Inclusion and exclusion criteria.
| Inclusion Criteria | Exclusion Criteria | Rationale |
| Age 17–74 y | Age <16 or >75 y | Minimum age of 16 yto reflect age of consent; maximum age of 75 y to exclude senile burst fractures. |
| Thoracolumbar burst fracture T8-L4 | Multiple burst fractures | Short-segment fixation technique is aimed at single burst fractures. |
| Fractured vertebral wedge angle ≤25° | Fractured vertebral wedge angle >25° | A significant wedge kyphosis indicates that severe loss of anterior vertebral body height may warrant direct decompression and/or corpectomy for vertebral reconstruction and sagittal correction. |
| TLICS ≥4 | – | TLICS ≥4 is the minimum score warranting surgery. |
| No, milda to moderateb neurological deficit | Severe neurological deficitc | Severe neurological deficit may have significant burst fragment retropulsion causing canal compromise that is likely to require direct decompression and fixation. Mild to moderate neurological deficit may have burst fragments retropulsion causing canal compromise that is amenable to indirect reduction. |
Abbreviations: MRC, Medical Research Council Scale for Muscle Strength; TLICS, Thoracolumbar Injury Classification and Severity Score.
↵a Dermatomal or nondermatomal sensory deficits in the lower limbs involving 1 nerve root and/or motor deficit involving 1 nerve root (2 ≤ MRC Grade ≤ 4).
↵b Dermatomal or nondermatomal sensory deficits in the lower limbs involving 1 to 3 nerve roots and/or motor deficit involving1 to 3 nerve roots (2 ≤ MRC Grade ≤ 4).
↵c Motor deficit involves >3 nerve roots with MRC Grade <2 or paraplegia/paraparesis.