Surgical Treatment for Significant Fracture-dislocation of the Thoracic or Lumbar Spine without Neurologic Deficit: A Case Series.
BACKGROUND
Fracture-dislocation of the thoracic or lumbar spine often results in severe neurologic deficits if dislocation is significant. However, cases of fracture-dislocation of the thoracic or lumbar spine without neurologic deficits are rarely reported in the literature, and the choice of the treatment has been controversial.


METHODS
Two female patients, aged 27 and 35 years, were injured in motor vehicle accidents and did not have neurological deficits except for slight numbness in the thighs in one case. Radiologic examinations showed nearly complete fracture-dislocations at T7-8 and L1-2, respectively. In both cases, subtotal corpectomies and anterior reconstructions using Kaneda devices were performed after laminectomy in the lateral decubitus position. No neurological deterioration was observed after surgery.


CONCLUSIONS
Anterior subtotal corpectomy and reconstruction combined with posterior decompression is a good option for these cases to restore the alignment and the stability of the spine.
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Tokushima University Hospital, Tokushima, Japan.
Tetsuya
T
Enishi
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Tokushima University Hospital, Tokushima, Japan.
Shinsuke
S
Katoh
Department of Orthopedics, Kochi Red Cross Hospital, Kochi, Japan.
Toshiharu
T
Sogo
Anterior decompression and reconstruction; Fracture-dislocation; Neurologic deficit