title: The long-term efficacy of pedicular screw fixation at patients suffering from thoracolumbar burst fractures without neurological deficit.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Treatment of choice at stable burst fracture is still a matter of debate. The aim of this study is assessment of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) regarding short form-36 (SF-36) and its correlation with kyphosis in patients affected by thoracolumbar burst fracture without neurological deficit undergoing posterior short segment pedicular screw fixation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty patients with thoracolumbar burst fractures without neurological deficits, meeting our criteria were enrolled in this study. The patients underwent short segment pedicular screw fixation. After 2 years of follow-up, the outcome assessment was performed with evaluating HRQOL; SF-36. The mean ± standard deviation was measured at each eight category of SF-36 and compared with normative values of Iran. The correlation of Cobb angle and body pain was analyzed by linear regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study detected reduced quality of life (QOL), with total mean of 49.7 ± 14 and physical function grade of 61.2 ± 22 which was significantly lower than Iran normative reported as 85.9 ± 19. Fifty percent still suffered from moderate to severe pain and Cobb angle had no statistically significant correlation with body pain.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It seems that surgical treatment could not improve pain related disability of patients with stable thoracolumbar burst fracture at long term follow up.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Seyed Amirhossein
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Javadi
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Fereshteh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Naderi
keywords: Burst; fracture; kyphosis; quality of life; thoracolumbar