Treatment of Thoracolumbar Fractures With Vertebroplasty in Combination With Posterior Instrumentation

摘要

The surgical treatment of thoracolumbar fracture remains controversial. The anterior approach provides good decompression and solid fusion, but the operative risk is relatively higher than that associated with the posterior approach. The posterior approach, which often involves treatment with short rigid posterior fusion, is simple to perform and less traumatic for the patient. The surgical treatment of deformities such as kyphosis and scoliosis can be challenging, however, given the associated poor bone quality and propensity for instrumentation cutout. This report describes 3 patients with thoracic and lumbar fractures who were successfully treated with vertebroplasty in combination with posterior fixation using pedicle screws or hooks. Vertebroplasty with polymethylmethacrylate offers immediate spinal stability in patients with thoracolumbar fractures and may decrease the instrument failure rate compared with not using vertebroplasty.