BACKGROUND The management of thoracolumbar (TL) burst fractures is still controversial. The thoracolumbar injury classification and severity score (TLICS) algorithm is now widely used to guide clinical decision making, however, in clinical practice, we come to realize that TLICS also has its limitations for treating patients with total scores less than 4, for which conservative treatment may no...

OBJECT The authors undertook a retrospective cohort study of patients with T11-L2 thoracolumbar burst fractures who underwent decompression and the placement of instrumentation via the anterolateral or posterior approach. METHODS There were 63 thoracolumbar burst fractures in 45 male and 18 female patients. The instrumentation was placed posteriorly in 25 patients and anterolaterally in 38. T...

STUDY DESIGN A systematic quantitative review of the literature. OBJECTIVE To compare combined anterior-posterior surgery versus posterior surgery for thoracolumbar fractures in order to identify better treatments. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA Axial load of the anterior and middle column of the spine can lead to a burst fracture in the vertebral body. The management of thoracolumbar burst fra...

The combination of anterior and posterior instrumentation provides the most stable repair for burst fractures of the thoracolumbar spine. However, the use of both approaches on a trauma patient may increase morbidity. Stabilization of three columns through only one approach can provide an effective outcome. We treated eight patients with burst fracture involving the thoracic or lumbar vertebrae...