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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The introduction of the titanium mesh cage (TMC) in spinal surgery has opened up a variety of applications that are realizable as a result of the versatility of the implant. Differing applications of TMCs in the whole spine are described in a series of 150 patients. ⋯ Implant subsidence, pseudarthrosis and implant loosening are the complications typically encountered with use of TMCs. The versatility of the implant permits its use in unusual surgical situations.
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Registration is a critical and important process in maintaining the accuracy of CT-based image-guided surgery. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of the area of intraoperative data sampling and number of sampling points on the accuracy of surface-based registration in a CT-based spinal-navigation system, using an optical three-dimensional localizer. A cadaveric dry-bone phantom of the lumbar spine was used. ⋯ The use of 20 surface points on the lamina usually allows surgeons to carry out sufficiently accurate registration to conduct computer-aided spine surgery. In the case of severe spondylosis, however, it might be difficult to digitize the surface points from the lamina, due to a hypertrophic facet joint or the deformity of the lamina and noisy sampling data. In such cases, registration accuracy can be improved by combining use of the 20 surface points on the lamina with surface points on other zones, such as on the both sides of the spinous process.
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Comparative Study
Healing properties of allograft from alendronate-treated animal in lumbar spine interbody cage fusion.
This study investigated the healing potential of allograft from bisphosphonate-treated animals in anterior lumbar spine interbody fusion. Three levels of anterior lumbar interbody fusion with Brantigan cages were performed in two groups of five landrace pigs. Empty Brantigan cages or cages filled with either autograft or allograft were located randomly at different levels. ⋯ With the numbers available, no statistically significant difference was found in histological fusion between autograft and allograft applications. There was a significant difference of mean bone volume between autograft (49.2%) and empty cage (27.5%) (P<0.01). In conclusion, this study did not demonstrate different healing properties of alendronate-treated and non-treated allograft for anterior lumbar interbody fusion in pigs.