Results of spinal cord decompression and thoracolumbar pedicle stabilisation in relation to the time of operation

Short-segment pedicle stabilisation, transpedicular disc resection and auto logous cancellous bone grafting is performed in trauma patients being trans ferred to our trauma centre with thoracolumbar fracture/dislocations. A fol low-up examination of 88 patients, who were operated during the years of 19 85 - 1992, took place after an average time of 5.6 years. Our results sugge st that the earlier operative decompression and spine stabilisation takes p lace, the better is the recovery rate in patients with neurologic deficits. The highest neurologic recovery rates were found in patients operated with in 8 h after the initial trauma. High remission rates were still found, if the patients had been operated within 48 h. After this time there was no si gnificant difference in the neurologic outcome compared to the time of oper ation.