ANTERIOT DECOMPRESSION THERAPY FOR OLD THORACOLUMBAR FRACTURES COMPLICATED WITH PARAPLEGIA

Objective: To study the clinical results of anterior decompression therapy for old thora-columbar fractures complicated with paraplegia (OTFCP). Method: Of 12 such patients, 7 underwentanterior decompression and bone graft, and 5 cases with fracture - dislocation or severe hyphosis receivedanterior decompression together with Kaneda screw orthesis, internal fixation and bone graft. Result:The follow - up varied from six months to 3 and a half year. According to Frankel calssification, 10 pa-tients improved from 1 to 3 grades, the total effective rate being 83. 3%. Conclusion: Anterior decom-pression for OTFP patients with obvious compressive object in front of the spinal cord leads to clear field ofoperation, sufficient decompression, less nerve injury and high - rate recovery for patients with paraple-gia.