This report presents the results of 28 patients treated with Alıcı Spinal Instrumentation between 1993 and 1995 at the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery of the Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University. Average age of the patients was 46“.8 years. There were seventeen male and eleven female patients. Two patients had complete and eight had various degrees of neurological deficit preoperatively. Clinical and radioiogical follow-up average was 15.6 months, followed-up for minimum oneyear.

Surgical treatment and spinal fusion were performed in ali cases. Neurological function, sagittal index and per-centage of anterior vertebral body compression were recorded on preoperative and postoperative examinations and in the last foliow-up control. Twenty-four patients were treated with transpedicular screw-rod and hook-rod combinatı'on posterior fixation, and four patients were treated with screw-plate anterolateral fixation. Neurologic deficit was resolved after treatment in eight cases. The preoperative average anterior vertebral body compression percentage was 46.5%, postoperatively it was 13%. The preoperative average sagittal index was 20°, postopera-tively it vvas 6.4°. The preoperative average of spinal canal compromise was 33%, postoperatively it was 8°. The fractures healed in 25 out of 28 patients. Two patients completely lost functional walking ability. Another two patients did not return to work, but were able to start their daily activities. 24 patients had normal functional ability and returned to work. Transpedicular screw-rod system may be advised in the treatment of fractures of unstable thoracolumbar vertebrae, because there is no need of external support and absence of iate deformities.

Keywords: Thoracolumbar burst fractures, neurological deficit, functional ability