A Clinical Study of the Posterior Stabilization of the Spinal Injuries

Lee, Young Sik; Yang, Han Sul; Choi, Kyung Soo; Choung, Eea Sub

Abstract

There are controversies in operative management of unstable fracture of fracture-dislocation of the spine. Posterior Stabilization is a good method and there are many benefits, such as the safety method, less complication, easiness to acquire more accurate reduction and more rigid fixation than other methods. Among 141 spinal injury patients who were admitted to this hospital from March, 1980 to November, 1985, twenty two cases of spine fracture and fractuar dislocation who were treated with surgical measures were evaluated and analysed. Our surgical measures were posterior wiring and fusion in cervical spine (7 cases), Harrington instrumentation with or without posterior fusion in thoracolumber spine (12 cases), and others (3 cases). Brief summary of the results is as follows: l. Eighty-six percent of angular deformity was corrected after posterior wiring and posterior fusion and 75%, after Harrington instrumentation, 73%, after Harrington instrumentation and posterior fusion. 2. Eighty four percent of displacement was corrected after posterior wiring and posterior fusion and 65%, after Harrington instrumentation, 71%, after Harrington instrumentation and posterior fusion. 3. Improvement of the neurologic status related to interval between injury and operation was 28% within 24 hours, 11% within a week. 4. No significant differences in the recovery of the neurologic signs were found according tothemethod of surgical treatments. 5. Except for the patients who were seriously compromised or required anterior decompression, immediate posterior stabilization is valuable to provide the better reduction, rigid fixation, promotion of recovery of neural function and early ambulation.