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Updated: Jun 2, 2026
Minimally Invasive Treatment for Thoracolumbar Burst Fracture Using Sagittal Alignment Screws and A Trauma Reduction Device
Published on: November 8, 2024
[Comparison between arthrodesis and non-arthrodesis in thoracic and lumbar spine fractures: two-year follow-up]
A Alpizar-Aguirre1, L M Riquelme-Molina, B Zárate-Kalfopulos
1Servicio de Cirugía de Columna Vertebral, Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitación, Secretaría Salud, DF México.
Introduction:
The currently accepted treatment of thoracolumbar fractures is reduction, decompression, fixation and arthrodesis. However, it is not the perfect solution due to the medium- and long-term consequences of arthrodesis, which include the wear of the adjacent segments above and below. Some previous studies have proposed the treatment with fixation without arthrodesis. However, there are no reports on the medium- and long-term clinical and radiographic follow-up.
Material And Methods:
Two 20-patient groups treated with transpedicular fixation and decompression, one with and one without posterolateral arthrodesis, were compared.
Control Group:
The mean hospital stay was 5 days. The postoperative visual analog scale pain score was 2-3 in 4 patients; the rest were asymptomatic. The functional Oswestry disability index was 8.3%. The functional economic rehabilitation scale was 4.55. Case group: The mean hospital stay was 5 days. The postoperative visual analog scale pain score was 1-2 in 2 patients; the rest were asymptomatic. The functional Oswestry disability index was 6.3%. The functional economic rehabilitation scale was 6.4.
Conclusions:
Both groups had very similar results. The group without arthrodesis had better results in the Oswestry functional disability scale and the functional economic rehabilitation scale.