European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society
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Osteoporosis results in low-energy fractures of the spine. The load necessary to cause a vertebral fracture is determined by the characteristics related to the vertebral body structure, mineral content, and quality of bone. ⋯ Fall prevention strategies can further decrease the possibility of fracture. A comprehensive approach to osteoporosis can favorably alter the disease.
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Canal stenosis is now the most common indication for lumbar spine surgery in elderly subjects. Degenerative disc disease is by far the most common cause of lumbar spinal stenosis. It is generally accepted that surgery is indicated if a well-conducted conservative management fails. ⋯ Another principle of surgical treatment is interspinous process distraction This device is implanted between the spinous processes, thus reducing extension at the symptomatic level(s), yet allowing flexion and unrestricted axial rotation and lateral flexion. It limits the further narrowing of the canal in upright and extended position. In accordance with the current general tendency towards minimally invasive surgery, such techniques, which preserve much of the anatomy, and the biomechanical function of the lumbar spine may prove highly indicated in the surgical treatment of lumbar stenosis, especially in the elderly.
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Recent advances in both the pharmacological and surgical treatment of osteoporosis and vertebral compression fractures offer exciting new options for elderly patients. However, these treatments should be considered only with an indepth knowledge of osteoporosis as a metabolic disorder with complex effects on bone, its homeostatic regulation, and vertebral strength. ⋯ The strength of a vertebra is directly influenced by the amount and relative proportions of its components, with bone mineral density a useful measure of fracture risk. The purpose of this article is to discuss these issues, among others, in order to offer the reader a better understanding of the pathophysiology of osteoporosis and the determinants of bone strength as they relate to the aging skeleton.
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Cervical spondylotic myelopathy is a clinical entity that manifests itself due to compression and ischemia of the spinal cord. The goal of treatment is to decompress the spinal cord and stabilize the spine in neutral, anatomical position. Since the obstruction and compression of the cord are localized in front of the cord, it is obvious that an anterior surgical approach is the preferred one. The different surgical procedures, complications, and outcome are discussed here.
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Case Reports Clinical Trial
Preoperative radiological and electrophysiological evaluation in 100 adolescent idiopathic scoliosis patients.
This is a prospective study of spinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), electrophysiological recordings, and neurological examinations of 100 patients admitted for surgery for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), which was conducted to assess the prevalence of structural and functional abnormalities within the spinal cord in patients with clinically normal neurologic condition. In all patients the clinical diagnosis and intact neurological condition was ascertained by a spinal orthopedic surgeon. Full-length spinal axis MRI studies (T1/T2 sequences) and somato-sensory evoked potentials of the tibial nerves (tSSEPs) were preoperatively assessed by independent evaluators blinded to the patients' medical histories. ⋯ It is especially important to detect structural pathologies like syringomyelia and Chiari malformation before proceeding with scoliosis surgery, as these conditions are associated with a higher neurological risk during scoliosis surgery. The electrophysiological recordings made in the present study, with the high number of pathological tSSEPs, are indicative of functional abnormalities with a subclinical involvement of the recorded neuronal pathways. The relevance of the latter findings is not yet clear, but pre-operative tSSEP examinations offer the possibility of assessing alterations in spinal cord function that are undetectable by clinical examination.