The relationship between static spinal canal encroachment in thoracolumbar burst fracture and spinal cord injury

Objective:To study the relationship between static spinal canal encroachment in thoracolumbar burst fracture and spinal cord injury(SCT).Methods:Fifty-six patients with thoracolumbar burst fracture were included.Computed tomographic scans were used to measure the sagittal diameters and the surface area of the spinal canal.The percentage of spinal canal stenosis and spinal canal impingement at the level of injury were calculated to reflect the static spinal canal encroachment of the spinal canal.The neurological status was evaluated with ASIA impair-ment scale and the motor index score.Then the static spinal canal encroachments of the spinal canals with different neurological statuses were compared.Results:No difference was found at the level of injury in the percentage of spinal canal stenosis and spinal canal impingement between the patients with and without SCI(P0.05).However,the percentage of spinal canal stenosis and spinal canal impingement was significantly higher in the SCI patients with lower motor scores(25points)than that with higher motor scores(≥25points)(P0.05).The percentages of spinal canal stenosis and spinal canal impingement showed a negative correlation with both ASIA impairment and motor index score(rs=-0.46～-0.52,P≤0.01).Conclusion:The static canal encroachment in thoracolumbar burst fracture affects SCI,the percentage of spinal canal stenosis and spinal canal impingement can reflect the degree of SCI in a certain extent.