Abstract
Objective To evaluate the spinopelvic alignment in patients with thoracolumbar burst fracture
(TBF) without neurological deficit treated nonsurgically and surgically in a tertiary
reference trauma hospital.
Method Retrospective cross-sectional study of patients with single level, type A3 and A4
AOSpine TBF only of the thoracolumbar region. Analysis of clinical data, low back
pain (visual analogue scale [VAS]), Denis Pain Scale, quality of life (SF-36), sagittal
(TC, TLC, LL, SVA) and spinopelvic (IP, PV, SI, PI-LL) radiographic parameters of
patients treated surgically and nonsurgically.
Results A total of 50 individuals with an average age of 50 years old with a mean follow-up
of 109 months (minimum of 19 and maximum of 306 months) were evaluated. There was
a significant difference between treatments for the Denis Work Scale (p = 0.046) in favor of nonsurgical treatment. There was no significant difference between
the treatments for lower back pain VAS and Denis Pain Scale (p = 0.468 and p = 0.623). There was no significant difference between treatments in any of the domains
evaluated with the SF-36 (p > 0.05). Radiographic parameters were not different between the analyzed groups;
however, all radiographic parameters showed significant difference between the population
considered asymptomatic, except for pelvic incidence (p < 0.005).
Conclusions The spinopelvic alignment was normal in patients with TBF without neurological deficit
treated nonsurgically and surgically after a minimum follow-up of 19 months. However,
they presented a higher mean pelvic version and discrepancy between lumbar lordosis
and pelvic incidence when compared with the reference values of the Brazilian population.
Keywords
spinal curvatures - spinal fractures - spinal injuries
