The authors showed their experience on the surgical management of thoracicand lumbar fractures. A total of 27 patients surgically treated from 1988 to 1991 by posteriorapproach have been included in the study. Cotrel-Dubousset instrumentation was used in allcases. Except for three patients, all were operated on by posterior approach. In the burst fractures,decompression and reduction of the posterior wall was performed by transpedicular approach.The results obtained from the radiological (sagittal index, canal occupation) as wellas functional and neurological point of view were reviewed. Burst fracture was the must frequenttype (52% of cases). Seventeen patients (63%) showed neurological damage, 3 of themwith (11%) had paraplegia and did not show any recovery after surgery. Those with incompleteneurological lesion improved at least one or two degrees on the Frankel's score. Neither pseudoarthrosis;nor loss of more than 7 degrees in the sagittal index were observed. The percentageof height loss of vertebral body was always less than 10%. When the sagittal index augmented,it was related with a collapse of discal space. Posterior wall alignement did not suffer loss ofcorrection during follow-up. The CD segmentary instrumentation seems to be an efficient systemfor stabilization of vertebral fractures. CD shows a wide versatility adapting to differenttopographic lesions and saving healty levels. However, CD is less efficient with flexion stressand therefore patients require postoperative bracing in lordosis.

The authors showed their experience on the surgical management of thoracicand lumbar fractures. A total of 27 patients surgically treated from 1988 to 1991 by posteriorapproach have been included in the study. Cotrel-Dubousset instrumentation was used in allcases. Except for three patients, all were operated on by posterior approach. In the burst fractures,decompression and reduction of the posterior wall was performed by transpedicular approach.The results obtained from the radiological (sagittal index, canal occupation) as wellas functional and neurological point of view were reviewed. Burst fracture was the must frequenttype (52% of cases). Seventeen patients (63%) showed neurological damage, 3 of themwith (11%) had paraplegia and did not show any recovery after surgery. Those with incompleteneurological lesion improved at least one or two degrees on the Frankel's score. Neither pseudoarthrosis;nor loss of more than 7 degrees in the sagittal index were observed. The percentageof height loss of vertebral body was always less than 10%. When the sagittal index augmented,it was related with a collapse of discal space. Posterior wall alignement did not suffer loss ofcorrection during follow-up. The CD segmentary instrumentation seems to be an efficient systemfor stabilization of vertebral fractures. CD shows a wide versatility adapting to differenttopographic lesions and saving healty levels. However, CD is less efficient with flexion stressand therefore patients require postoperative bracing in lordosis.