Outcomes of the Surgical Treatment of Lumbar Fractures with Plate-Rod System

Objective: Describe surgical, clinical and radiographic outcomes in patients with lumbar fractures treated with plate rod system (Placa Barra^®-SOLCO)

Study design: Observational, longitudinal, direct assignation study.

Methods: The study is designed to evaluate surgical, clinical and radiological outcomes in patients with lumbar fractures, treated by short fixation with plate rod system (Placa Barra®), without arthrodesis, removing hardware at 1-year follow-up. The clinical outcomes are evaluated by the visual analogue scale, oswestry disability index, roland morris questionnaire and short form. Radiological measures considered in this study are vertebral body height of fractured vertebra, kyphosis angle and segmental motion.

Results: 8 patients were included in the study, with a mean age of 39.5 ± 18.26 years old. The mean surgery time was 123.5 ± 43.32 minutes and trans operatory blood loss of 343 ml ± 304.06 ml. No trans operatory complications were reported. The correction of kyphotic angle was 14.72° ± 9.04° and the correction lost was 7.15° ± 11.86°. Mean vertebral body height correction was 29.75° ± 12.58% and correction lost was 3.88° ± 6.98% in follow up (p=0.013). The spine segmental motion found was 5.03° ± 1.3°.

Conclusion: Fixation of lumbar fractures with plate rod system (Placa Barra^®) without arthrodesis gives a kyphosis correction of 15°, with a 4° correction loss at a 1-year follow-up. Segmental mobility after material removal stayed at normal ranges.