BIOMECHANICAL EVALUATION OF SHORT-SEGMENT POSTERIOR INSTRUMENTATION WITH CROSSLINKS IN AN UNSTABLE HUMAN BURST FRACTURE MODEL

摘要

Unstable thoracolumbar burst fractures are serious injuries and their management remains controversial. Some authors advocate the use of short-segment posterior instrumentation (SSPI) for certain burst fractures which offers several benefits including preservation of motion segments; however, clinical studies have shown mixed results. Whether crosslinks contribute sufficient stability to this construct has not been determined, therefore the objective of this study was to evaluate the biomechanical characteristics of short-segment posterior instrumentation, with and without crosslinks, in an unstable human burst fracture model.