ABSTRACT

This study has been done to evaluate the results of posterolateral decompression, posterior stabilization and fusion in patients with burst fractures of thoracolumbar spine complicated with progressive neurologic deficit. In between 1997-2001, 185 patients were treated with posterior stabilization. In 97 out of 185 posterolateral decompression was combined with posterior stabilization and fusion. This study has been done to evaluate the results in 75 out of 97 patients in thoracolumbar region. Follow up was at least two years with a mean of 61.5 months. Frankel neurologic staging and Denis pain, work scale were used pre- and post-operatively. We evaluated that Frankel neurologic staging, Denis pain, work scale and sagittal index score. It’s excellent (%28), good (%45,3), poor (%20), fair (%6,6). In the existence of progressive neurologic deficit, surgical management of the thoracolumbar burst fractures should cover decompression, post instrumantation and fusion. In conclusion, posterolateral decompression approach is successful if posterior elements of the spine disperts the medulla spinalis.