Injuries of the thoracolumbar junction

In a series of 149 fractures of the thoracolumbar junction (Th12-L1), treated at the Central Hospital of Tampere from 1968 to 1975, 101 patients were seen after an average interval of 5 years. Over half of the fractures were sustained at home or in leisure hours. Over 90% were anterior wedge fractures. One patient died in the hospital of other injuries. The injury caused peraplegia in three cases and other neurological lesions in six. The treatment was conservative except in the patients with paraplegia, who were surgically treated. The patients were mobilized after an average of 15 days. The neurological condition did not deteriorate. Noteworthy changes of the radiological findings occurred during follow-up. The clinical result was considered good in two thirds of the patients, and 91% were able to return to work. The frequency of neurological findings was significant in patients showing radiological deformities. The force responsible for the fracture correlated with the radiological findings and the occurrence of neurological lesions. Narrowing of the vertebral canal and degenerative changes observed on admission had a significant and unfavorable effect on the clinical result.