The Effectiveness of Transpedicular Bone Graft in Burst Fracture

Park, Heui Jeon; Lee, Doo Hee; Lim, Mu Hak

Abstract

PURPOSE: To assess the effectiveness of transpedicular bone graft after short segmental fixation in the treatment of thora-columbar burst fracture.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Patients who were admitted to our hospital from January 1994 to December 1998 for thoracolumbar burst fracture and treated with open reduction and internal fixation were reviewed. Seventy-five cases who were followed up for more than 1 year were selected. Among of these, 45 cases were treated with internal fixation and posterior fusion only, and in 30 cases transpedicular bone graft was done additionally. Denis classification was used and preop., postop., final follow up wedge angle, Cobb's angle, the height of disc space, and anterior body height were compared and analized respectively.
RESULTS
The preop, postop and final follow-up of wedge angle, cobb's angle, disc height and anterior body height were mea-sured. The preop, postop. and final follow up wedge angle of patients who underwent transpedicular bone graft and patients who were treated with posterior fusion only were 20.4 +/-8.4 degrees, 9.8+/-4.6 degrees, 11.5+/-5.3 degrees and 21.4+/-5.9 degrees, 6.7+/-3.1 degrees , 6.8+/-3.1 degrees respec-tively. The Cobb's angle were 19.2+/-7.3 degrees, 8.9 +/-4.4 degrees, 9.2+/-4.6 degrees and 20.2+/-9.9 degrees, 11+/-5.9 degrees, 15+/-6.9 degrees respectively. Anterior body height were 51+/-15.3%, 93 +/-8.8%, 91+/-8.9% and 53+/-11.3%, 88+/-12.8% and 84+/-15.3%. These values were statistically signifi-cant(p<0.05).
CONCLUSION
Transpedicular bone graft reduced the loss of the Cobb's angle, wedge angle and anterior body height at postop. and last follow-up. The transpedicular bone graft was a valuable method to prevent reduction loss in the treatment of thoracolumbar burst fracture