Bony healing of unstable thoracolumbar burst fractures in the elderly using percutaneously applied titanium mesh cages and a transpedicular fixation system with expandable screws.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

There is a high incidence of vertebral burst fractures following low velocity trauma in the elderly. Treatment of unstable vertebral burst fractures using the same principles like in stable vertebral burst fractures may show less favourable results in terms of fracture reduction, maintenance of reduction and cement leakage. In order to address these shortcomings this study introduces cementless fixation of unstable vertebral burst fractures using internal fixators and expandable intravertebral titanium mesh cages in a one-stage procedure via minimum-invasive techniques.

Material and methods

A total of 16 consecutive patients (median age 76 years, range 58-94) with unstable thoracolumbar burst fractures and concomitant osteoporosis were treated by an internal fix

SUBMITTER: Eschler A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4338244 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature