Posterior instrumentation with transpedicular calcium sulphate graft for thoracolumbar burst fracture

From October 2005 to September 2006, 20 patients with an acute thoracolumbar burst fracture underwent posterior instrumentation with transpedicular intracorporeal calcium sulphate grafting. The mean age of the patients at surgery was 41.8 years; 14 were men and six were women. The mean follow-up period was 28.5 months. Pre-operative computed tomography showed that the mean canal compromise was 53.5%. The Cobb angle was improved from 21.70 to 2.40 degrees, and the final loss of correction was 4.60 degrees. The anterior body height was corrected from 50.3% to 86.6%, and the average loss of anterior body height was 7.7% at final follow-up. All six patients with partial neurological deficit initially had improvement. According to the Denis criteria, the average pain score was 1.8, and the final mean work score was 2.5. Only one case had implant failure. Analysis of the results indicated that this technique can restore and maintain sagittal alignment and anterior body height, providing satisfactory short-term clinical results.