Treatment of thoracolumbar fractures with injectable calcium sulfate vertebroplasty and short-segment pedicle screw fixation / 中国矫形外科杂志

ABSTRACT

[Objective]To investigated the clinical result of transpedicle fixation combined with injectable calcium sulfate vertebroplasty in patients with thoracolumbar fractures.[Method]From April 2005 to June 2007,43 patients with thoracolumbar fractures were treated with vertebroplasty reinforced by calcium sulfate injection and short-segment pedicle screw fixation.The symptom improvement was observed.Plain X-rays were taken at pre-operation and post-operation and final follow-up to determine the improvement of the injured vertebral height and Cobb′s angle.[Result]All the patients underwent surgery uneventfully.Thirty-eight patients were followed up for an average of 22 months.After operation Frankel Grading System improved to Grade E.The loss rates of anterior,mid and posterior height were 51.4%,41.5%,3.5% before operation but 11.7%,14.3%,1.7% after operation.The Cobb′s angles were improved from 16.3?preoperatively to 0.8?postoperatively.The loss rates of vertebral height between pre-operation and post-operation were significantly different(P0.05).There was no breakage of pedicle screw or loosening of instrument.Pain score by visual analog scale(VAS) reduced from 8.5 to 1.0.[Conclusion]The surgery of transpedicle fixation combined with injectable calcium sulfate vertebroplasty is a mini-invasive and effective method for the treatment of patients with thoracolumbar fracture.It can achieve and maintain kyphosis correction,decrease the instrument failure rate,and provide better postoperative outcomes.