Surgical Planning for Thoracolumar Spine Fracture

Choi, Bong Sik; Kim, Ki Uk; Kim, Hyung Dong; Choi, Hyu Jin; Ha, Sang Soo

Abstract

Many of the thoracolumbar spine fracture may be managed conservatively by postural reduction. But postural reduction alone cannot treat all the patient with thoracolumbar spine fracture properly. Recently, more patients with thoracolumbar spine fracture are managed surgically with the advance of surgical technique and instrument. Surgery may be performed by either anterior or posterior approach according to many factors. Generally initial management of patient with thoracolumbar spine fracture is conservative and surgery is delayed for spinal fusion, but early surgery with decompression of spinal cord and fusion of the vertebral body seems to be more proper in unstable fracture with compression of spinal cord by bony fragment and incomplete neurological deficit. Authors analyzed 52 cases of thoracolumbar spine fracture and made a proper management plan and proper surgical approach.