J Korean Soc Spine Surg.  1997 Nov;4(2):240-248.

Lumbar Spinal Mobility after Anterior Stabilization of the Thoracolumbar Spinal Fractures

• Kim KS
• Choi YS
• Jung HG
• Yeom KS

Abstract

STUDY DESIGN: We analyzed the segmental mobility of the lumbar spine after anterior stabilization in the thoracolumbar spinal fractures, and the data were compared with those obtained from an asymptomatic control group.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the effects of anterior stabilization on the unfused segments of the lumbar spine. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: Spinal fusions are commenly used to stabilize unstable motion segments and to help the maintenance of correction afforded by the instrumentation applied in surgery for spinal deformity or injuries. How the presence of the fusion effects upon the remaining infused spine is not well understood.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
We measured the segmental deformations of the lumbar spine radiologically, from maximum flexion to maximum extension, right and left maximum lateral bending, in 20 asymptomatic volunteers( the control group ) and 30 patients who had the anterior stabilization of the thoracolumbar spinal fractures(the study group). We assessed the percentage of segmental deformations which were obtained by multipling one hundred after the segmental deformation value was divided by the total lumbar deformation value. We made the comparison between the White and Panjabi's results and the control group, between the control group and the study group, between the segmental deformations and the percentage of segmental deformations.
RESULTS
In the control group , the segmental deformations were smaller than those of the corresponding segmenus in the White and Panjabi's results. In the flexion-extension rotation of the lumbarspine, the segmental deformations had a tendency to increase from cephalad to caudal in the controland study group. In the residual lumbar spinal mobility, the segmental deformations of the study group had decreased rather than those of the control group. Especially the segmental deformation below the juxtafused segment had increased more than those of the corresponding segment of the control group in the right lateral bending rotation. The residual lumbar spinal mobility tended to decrease from T12 vertebral stabilization to L2 vertebral stabilization.
CONCLUSION
The unfused segments had accommodated a greater percentage of segmental deformations in spite of diminishing the segmental deformations in comparison with those of the corresponding control subjects. It suggests that the greater percentage of segmental deformations predisposes to early degeneration of unfused segments.

MeSH Terms

Congenital Abnormalities
Humans
Spinal Fractures*
Spinal Fusion
Spine