title: Correlations between posterior longitudinal injury and parameters of vertebral body damage.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The posterior longitudinal ligament (PLL) is an important structure of spinal stability. The loss of vertebral body height, local kyphosis (LK), and canal compromise may lead to spinal instability. This study determined the correlations between injury of the PLL and the loss of vertebrae height, kyphosis, and canal compromise.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective review of a thoracolumbar burst fracture database was conducted from January 2009 to December 2011. Patients were divided into an intact group and a disrupted group according to the status of the PLL. The loss of vertebral height, mid-sagittal canal diameter, and LK was measured. The anterior, middle, and posterior vertebral compression ratios (AVBCR, MVBCR, and PVBCR) and mid-sagittal diameter compression ratio (MSDCR) were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-seven patients were included in the study, including 25 patients in the intact group and 22 patients in the disrupted group. There were significant differences in the AVBCR (t = -3.048, P = 0.004), MVBCR (t = -2.301, P = 0.048), PVBCR (t = -2.116, P = 0.040), and MSDCR (t = -4.095, P = 0.000) but no difference in the LK (t = 0.408, P = 0.686) between the two groups. There was a positive correlation between the injury of the PLL and the MSDCR (r = 0.428, P < 0.01), AVBCR (r = 0.372, P < 0.01), and PVBCR (r = 0.271, P < 0.05). There was no correlation between the injury of the PLL and the LK and MVBCR.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The MVBCR and LK are not predictive of a PLL injury. The MSDCR, AVBCR, and PVBCR were associated with a PLL injury.
authors.affiliation: The Center of Trauma Repair and Reconstruction of Chinese PLA and Department of Orthopedics, The 98th Military Hospital, Huzhou, Zhejiang Province, China. Electronic address: Tanjunming98@163.com.
authors.forename: Junming
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: The Center of Trauma Repair and Reconstruction of Chinese PLA and Department of Orthopedics, The 98th Military Hospital, Huzhou, Zhejiang Province, China.
authors.forename: Lianbing
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: The Center of Trauma Repair and Reconstruction of Chinese PLA, The 98 Clinical Medical College of Medical University of Anhui, Huzhou, Zhejiang Province, China.
authors.forename: Liangqin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.affiliation: The Center of Trauma Repair and Reconstruction of Chinese PLA and Department of Orthopedics, The 98th Military Hospital, Huzhou, Zhejiang Province, China.
authors.forename: Dechun
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: The Center of Trauma Repair and Reconstruction of Chinese PLA and Department of Orthopedics, The 98th Military Hospital, Huzhou, Zhejiang Province, China.
authors.forename: Shunming
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Xing
authors.affiliation: The Center of Trauma Repair and Reconstruction of Chinese PLA and Department of Orthopedics, The 98th Military Hospital, Huzhou, Zhejiang Province, China.
authors.forename: Guohua
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: The Center of Trauma Repair and Reconstruction of Chinese PLA and Department of Orthopedics, The 98th Military Hospital, Huzhou, Zhejiang Province, China.
authors.forename: Xiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: The Center of Trauma Repair and Reconstruction of Chinese PLA and Department of Orthopedics, The 98th Military Hospital, Huzhou, Zhejiang Province, China.
authors.forename: Jinxin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: The Center of Trauma Repair and Reconstruction of Chinese PLA and Department of Orthopedics, The 98th Military Hospital, Huzhou, Zhejiang Province, China.
authors.forename: Jiefeng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: The Center of Trauma Repair and Reconstruction of Chinese PLA and Department of Orthopedics, The 98th Military Hospital, Huzhou, Zhejiang Province, China.
authors.forename: Teng
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.affiliation: The Center of Trauma Repair and Reconstruction of Chinese PLA and Department of Orthopedics, The 98th Military Hospital, Huzhou, Zhejiang Province, China.
authors.forename: Jiaxiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Su
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017846:Longitudinal Ligaments / Q000293:injuries*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013124:Spinal Injuries / Q000473:pathology*; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology*
keywords: Canal compromise; Kyphosis; Posterior longitudinal ligament; Thoracolumbar burst fractures; Vertebral height