title: Long-term outcome after surgical treatment of thoracolumbar fractures versus a control group of healthy volunteers.
abstract: The authors conducted a retrospective study on the long term outcome (+/- 9 years) after instrumentation for thoracolumbar fractures. This study is probably unique in that it compares the surgical group with a control group of healthy volunteers, rather than with a group of conservatively treated patients. All classical outcome measures were used: ODI, RMDQ, VASSS, VAS, Denis Pain scale, SF-36 Bodily Pain, SF-12 Bodily Pain, the remaining SF-36 and SF-12 scores, and the Denis Work Scale. As expected, the large majority of the scores was better in the healthy group. The difference was significant, except as far as the SF-tests were concerned.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, University of Uludag, Bursa, Turkey.
authors.forename: Osman
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Yaray
authors.forename: Burak
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Akesen
authors.forename: Ufuk
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Aydinli
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome