title: Radiological Outcome of Short Segment Posterior Instrumentation and Fusion for Thoracolumbar Burst Fractures.
abstract: METHODS
  Retrospective study.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the radiological outcome of the surgical treatment of thoracolumbar burst fractures by using short segment posterior instrumentation (SSPI) and fusion.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The optimal surgical treatment of thoracolumbar burst fractures remains a matter of debate. SSPI is one of a number of possible choices, yet some studies have revealed high rates of poor radiological outcome for this SSPI.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients treated using the short segment instrumentation and fusion technique at the Spinal Injuries Center (Iizuka, Fukuoka, Japan) from January 1, 2006 to July 31, 2012 were selected for this study. Radiographic parameters such as local sagittal angle, regional sagittal angle, disc angle, anterior or posterior height of the vertebral body at admission, postoperation and final observation were collected for radiological outcome evaluation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 31 patients who met the inclusion criteria with a mean follow-up duration of 22.7 months (range, 12-48 months). The mean age of this group was 47.9 years (range, 15-77 years). The mean local sagittal angles at the time of admission, post-operation and final observation were 13.1°, 7.8° and 14.8°, respectively. There were 71% good cases and 29% poor cases based on our criteria for the radiological outcome evaluation. The correction loss has a strong correlation with the load sharing classification score (Spearman rho=0.64, p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The loss of kyphotic correction following the surgical treatment of thoracolumbar burst fracture by short segment instrumentation is common and has a close correlation with the degree of comminution of the vertebral body. Patients with high load sharing scores are more susceptible to correction loss and postoperative kyphotic deformity than those with low scores.
authors.affiliation: Department of Spinal Pathology, Hospital for Traumatology-Orthopedics, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam.
authors.forename: Truc Tam
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Vu
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Spinal Injuries Center, Iizuka, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuichiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Morishita
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Spinal Injuries Center, Iizuka, Japan.
authors.forename: Itaru
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Yugue
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Spinal Injuries Center, Iizuka, Japan.
authors.forename: Tetsuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Spinal Injuries Center, Iizuka, Japan.
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Maeda
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Spinal Injuries Center, Iizuka, Japan.
authors.forename: Keiichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shiba
keywords: Correction loss; Degree of comminution; Load sharing classification; Short segment instrumentation; Thoracolumbar burst fractures