gms | German Medical Science

56. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie e. V. (DGNC)
3èmes journées françaises de Neurochirurgie (SFNC)

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie e. V.
Société Française de Neurochirurgie

07. bis 11.05.2005, Strasbourg

Alignment after thoracolumbar fractures: Long-term results after surgery

Korrekturstellung nach thorakolumbaler Wirbelkörperfraktur: Langzeitergebnisse nach Operation

Meeting Abstract

  • corresponding author P. Klawunde - Neurochirurgische Universitätsklinik Magdeburg
  • B. Jöllenbeck - Neurochirurgische Universitätsklinik Magdeburg
  • R. Firsching - Neurochirurgische Universitätsklinik Magdeburg

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie. Société Française de Neurochirurgie. 56. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie e.V. (DGNC), 3èmes journées françaises de Neurochirurgie (SFNC). Strasbourg, 07.-11.05.2005. Düsseldorf, Köln: German Medical Science; 2005. DocP109

The electronic version of this article is the complete one and can be found online at: http://www.egms.de/en/meetings/dgnc2005/05dgnc0377.shtml

Published: May 4, 2005

© 2005 Klawunde et al.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/deed.en). You are free: to Share – to copy, distribute and transmit the work, provided the original author and source are credited.


Outline

Text

Objective

In a retrospective study the kyphotic angle was assessed one year after implantation of a dorsal fixator. Results were related with the classification of fractures.

Methods

147 patients (99 were male and 48 were female) with one unstable vertebral body fracture of the lower thoracic and lumbar spine were operated on between January 1995 and October 2001 using open reduction, internal posterior fixation, neural decompression including reduction of the posterior wall fragments, removing destructed intervertebral discs and intervertebral autologous bone grafting. The implant was removed about one year after surgery. Radiographs were evaluated to determine the angle of kyphosis, wedge index and wedge angle of the injured vertebra. Radiographs were obtained before surgery, immediately after surgery and before and after implant removal. The spine fractures were classified by the universal spine fracture classification (MEYER).

Results

46 patients (31%) had a type b fracture, 101 patients (69%) had a type c fracture. The mean angle of kyphosis there was a 13,3 degree loss one year after dorsal stabilisation of a vertebra body fracture type c and only 6,2 degree by vertebra body fracture type b. The mean wedge angle was a 5 degree loss by fracture type b and 8 degree by type c one year after dorsal stabilisation.

Conclusions

Long-term results in terms of alignment after thoracolumbar fractures and subsequent dorsal surgical fixation are clearly related to the type of fracture. In vertebra body fracture type c a lateral or ventral fusion in addition to internal posterior fixation is recommend.