Five patients with a destructive vertebral lesion (infectious or
tumorous) in the thoracolumbar or lumbar spine were treated with
single-stage resection, anterior spine fusion, and posterior Harrington
distraction instrumentation. Twelve patients with a fracture-dislocation
were also so treated. Correction of vertebral instability and deformity and
early mobilization of the patient were the advantages realized. Of the
seventeen patients, ten with an incomplete neural deficit improved, three
of them to complete recovery. The conditions of five patients with
traumatic, complete paraplegia remained unchanged postoperatively. All
patients began walking or sitting within fourteen days of the operative
procedure. The reported complications were one failure of Harrington
instrumentation eight months after the operation and one wound infection
one month postoperatively.