Objectives: To determine the phenomenon of remodelling of the spinal canal after thoracolumbar burst fracture and to investigate the efficacy of nonoperative management.
Methods: A total of 31 patients with thoracolumbar burst fractures, including 7 untreated, 16 treated nonoperatively, and 8 treated operatively, were retrospectively analysed and followed up for 3 to 7 year. The initial and final degrees of neurological deficit and stenotic ratio of the spinal canal were recorded.
Results: The stenotic ratio significantly decreased (P < 0.01) from the discharge (range: 12.3% to 74.5%, average: 26.2%) to the final follow-up (range: 5.4% to 46.5%, average: 19.2%), but there were no differences (P > 0.05) of stenotic ratio improvement among the patients untreated, and treated nonoperatively and operatively, or among the patients with different degree of neurological deficit.
Conclusions: Significant remodelling of the spinal canal develops after thoracolumbar burst fractures. Nonoperative management may be taken into account for treatment of neurological intact patients with thoracolumbar burst fractures.