title: Better life quality and sexual function in men and their female partners with short-segment posterior fixation in the treatment of thoracolumbar junction burst fractures.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Thoracolumbar junction burst fractures remain a challenging problem due to controversy over the treatment choice of short- or long-segment posterior fixation. The aim of the present study was to compare life quality and sexual function of patients after short- and long-segment posterior fixations in the treatment of thoracolumbar junction burst fractures.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this prospective, randomized study, 24 sexually active male patients diagnosed with thoracolumbar junction burst fractures were randomly assigned to either the short-segment posterior fixation (SSPF) group or the long-segment posterior fixation group (LLPF). The exclusion criteria were rheumatological disease and spinal surgery history. There were no significant differences in age, body mass index or smoking habits between the groups. The life quality score of EQ-5D and the International Index of erectile function (IIEF-5) score of male patients and the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) score of female partners were recorded preoperatively and 1 year after surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of patients in the SSPF and LSPF groups was 44.58 and 42.92 years, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences between the groups in the preoperative EQ-5D and IIEF-5 scores of male patients and the FSFI score of their partners. Postoperatively, the EQ-5D scores (p = 0.011) and IIEF-5 scores (p = 0.000) of male patients and the FSFI score of their partners (p = 0.001) were better in the short-segment group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients treated with SSPF have better sexual function and life quality with their partners compared to those treated with LSPF. The main clinical relevance of this study is that the impact of the choice of short or long-segment treatment on postoperative sexual function and life quality should be considered by surgeons when performing posterior fixation after thoracolumbar junction burst fractures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic and Traumatology, Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital, 06100, Altindag, Ankara, Turkey. cankayadeniz78@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Deniz
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cankaya
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital, 06100, Altindag, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Melih
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Balci
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic and Traumatology, Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital, 06100, Altindag, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Alper
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Deveci
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic and Traumatology, Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital, 06100, Altindag, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Burak
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yoldas
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital, 06100, Altindag, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Altug
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tuncel
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic and Traumatology, Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital, 06100, Altindag, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Yalcin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tabak
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000379:methods* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018579:Patient Selection; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery*; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery
keywords: Life quality; Sexual function; Short segment; Thoracolumbar fracture