Assessment of new method of posterior spinal fusion in the treatment of patients with posttraumatic kyphotic deformity of the thoracic and lumbar spine

Abstract

Objective. To carry out a comparative analysis of two methods of the posterior bone block formation (with autograft bone chips or with a whole vertebral arch) and to assess the rate of bone block formation, the degree of surgery invasiveness and the patient-reported cos- metic satisfaction with the results. Material and Methods. The study involved 31 patients with kyphotic deformity of the thoracic spine, of which 15 patients underwent spinal fusion using autograft bone chips (control group), and 16 were operated on using a new technique with a whole vertebral arch. The results of treatment were assessed using a modified MacNab scale. During the follow-up period from 1.5 to 2 years, pain syndrome was assessed according to VAS, quality of life according the Oswestry Disability Index, and cosmetic satisfaction was assessed using the SRS-22 scale. Results. In the course of the work, it was revealed that in patients who were operated on using new method, the time of bone block forma- tion according to CT data was shorter, the overall satisfaction with surgery result was higher (mainly due to the absence of a cosmetic de- fect), and the indicators of the operation duration and blood loss did not differ compared to those in the control group. Conclusion. Based on the results obtained, spinal fusion using a whole vertebral arch can be recommended in clinical practice for surgical interventions in patients with kyphotic deformities of the spine.

Keywords

• posterior fusion
• deformity correction
• bone autograft
• kyphotic deformity