ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate operation skills, therapeutic effects and indications of racapping laminoplasty for the treatment of severe burst fractures of thoracolumbar vertebra complicated with spinal stenosis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>In the study, 41 patients with severe burst fractures of thoracolumbar vertebra complicated with spinal stenosis were treated with recapping laminoplasty. After the treatment, the size of vertebral canal, spinal stability, altitude recovery of vertebral body and rehabilitation of nerve function were observed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>All the patients were followed up and the duration ranged from 1 to 3 years. The anterior height of compressed vertebral bodies restored from preoperative 58% to postoperative 97%, posterior height was from preoperative 76% to postoperative 98.7%. The Cobb angle was corrected from preoperative 24.6 degrees to postoperative 1.8 degrees, and the size of vertebral canal restored from preoperative 43% to postoperative 93%. According to Frankel classification, 1 patient who were at A grade had no changes and others improved by 1 to 3 degrees.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>This is an ideal operation method for treating burst fractures of thoracolumbar vertebra with spinal stenosis, which is simple, safe and enlarging vertebral canal, at the same time completely decompressing the dura mater and nerve roots. This method eliminated secondary spinal stenosis, reconstructed posterior column and increased spinal stability.</p>