Association between anterior internal fixation systems and post-operative lateral angulation in thoracolumbar fractures

Abstract

ObjectiveTo explore the effects of the anterior internal fixation systems on the post-operative lateral angulation in treatment of thoracolumbar fractures.Methods A retrospective study was done to analyze the 172 patients who had been consecutively treated by anterior internal fixation for thoracolumbar fractures between May 2004 and January 2008. They were 124 men and 48 women, with a man age of 39.0 years (from 15 through 70 years) . According to the internal fixation system, they were divided into 4 groups: Z-plate (63 cases), Antares (45 cases), Profile (50 cases) and Mono-screw-rod ( 14 cases).Radiographic scans were used to measure and compare the coronal Cobb angles between preoperation and postoperation as well as between the 4 groups.Results All the patients were followed up for 8 to 49 months (mean, 39 months) . The mean coronal Cobb angle was O. 8°±3.9° before operation, 3. 2°±4. 1°immediately after operation, and 3.5° ± 4. 2° at the final follow-up. In all the cases and the 4 groups, the postoperative lateral angulation was significantly larger compared to preoperation ( P ＜ 0. 05), but there was no significant difference between the last follow-up and postoperation ( P ＞ 0. 05). There were no significant differences in multiple comparison of postoperative coronal Cobb angles between the 4 internal fixation systems ( P ＞ O. 05) . There were no significant differences in ratio of postoperative lateral angulation between the 4internal fixation systems either ( P ＞ 0.05).Conclusion The current internal fixation systems are not associated with the postoperative lateral angulation in treatment of thoracolumbar fractures. Key words: Thoracic vertebrae; Lumbar vertebrae; Fractures; Fracture fixation, internal; Internal fixators