title: [Treatment of thoracolumbar burst fracture with lateral anterior decompression, internal fixation with Ventrofix and bone graft with titanic mesh].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To discuss the efficacy of lateral anterior decompression, internal fixation with Ventrofix and bone graft with titanic mesh in the treatment of severe thoracolumbar burst fracture.
  
  
  METHODS
  From January 2008 to January 2010, 21 patients with severe thoracolumbar burst fracture were treated with lateral anterior decompression, internal fixation with Ventrofix, bone graft with titanic mesh. There were 15 males and 6 females, ranging in age from 21 to 46 years with an average of 32.2 years. Segment of fracture: 3 cases were in T11, 6 cases in T12, 7 cases in L1, 5 cases in L2. The mean kyphosis angle was 20.1 degrees and loading of fracture was 7.8 scores. Twenty-one cases accompany with incomplete paralysis. Nerves functions were observed according to Frankel grade; correction and maintain of kyphosis angle were observed by X-rays and CT.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All the patients were followed up from 12 to 34 months with an average of 18.5 years. Postoperative complication including injury of pleura in 1 case, dynamic ileus in 2 cases, ilioinguinal nerve injury in 1 case, faulty union of wound in 1 case. All the above complications got recovery after symptomatic treatment. The mean kyphosis angle in fusional segment were 4.2 degrees and the rate of correction was 79%. Nerves functions of all patients got improvement and no internal fixation fail, kyphosis angle obviously lost, titanium mesh shifting, loosening and breakage of screw were found at final follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lateral anterior decompression, bone graft with titanic mesh, internal fixation with Ventrofix is an idea technique for severe thoracolumber burst fracture, but the method can not be used for patient with severity osteoporosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Spinal Surgery, Wanging Hospital of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100102, China. smzhang1117@163.com
authors.forename: Shi-min
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Zhao-jie
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yu-zhang
authors.initials: YZ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Lu-tang
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016025:Bone Transplantation; D019299:Decompression, Surgical; D005260:Female; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000293:injuries*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D013526:Surgical Mesh; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000293:injuries*