Journal of neurosurgery. Spine
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Studies comparing surgical treatments for cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) are heterogeneous, using a variety of different quality of life (QOL) outcomes and myelopathy-specific measures. This study sought to evaluate the relationship of these measures to each other, and to better understand their use in evaluating patients with CSM. ⋯ The authors found that all included measures of QOL and CSM-specific (mJOA or Nurick scale) measures were valid and responsive. The PDQ was the most predictive of positive QOL after surgery (as measured by the EQ-5D index) for patients with CSM. The substantially lower correlation between myelopathy and QOL outcomes, compared with the various QOL measures themselves, suggests that these questionnaires are measuring different aspects of the patient experience. Solely assessing the myelopathy or disease-specific signs and symptoms is likely insufficient to fully understand and appreciate clinical outcome in its totality. These questionnaire types should be used together to best evaluate patients pre- and postoperatively.
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There are reports that fusion is the standard treatment of choice for cases of lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis (LDS) associated with lumbar spinal canal stenosis with a large degree of slippage. The reasons why, however, have not been clarified. On the other hand, it is known that the progress of slippage decreases and restabilization occurs over the natural course of LDS. Therefore, if minimally invasive decompression could be performed, there would be little possibility of it influencing the natural course of LDS, so it would not be necessary to include preoperative percentage slip in the criteria for the selection of fusion. This study examined the course of LDS cases more than 5 years after treatment with minimally invasive decompression to determine whether pre- and postoperative slippage and disc changes influence the clinical results. ⋯ When minimally invasive decompression was performed to treat LDS, the postoperative change in slippage was no different from that during the natural course. Furthermore, regardless of the degree of preoperative slippage or intervertebral disc degeneration, the clinical results were favorable. Also, the higher the preoperative percentage slip and the more that disc degeneration progressed, the more the progress of postoperative slippage decreased. Because the postoperative progress of slippage decreased, it is believed that even after minimally invasive decompression, restabilization occurs as it would during the natural course. If minimally invasive decompression can be performed to treat LDS, it is believed that preoperative percentage slip and intervertebral disc degeneration do not have to be included in the appropriateness criteria for fusion.
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The authors report on a novel method of intraoperative navigation with inertial measurement units (IMUs) for implantation of S-2 alar iliac (S2AI) screws in sacropelvic fixation of the human spine and its application in cadaveric specimens. ⋯ IMU-based intraoperative navigation may facilitate accurate placement of S2AI screws.
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OBJECT This study was undertaken to evaluate the impact of postoperative MRI artifact on the assessment of ongoing spinal cord or nerve root compression after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) using a trabecular tantalum cage or bone autograft or allograft. METHODS The authors conducted a retrospective review of postoperative MRI studies of patients treated surgically for cervical disc degenerative disease or cervical instability secondary to trauma. Standard ACDF with either a trabecular tantalum cage or interbody bone graft had been performed. ⋯ CONCLUSIONS Interbody fusion with tantalum cage following anterior cervical discectomy imparts significant paramagnetic artifact, which significantly decreases visualization and assessment of ongoing surgical level nerve root, but not spinal cord, compression. Anterior plate constructs do not affect visualization of these structures. TSE T2-weighted sequences significantly improve nerve root visualization and should be performed as part of a standard postoperative protocol when imaging the cervical spine following interbody implantation of materials with potential for paramagnetic artifact.
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Surgical correction for kyphoscoliosis is increasingly being performed for patients with mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS). Reported case series have predominantly included patients with Type I (Hurler) and Type IV (Morquio) MPS. To their knowledge, the authors describe the first case report of surgical management of thoracolumbar kyphoscoliosis in Hunter syndrome (MPS Type II) and the rare occurrence of lumbar spondylolisthesis following surgical stabilization. ⋯ However, he had also developed a Grade II spondylolisthesis at L4-5; this was managed nonoperatively in the absence of symptoms or further deterioration of the spondylolisthesis to the 3.5-year postoperative follow-up visit. Satisfactory correction of thoracolumbar kyphoscoliosis in Hunter syndrome can be achieved by combined anterior/posterior instrumented arthrodesis. The risk of developing deformity or instability in motion segments adjacent to an instrumented fusion may be greater in patients with MPS related to the underlying connective tissue disorder.