Treatment of transforaminal wedge osteotomy for correction of the thoracolumbar kyphosis / 中华骨科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To evaluate the operation methods and effects of transforaminal wedge osteotomy (TWO) combined with intervertebral grafting bone for correcting the rigid thoracolumbar kyphosis.Methods From January 2003 to June 2013, treatment of 52 cases of the rigid thoracolumbar kyphosis by TWO combined with intervertebral bone graft were studied (including 33 males and 19 females, and the age range was from 15 to 72 with average age of 42.3 years old).In these 52 cases, there were 17 cases of ankylosing spondylitis, 25 cases of obsolete thoracolumbarvertebral fractures, 7 cases of chronic thoracolumbar tuberculosis and 3 cases of congenital vertebral malformations.52 cases presented as lumbar kyphosis, low back pain aggravated,with an average VAS score of 8.6;24 cases were accompanied with different extent of neurological dysfunction which obviously influenced daily life or work.Osteotomy was located at thoracolumbar intervertebral disc.Pedicle screws internal fixation system combined with intervertebral grafting bone was used to compress the vertebra and fuse after TWO for correction.Preoperative and postoperative low back pain was evaluated by visual analog score (VAS), Frankel score and Oswestry disability index(ODI) in patients with neurological dysfunction.The above indexes were compared with the PSO osteotomy group.Results Preoperative mean kyphosis Cobb angle was 65.6°(31°-137°).The average post-operative kyphosis Cobb angle was 19.2° (8°-35°), and the average correction rate was 68.4％.The mean operation time was 3.8 h (2.2-5.3 h), and the mean intraoperative blood loss was 1220ml (500-2 900 ml).Preoperative VAS score was 8.6± 1.2 while the last follow-up was 1.8±0.5;preoperative Oswestry dysfunction index was 75.6±8.2 while the last follow-up was 18.4±8.1.The results were statistically significant.The spinal function was 4 cases of Frankel C and 20 cases of Frankel D before operation, all of which dropped to E level after operation.52 patients were followed up with the average time of 41 months (from 6 to 60 months).The bony fusion rate was 94.23％ at 6 months after operation.All of the patients were fused in 3 years after operation.The average loss of kyphosis Cobb angle was 5.5°(4°-12°).Compared with PSO, the average operation time, the amount of bleeding and the improvement of neurological function after surgery all had some advantages.Conclusion Transforaminal wedge osteotomy has many advantages, such as less bleeding wounds, less nerve interference and limited multi-segmental osteotomy, with little trauma and high bony fusion rate.