVH was not correlated with functional outcome. Therefore, we recommend that the AVH should be restored as much as possible by posterior instrumentation during the treatment of thoracolumbar fractures. Reducing the loss of correction to maintain the postoperative AVH is also critical to maintain the AVH at latest follow-up.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, 188 Shizi Street, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215006, China.
authors.forename: Jinhui
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Mei
authors.forename: Jiayong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Weimin
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Muhammad Z
authors.initials: MZ
authors.lastname: Moral
authors.forename: Nabil A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Ebraheim
authors.forename: Huilin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001863:Bone Screws; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000295:instrumentation*; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000293:injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult