J Korean Soc Spine Surg.  1999 Dec;6(3):432-436.

Relationship Between Degree of Spinal Canal Stenosis and Neurologic Deficits and Recovery in Thoracolumbar Burst Fractures

• Park HJ
• Park JS

Abstract

STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective study was designed in 56 consecutive thoracolumbar burst fractures.
OBJECTIVES
To evaluate the relationships between the spinal canal stenosis and neurologic deficits and between the amount of decompression and the neurologic recovery. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: Some authors have reported that spinal canal stenosis correlated with the neurologic deficit, others have reported that there was no relationship.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Using preop. and postop. CT scans of 56 burst fractures, we calculated the canal patency(CP) and the midsagittal anteroposterior diameter residue(MDR) as spinal canal stenosis. We categorized the patients with Frankel grade and scored according to the motor index score at trauma and on last follow up as neurologic status. And then, we correlated the spinal canal stenosis(CP, MDR) with the neurologic status(Frankel grade, motor index score)
RESULTS
There was significant correlation between the spinal canal stenosis and the neurologic deficit at trauma. but there was no significant correlation between the amount of decompression and neurologic recovery on last follow up.
CONCLUSION
The spinal canal stenosis was correlated with the neurologic deficit, but neurologic recovery might be correlated with the complex factors(ie, cord injury, biochemical change, blood supply etc.), not only the anatomical reduction.

Keyword

Thoracolumbar; Burst fracture; Canal stenosis; Neurologic deficit

MeSH Terms

Constriction, Pathologic*
Decompression
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Neurologic Manifestations*
Retrospective Studies
Spinal Canal*
Tomography, X-Ray Computed