Background: Lumbar burst fractures are common spinal injuries that cause severe instability with kyphotic deformities and neurological complications requiring surgical decompression and reconstruction with spinal instrumentation for unstable burst fracture, but there is controversy about the optimal surgical approach anterior, posterior or combined approach. Objectives: To assess the efficacy & safety of anterolateral approach in decompression and reconstruction with spinal instrumentation for lumbar burst fractures. Subjects & Methods: A retrospective study including 16 patients, 10 males and 6 females with lumbar burst fractures and anterior compression treated operatively by anterolateral approach for corpectomy and single level fusion by using expandable cage or mesh cage loaded with bone graft and plat with screws. The clinical and radiological follow up after discharge from the hospital ranged from 12 to 24 months. Results: All patients improved regarding the Frankel score more than one grade after surgery, except 2 cases of grade A didn't improve. Mean preoperative visual analogue scale was 7.4 improving to 0.9 postoperatively. The mean Local kyphosis improved from 8.8˚ before surgery to −1˚ after surgery. Conclusions: Anterolateral approach is feasible, effective, and safe approach for unstable lumbar burst fractures. Angular deformity is successfully corrected when the anterior approach is used.

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