The treatment of osteoporotic thoracolumbar severe burst fractures with short pedicle screw fixation and vertebroplasty.
BACKGROUND
To investigate the clinical and radiological results of short pedicle screw fixation and vertebroplasty in osteoporotic thoracolumbar severe burst fractures.


METHODS
From September 2006 to August 2010, 19 consecutive patients sustained osteoporotic thoracolumbar severe burst fractures with or without neurologic deficit and were included in this prospective study. All patients underwent short pedicle screw fixation and vertebroplasty. Segmental kyphosis, AVBHr and PVBHr, and Canal compromise were calculated on radiographs pre-operatively, post-operative and at final follow up. VAS, ODI and SF-36 were calculated pre-operatively and at final follow up.


RESULTS
Mean operative time was 70.8 min (range 60~100 min) and mean blood loss was 92 ml (range 60~160 ml). The mean duration of their hospital stay was 4.5 days (range 3-7 days). The operative incisions were healing well. Average follow up time was 40.1 months (range 24~72 months). The AVBHr was corrected from preoperative (48.1 ± 6.8) % to postoperative (94.1 ± 1.7) % (P < 0.001). The PVBHr was corrected from preoperative (62.7 ± 4.8) % to postoperative (92.8 ± 1.8) % (P < 0.001). Canal compromise was corrected from preoperative (37.3 ± 5.8) % to postoperative (5.9 ± 2.3) % (P < 0.001). The segmental kyphosis was corrected from preoperative (20.6 ± 5.3) degree to postoperative (2.0 ± 3.2) degree (P < 0.001). VAS scores were reduced from preoperative 7.21 ± 0.86 to 2.21 ± 0.98 at final follow up (P < 0.001). SF-36 Bodily pain was reduced from preoperative 75.31 ± 13.85 to 13.74 ± 13.24 at final follow up (P < 0.001), and SF-36 Role Physical was reduced from preoperative 59.21 ± 26.63 to 19.74 ± 22.94 at final follow up (P < 0.001). The ODI scores were reduced from preoperative 81.68 ± 4.44 to 15.37 ± 5.54 at final follow up (P < 0.001). All 4 patients with partial neurological deficit initially had improvement. Cement leakage was observed in 3 cases (two anterior to vertebral body and one into the disc without sequela). There were no instances of instrumentation failure and no patient had persistent postoperative back pain.


CONCLUSIONS
Vertebroplasty and short pedicle screw fixation has the advantages of both radiographic and functional results for treating osteoporotic thoracolumbar severe burst fractures using a purely posterior approach.
Shaoqi
S
He
Lixing
L
Lin
Xiaojun
X
Tang
Yijiang
Y
Huang
Minghai
M
Dai
Maoxiu
M
Peng
Guojing
G
Yang
Chengxuan
C
Tabg
D000368:Aged; D001843:Bone Cements / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000293:injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D061646:Operative Time; D058866:Osteoporotic Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D065289:Pedicle Screws; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000293:injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D054854:Vertebroplasty / Q000379:methods*
D001843:Bone Cements