Single Screw-Rod Anterior Instrumentation for Thoracolumbar Burst Fractures with Incomplete Neurological Deficit

Abstract

Purpose. To evaluate the outcome of single screw-rod anterior instrumentation for thoracolumbar burst fractures with incomplete neurological deficit. Methods. 16 men and 5 women aged 22 to 55 (mean, 34) years underwent single screw-rod anterior instrumentation for thoracolumbar burst fractures with incomplete neurological deficit. The vertebrae involved were T10 (n=2), T11 (n=2), T12 (n=7), L1 (n=8), and L2 (n=2). No patient had disruption of the posterior ligament complex. Postoperatively, a thoracolumbar sacral orthosis was used until solid fusion. Outcome measures included neurological recovery, degree of kyphosis, complications, and pain and functional status of the patients. Results. The mean follow-up duration was 36 (range, 13–50) months. All patients recovered neurologically by at least one grade. Of the 21 patients, 6 improved from grade B to grade C (n=4) or grade D (n=2), 13 from grade C to grade D, and 2 from grade D to grade E. The mean degree of kyphosis improved from 23°±5° to 7°±3°. Seven patients had complications including ipsilateral basal atelectasis (n=3), urinary tract infection (n=1), haematuria (n=1), postoperative ileus (n=1), and superficial wound infection (n=1). None had iatrogenic visceral or vascular injury, pseudoarthrosis or hardware-related complications. Only one patient had severe back pain persistently. Conclusion. Single screw-rod anterior instrumentation supplemented with an orthosis can be an alternative for double screw-rod anterior instrumentation for thoracolumbar burst fractures in patients with smaller vertebral bodies.