[Treatment of thoracic vertebrae fracture with vertebral pedicle-screw placement in selected injured vertebrae].

OBJECTIVE

To study the clinical effects of vertebral pedicle-screw placement in selected thoracic vertebrae with fresh fracture in reduction and fixation.

METHODS

Twenty-five patients with thoracic vertebrae fracture, involving 1 vertebra in 13 cases, 2 vertebrae in 7 cases, and 3 vertebrae in 5 cases, underwent vertebral pedicle-screw placement in selected unilateral or bilateral injured vertebrae with relatively complete pedicle of vertebral arch. Pedicle-screw was inserted into the pedicle of the injured vertebra guided by fluoroscopy to achieve posterior pedicle screw fixation, the height of the collapsed vertebral body was recovered by popping up or extruding the vertebral pedicle-screw. The patients were followed up for 18 - 24 months.

RESULTS

The postoperative X-films showed that the direction and length of the screws were satisfying without screw looseness and breakage of the internal fixation. No loss of spinal height of the injured vertebrae was seen after reduction.

CONCLUSION

Pedicle-screw fixation of the injured thoracic vertebrae is effective in treatment of fresh thoracic vertebrae fracture.