TREATMENT OF FRACTURES AND DISLOCATIONS OF THE THORACIC AND LUMBAR SPINE BY FUSION AND HARRINGTON INSTRUMENTATION

Thirty-three patients with fractures of the thoracolumbar spine were t reated by fusion and Harrington instrumentation after early reduction and stabilisation by postural reduction or halo-bifemoral traction. Th e rod-long-fuse-short technique was used. Postoperatively, all patient s were mobilised with an external support. The mean follow-up was 6 ye ars (range 1-13 years). Twenty-eight patients were pain-free, three pa tients needed sporadic pain medication. One patient was not working du e to pain in his leg. One patient had constant pain. Twenty-three pati ents returned to work. The mean kyphosis increased from 8 degrees post operatively to 13 degrees at follow-up.