Abstract
Background and Objective: The outcomes of patients with traumatic thoracolumbar spine fractures have evolved dramatically over the past 20 years due to development of surgical instruments and techniques. The goal of treatment is attainment of spinal stability with protection or improvement of the patient's neurologic status, allowing rapid and maximal functional recovery. Transpedicular screw-rod method is one of the recent surgical methods. This study aimed at evaluating the results of this approach in patients with thoracolumbar spine fractures.
Materials and Methods: In a descriptive –prospective study, 52 patients with traumatic fracture of thoracolumbar spine hospitalized in Tabriz Imam Khomeini and Shohada hospitals were evaluated during a 22 months period. All patients were operated with transpedicular screw-rod system and were followed up for 6-18months. The post-operative improvement of neurological deficit, anatomical alignment, the rate of fusion and surgical complications were determined.
Results: Fifty two patients (40 males, 12 females) with the mean age of 39.20 years were enrolled in the study. Neurological deficits were seen in 59.6% of the patients on admission. The improvement of neurological deficits, anatomical alignment and fusion occurred in 51.6%, 80.77%and 92.3% of the patients after operation, respectively. Kyphosis was seen in 15.4%of the patients during the follow-up period. The complications of the surgery were wound infection (5.8%), thromboembolic events (1.9%) and pneumonia (1.9%). The overall rates of complications were 9.6%. Considering the technical failure, broken screw was seen in 1.9%.
Conclusions: The transpedicular screw-rod procedure has not been introduced in our centers for a long period. So the results are promising and acceptable and the procedure is proposed as the preferred method in this kind of patients. The forthcoming studies are recommended for finding and elimination of the probable causes result in the kyphosis.