Posterior reduction of a pathologic spinal fracture. A case of indirect anterior dural decompression

In a patient with paraparesis resulting from a pathologic fracture of Th9, which was due to a breast cancer metastasis, indirect anterior decompression via posterior reduction was performed. The rationale for the operation technique was the similarity between a pathologic fracture of the thoracolumbar spine and a traumatic burst fracture. The method, which uses a transpedicular reduction and fixation device, is substantially less invasive than a formal anterior decompression.