Experimental study of different reduction methods on recovery of the prevertebral height following lumbar fracture / 中华骨科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To study the mechanism and difference of fractured vertebral body’ s prevertebral height recovery following different methods of reduction. Methods A L 1 compressed fracture model was produced by modified Gepstein method with wet human spinal specimens(T11-L 3); the model was reduced by hyperextension, longitudinal extension and device reduction respectively. The measured parameters including the changes of prevertebral height, the changes of anterior longitudinal ligament strain and the changes of vertebral disc’ s height; segments including upward and downward of the fractured vertebral bodies were observed. Results The prevertebral height recovery platform stage happened in all the three methods of reduction. There is no significant difference between the prevertebral heights in the maximum experimental load; the prevertebral height increased first and stayed stationary later in the hyperextension reduction procedure; in the device reduction process, the prevertebral height stayed stationary at first and dereased later. Conclusion The prevertebral heights increase is not unlimited between different reduction process of L 1 fracture, and it is limited by spinal anatomy on the late phase of reduction. Knowing these features is useful for us to treat the patients and improve the devices.