The use of the Hartshill system for the internal fixation of spinal fractures and tumors.


Published online: Dec 30 1991

J Dove.

Spinal Service, Stoke-on-Trent, United Kingdom.

Abstract

We present the use of our Hartshill system for the posterior fixation of fractures and tumors. We present our first 69 fractures with a minimum two year follow-up (11 cervical, 8 thoracic, 42 thoracolumbar, 8 lumbar). The Hartshill system is a simple and secure method for the fixation of the spine in such cases. Both in thoracolumbar fractures and in tumours the common problem is collapse of the anterior column so that the spine is in kyphosis. Biomechanically the solution for the reduction and internal fixation in such cases is to use a fixation system which reduces the kyphosis by creating a lordosis. This is simply achieved with the Hartshill system.