ANTERIOR DURAL LASERATION DUE TO THORACOLUMBAR BURST FRACTURE

Background: This study investigated the incidence, prediction, and treatment principles of anterior dural laseartion due to thoracolumbar burst farcture.
Methods: Three anterior dural tears were found during anterior decompressive spine surgery. The average age was 42. Preoperative neurologic status and radiologic datas of the patients were analyzed retrospectively. The average follow-up was 20 months.
Results: Anterior dural tears detected in 3 (8.2%) of 35 burst fractures. Primary repair were performed in two patients. There were no cerebro-spinal fluid leakage perioperatively and all patients were neurologically intact at the final follow-up.
Conclusion: It is too difficult to detect anterior dural tear before surgery. Anterior dural tear should be suspected in patient with neurologic deficit and asimetric bony retropulsion into the spinal canal.