Transpedicular screw fixation for the treatment of thoracolumbar spine fracture

Abstract

One of the most popular procedures for treating the unstable thoracolumbar fracture is the short segment pedicle screw fixation. Due to lack of adequate neurological improvement, progressive kyphosis and hardware failure, the efficacy of different methods remain debatable. One hundred patients of thoracolumbar burst fractures were managed from January 2010 to December 2014 by  transforaminal thoracolumbar interbody fusion and short-segment pedicle screw stabilization. Each patient was followed-up for a minimum of 2 years. Bony fusion was done in each patient in between two vertebra along with transpedicular fixation. Follow-up radiological images showed good reduction and the fusion of the vertebral body was good. Excellent neurological improvement of the Frankel grade C and D was seen in 81 patients. Eight patients had  grade B, improvement which was not satisfactory. Fifteen patients with no paraplegia/hemiplegia on admission remained neurologically intact. For the management of thoracolumbar burst fractures short segment posterior transpedicular fixation with bone graft is very economic and safe procedure with good neurological improvement.