Background
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of short posterior fixation without fusion in treatment of thoracolumbar fractures.
Patients and methods
In a prospective study, 64 consecutive patients with types A3.2 and A3.3 thoracolumbar fractures were operated by pedicle screws fixation a level above and below the fracture without fusion followed by physiotherapy.
Results
The mean follow-up period was 18 months. The mean preoperative local kyphosis was 18.7°, and anterior vertebral height loss 51.63%. These significantly improved to 4.58° and 15.67% 1 month after fixation. Three months after implant removal, these radiologic parameters were 5.37° and 16.23%, whereas mean segmental motion was 9.58°. On Denis scale for back pain, 42 patients were P1, with no need for analgesics; 14 patients were P2 with minimal pain; and four were P3, needing occasional use of analgesics.
Conclusion
Satisfactory results can be achieved by posterior spinal fixation without fusion of thoracolumbar burst fractures (A3.2 and A3.3).