Functional and Quality of Life Outcomes Following Early Versus Delayed Surgical Stabilisation in Thoracolumbar Fractures: A Prospective Cohort Study.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51168/sjhrafrica.v7i3.2618Keywords:
Thoracolumbar fracture, early stabilisation, delayed surgery, functional outcome, quality of lifeAbstract
Background:
Thoracolumbar fractures are common spinal injuries associated with substantial morbidity, functional disability, and impaired quality of life. Although early surgical stabilization has been suggested to improve outcomes, evidence comparing early and delayed intervention remains limited.
Objective:
To compare functional outcomes and quality of life following early versus delayed surgical stabilization in patients with thoracolumbar fractures.
Methods:
This prospective cohort study included 60 patients with thoracolumbar fractures undergoing surgical stabilization at a tertiary care center. Patients were categorized into early stabilization (within 72 hours of injury; n=30) and delayed stabilization (>72 hours; n=30) groups. Pain intensity was assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), functional outcome using the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and quality of life using the Short Form-36 (SF-36) questionnaire. Outcomes were compared using independent t-tests.
Results:
The mean age of participants was 39.3±10.9 years, and 70.0% were males. Patients undergoing early stabilization demonstrated significantly better outcomes than those receiving delayed surgery. Mean ODI scores were significantly lower in the early group (17.76±6.0 vs. 26.59±7.1; p<0.001). Similarly, VAS pain scores were lower (2.32±0.8 vs. 3.42±0.9; p<0.001), while SF-36 scores were significantly higher (79.21±8.0 vs. 69.81±9.2; p<0.001). Hospital stay was significantly shorter in the early stabilization group.
Conclusion:
Early surgical stabilization was associated with superior functional recovery, reduced pain, improved quality of life, and shorter hospitalization.
Recommendation:
Early surgical stabilization should be considered whenever clinically feasible to optimize recovery and improve patient outcomes following thoracolumbar fractures.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Reetesh Roshan, Raman Kumar, Nilesh Kumar Agrawal, Santosh Kumar, Anurag Kumar
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