POSTEROLATERAL DECOMPRESSION AND STABILIZATION OF THORACOLUMBAR INJURIES USING DIAPASON INSTRUMENTATION

The authors describe a series of 28 patients with thoracolumbar spine injury who were decompressed via a posterolateral approach and stabili zed with a new material for osteosynthesis called Diapason. Similarly to other osteosynthesis systems, it combines the advantages of pedicul ar fixation and rod stabilization. All patients were studied pre- and postoperative by plain X-ray films, standard and 3-D CT scan. The sagi ttal index (S.I.) was calculated in all patients to quantify segmental sagittal deformity. Patient follow-up ranged from 1 to 3 years. Twent y-two patients who presented with neurological deficit improved (78.5% ). Twenty-six patients (92.8%) developed osseous union and 5 patients with spinal deformity (S.I. > 15 degrees) presented a postoperative S. I. of less than 5 degrees at long-term check-up; S.I. underwent a curr ent of 2 degrees in one patient only but it remained stable at subsequ ent controls. Instrument failure occurred in 4 cases (screw breakage i n 1 case, rod displacement in 3) but only one required reoperation bec ause the others were asymptomatic and presented solid fusions.