Background:

To compare the corrective and clinical effects between Scoliosis Research Society (SRS)-Schwab grade IV osteotomy combined with the interbody fusion cage and pure grade IV osteotomy in the treatment of old thoracolumbar vertebral osteoporotic fractures with kyphosis.

Methods:

Twenty-four cases of old thoracolumbar osteoporotic fractures with kyphosis treated by grade IV osteotomy in Sichuan Provincial Orthopedic Hospital from January 2018 to December 2019 were reviewed. Eleven cases were treated with grade IV osteotomy combined with the interbody fusion cage (group A), and 13 cases were treated with grade IV osteotomy alone (group B). Operation time, blood loss, and perioperative conditions of the 2 groups were recorded. After operation and the last follow up, the kyphosis angle (Cobb angle) and sagittal vertical axis (SVA) were measured by whole-spine splicing X-ray; clinical effect was analyzed by visual analog score (VAS) and Oswestry disability index (ODI).

Results:

All operations were successful. Operation time was 239.5±29.0 min in group A and 179.2±22.7 min in group B (P<0.05). Intraoperative blood loss in group A was 1,560.9±378.6 mL and 1,242.3±339.0 mL in group B (P<0.05). Cerebrospinal fluid leakage occurred in 3 cases in group A and 1 case in group B (P<0.05). There were 3 cases of transient neurological symptoms in group A and 1 case in group B (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in Cobb angle and SVA between the 2 groups (P>0.05). There was no significant difference in ODI and VAS between the 2 groups (P>0.05). There were no complications, such as spinal cord injury, internal fixation loosening and fracture, or orthopedic loss.

Conclusions:

SRS-Schwab grade IV osteotomy combined with the interbody fusion cage and pure grade IV osteotomy can achieve good short-term orthopedic and clinical effects in the treatment of old thoracolumbar osteoporotic fractures with kyphosis. Corrective and clinical effects of the two groups are equivalent, but the operation time of grade IV osteotomy combined with the interbody fusion cage is longer, the amount of intraoperative blood is greater, and the incidence of complications is higher.