Orthopedic correction of posttraumatic spinal deformities

Diagnostic-and-treatment algorithm of rendering medical care in patients with fractures of the spine and spinal cord injuries has been developed and adopted. A neuro-orthopedic approach to the diagnostics and treatment of such patients has been proposed depending on injury character and time from injury. Modern methods of diagnosing the occult dysfunctions of the spinal cord and its terminal parts in the preclinical phase are presented in patients with unstable fractures of the spine. The indications for active surgical tactics of treatment of patients with spinal fractures and their postoperative management have been developed on the basis of clinical-and-radiological examination, magnetic resonance imaging, electroneuromyographic and biomechanical studies. The biomechanically reasonable techniques of effective and little-invasive correction of spinal deformity and closed decompression of the spinal cord and its derivatives, efficient in patients with fresh and neglected fractures of the spine, have been proposed. The developed technique for osteosynthesis of the spine using an external fixator allows to provide early activation of the persons injured, significantly reduces the periods of vertebral fracture consolidation and prevents disability in patients.