OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the results of monosegmental fixation for the treatment of thoracolumbar fractures, to identify possible variables that influence treatment failure. METHODS: Case series of patients operated in a 10-year period. 33 patients were identified. Of these, 5 were eliminated due to insufficient data. 28 patients were evaluated, with a mean age 36 years and median follow up of 30 months. We defined radiological treatment failure as > or = 10 degrees of increased local Kyphosis in the radiographs in the last follow-up, compared with the measurements from the initial radiographs performed postoperatively or failure of the implant. We defined poor clinical results as complications, time out of work > to P 90 of the study group and/or inability to return to work. RESULTS: 4 patients (14%) presented radiological treatment failure. 3 suffered acute complications, and had 2 delayed complications. 92.8% of the patients returned to their jobs, with a mean postoperative time out of work of 3.4 months. no statistically significant differences were detected among the different evaluated variables evaluated and the levels of treatment failure. CONCLUSION: Posterior monosegmental fixation has good results in the treatment of thoracolumbar fractures. In our series we had good clinical results in 93% and radiological results in 86% of the patients. We did not find any variable that could be correlated with treatment failure, although the cases considered failures according to the radiological exams had a major preoperative kyphosis and a greater postoperative kyphosis correction than those who did not.
Spine fractures; Lumbar vertebrae; Thoracic vertebrae; Arthrodesis; Fracture fixation; Thoracolumbar fractures; Monosegmental fusion
