POSTERIOR INSTRUMENTATION FOR THORACOLUMBAR TRAUMA

The majority of thoracolumbar spine fractures and fracture dislocation s may be considered acute sagittal plane deformities, Unstable thoraco lumbar spine injuries require stabilization to (1) allow mobilization of the patient to prevent pulmonary and venous complications; (2) to r elieve pain; (3) to realign the spine and spinal canal, and (4) to dec ompress directly or indirectly the neural elements, Posterior spinal i nstrumentation is a safe, available, familiar, and effective method to achieve these goals, Posterior spinal instrumentation techniques used rod hook systems or screw rod and screw plate systems, Most of these unstable injuries can be managed using these well established techniqu es without the need for additional combined or staged anterior spinal surgery.