Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Nowadays, there are different opinions on risk factors of nerve damage caused by thoracolumbar and lumbar burst fractures.
OBJECTIVE: To analyze the relationship between the posterior ligamentous complex integrity, degrees of spinal stenosis and neural function damage after thoracolumbar and lumbar burst fractures.
METHODS: A total of 156 patients with thoracolumbar and lumbar burst fractures were included in this retrospective analysis, the patients were collected from the Department of Orthopedics, the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University (2002-04/2011-10). The spinal canal sagittal diameter of spine CT cross-sectional was measured, the integrity of posterior ligamentous complex and neural function damage was evaluated, and the statistical analysis was performed.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Neural function damage was found in 94 patients. There was a significant correlation between neural function damage and degrees of spinal stenosis. At the T12 level, neural function damage showed the highest correlation with degrees of spinal stenosis (rs=0.87, P < 0.001). At the T11 level, neural function damage showed the lowest correlation with degrees of spinal stenosis (rs =0.59, P < 0.001). The posterior ligamentous complex integrity was significantly correlated with neural function damage (odd ratio=3.82, P < 0.001). The posterior ligamentous complex integrity and degrees of spinal stenosis were significantly correlated with neural function damage in patients with thoracolumbar fractures.