Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy of treatment of severe thoracolumbar burst fractures by posterior short-segment instrumentation without spinal fusion and assess radiographic imaging and function recovery after surgery.Methods Thirty-eight patients with severe monosegmental thoracolumbar burst fractures treated between July 2011 and March 2013 were analyzed retrospectively.Operation procedures were posterior short-segment pedicle screw distraction reduction and fixation combined with screw insertion to the injured vertebrae and calcium sulphate augmentation.In addition,there was no need for posterolateral interbody fusion.X-ray and CT were performed before and after operation to evaluate local kyphotic angle,anterior fractured vertebral body height and canal encroachment.Visual analogue scale (VAS) and Oswestry disability index (ODI) were assessed before and after operation as well as in follow-up.Results All patients were followed up for average 14 months (range,3-20 months).Local kyphotic angle was (21.2 ±4.3)° before operation,(3.5 ± 1.8)°immediately after operation,and (4.8 ± 2.7) ° in final follow-up.Relative anterior vertebral height was (54.8 ± 14.6)％ before operation,(91.7 ± 8.0)％ after operation,and (87.2 ± 6.0)％ in final follow-up.Mean canal encroachment was (48.0 ± 4.5)％ preoperatively,(23.8 ± 7.8)％postoperatively,and (8.8 ± 4.6) ％ in final follow-up.In final follow-up,six patients with American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) grade C on admission showed improvement to grade D (n =2) and grade E (n =4) ; 10 patients with ASIA grade E on admission showed improvement to grade E; 22 patients with grade E had no changes.ODI and VAS scored 15.5 ±8.8 and 2.3 ±0.8 in final follow-up with substantial improvement from those before operation (P ＜ 0.01).Complications from internal fixation were not found during follow-up.Conclusion Posterior short-segment fixation without fusion is one of the foremost effective methods for severe thoracolumbar burst fractures,for it can effectively restore the sagittal spinal alignment and the fractured vertebral body height.