Treatment of patients with unstable fractures of the thoracic and lumbar spine: a follow-up study of surgical and conservative treatment.

A follow-up study was made to compare the effect of surgical reduction and stabilization of unstable vertebral fractures with the results of conservative treatment. Twenty patients treated by conservative methods and 18 patients subjected to surgical stabilization were analyzed with respect to period of immobilization, healing time, degree of residual deformity, neurological restitution and incidence of complications. The wide variety of initial impairment did not permit any definite conclusions with regard to neurological restitution. In all other respects, however, surgical stabilization produced better results as reflected by shorter periods of immobilization, hospitalization and rehabilitation, less residual deformity, and a lower incidence of complications. It may be concluded therefore that surgical treatment of unstable vertebral fractures may be of benefit to both patients and society.