Computerized tomographic assessment of the traumatized dorsolumbar spine before and after Harrington instrumentation.

Nine patients, treated with Harrington instrumentation for dorsolumbar fracture dislocations were studied pre- and postoperatively with computerized tomography (CT). In all 9 cases the preoperative CT scan showed the bony intrusion upon the spinal canal. Postoperative CT scans were of good quality despite minimal scatter artifact from the rods and demonstrated the integrity of the spinal canal and the reduction of the dislocation. CT scan is a useful tool for diagnosing the severity of dorsolumbar spine fractures and judging the results of the various forms of therapy.