One-Year Clinical Outcomes of Minimal-Invasive Dorsal Percutaneous Fixation of Thoracolumbar Spine Fractures

Medicina, 2022 · DOI: 10.3390/medicina58050606 · Published: April 27, 2022

Patient Experience Surgery Musculoskeletal Medicine

Simple Explanation

This study examines the results of using a minimally invasive surgical technique to stabilize fractures in the middle and lower back (thoracolumbar spine). The procedure involves inserting screws and rods through the skin to fix the fractured vertebrae. The researchers looked at patient-reported outcomes, such as pain and quality of life, as well as factors like hospital stay and complications, to see how well the surgery worked. The study found that this minimally invasive approach led to significant improvements in patient outcomes, although there was a complication rate of about 13%.

Study Duration

1 year

Participants

68 patients with thoracolumbar spine fractures

Evidence Level

Retrospective cohort study

Key Findings

1
Minimal-invasive stabilization of thoracolumbar fractures utilizing a dorsal percutaneous approach resulted in significant PROM outcome improvements for up to 1 year of follow-up.
2
A higher number of levels treated is not an adverse indicator for PROMs.
3
Higher duration of hospital stay and a lower age was significantly associated with impaired COMI outcomes after 3 weeks.

Research Summary

This study evaluated the clinical outcomes of minimal-invasive percutaneous dorsal screw-rod system for thoracolumbar fracture stabilization, focusing on patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) and clinicopathological characteristics. The results showed significant improvements in PROMs up to 1 year post-surgery, but also a complication rate of 13.2%. Notably, PROMs were not significantly associated with clinicopathological characteristics or technique-related variables. The study concludes that while minimal-invasive stabilization improves patient outcomes, further research is needed to identify factors affecting PROMs for more accurate predictive models and outcome assessments.

Practical Implications

Surgical technique

Minimal-invasive percutaneous fixation is a viable option for thoracolumbar fractures.

Patient selection

Age and hospital stay duration may influence early outcomes.

Post-operative monitoring

Close monitoring for complications is necessary.

Study Limitations

1
Retrospective design
2
Monocentric study
3
Potential selection bias

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