Ilizarov external fixator for burst fracture of the lumbar spine: a case report

Matsubara H, Tsuchiya H, Kawahara N, Kobayashi T, Morinaga T, Tomita K
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, School of Medicine, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan

A 50-year-old man presented with severe back pain and tenderness throughout the lumbar area after falling from a ladder. He had an unstable type-B burst fracture, with a spinal canal narrowing of 36% and an anterior height loss of 65%. His lower-limb neurological function was intact. An Ilizarov external spinal fixator was used; the pedicular half pins were inserted into the bilateral T11, T12, L2, and L3 pedicles; bilateral pedicular half pins were fixed at each level with external plates and rods. Postoperatively, the patient had a lordosis of 2 degrees and was able to walk 7 days later. The external fixator was removed at 10 weeks. Six years and 10 months after surgery, the patient had a kyphosis of 19 degrees that did not affect his activities of daily living.