Surgical outcome of posterior fixation, including fractured vertebra, for thoracolumbar fractures

Objective: To evaluate the role of posterior fixation including the fractured vertebra (PFFV) for the treatment of thoracolumbar vertebral fractures.

Methods: Sixty-seven patients that sustained a single-level thoracolumbar fracture were included in this retrospective study carried out in the Wuxi People’s Hospital, Wuxi, China between August 2010 and June 2013. Thirty-two cases were treated with PFFV, and 35 cases were treated with traditional short-segment fixation (TSSF). All patients were periodically followed-up with clinical and radiologic evaluation. Cobb’s angle and vertebral body height were analyzed and compared, and the operational time, intra-operational blood loss, and the Denis pain scale scores were also compared.

Results: Compared with preoperative angles, the Cobb’s angles were reduced and the vertebral body height of the fractured vertebra was increased after operation at a statistically significant level. Twelve months post-operative, the loss of Cobb’s angle and vertebral body height in the PFFV group was significantly less than that in the TSSF group. There was no statistical significance in the Denis pain scale score 12 months post-operatively between the 2 groups.

Conclusion: Selective adoption of PFFV is helpful not only for stabilization of fractures and restoration of anatomy, but also maintaining the effectiveness of the restoration with good functional outcome.