Surgical treatment for thoracic spine fracture-dislocation without neurological deficit

Complete fracture-dislocation of the thoracic spine is a rare injury resulting from high-energy impaction that commonly presents with severe neurological deficit. We report a case of this condition in a patient who was involved in a motorcycle-vehicle collision, that resulted in multiple trauma and complete fracture-dislocation of the T7-T8 with middle column-posterior column dissociation. A posterior approach was used for decompression and immediate stabilization of this severe, unstable injury, combined with an anterior approach for anatomic reduction and intervertebral body fusion. No neurological complications occurred either preoperatively or postoperatively.