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
-
Case Reports
Bilateral gluteal compartment syndrome and severe rhabdomyolysis after lumbar spine surgery.
Gluteal compartment syndrome (GCS) is an extremely rare and potentially devasting disorder, most commonly caused by gluteal muscle compression in extend periods of immobilization. We report a 65-year-old obese man with hypertension, diabetes mellitus type 2 and hypercholesterolemia underwent lumbar spine surgery in knee-chest position because of degenerative lumbar stenosis. Perioperative hypotension occurred. ⋯ Stiffness, tenderness and painful swelling of patients gluteal muscles of both sides, high creatine phosphokinase level, myoglobulinuria and oliguria led to diagnosis of bilateral GCS, complicated by severe rhabdomyolysis (RM) and acute renal failure. In conclusion, obese patients with vascular risk factors and perioperative hypotension may be at risk for developing bilateral GCS and RM when performing prolonged lumbar spine surgery. Early diagnosis and treatment is important, as otherwise, the further course may be fatal.
-
The medical profession is increasingly confronted with the epidemic phenomenon of obesity. Its impact on spine surgery is not quite clear. Published data concerning the use of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) in the spine among obese patients is scarce. ⋯ This study confirms the low soft tissue damage of minimal access surgery techniques, which is an important type of surgery in obese patients. The smaller approach helps to minimize infections and wound healing disorders. Moreover, deeper regions of wounds are clearly visualized with the aid of tubular retractors.
-
Cross-sectional epidemiologic scoliosis screening was carried out to determine the current prevalence of scoliosis in the Korean population and to compare with the results of previous studies. Between 2000 and 2008, 1,134,890 schoolchildren underwent scoliosis screening. The children were divided into two age groups, 10-12-year-olds (elementary school) and 13-14-year-olds (middle school), to calculate age- and sex-specific prevalence rates. ⋯ Thoracic curves were the most common (47.59%) followed by thoracolumbar/lumbar (40.10%), double (9.09%), and double thoracic (3.22%) curves. A comparison of the curve patterns revealed significant differences between genders (P = 0.00). We present this report as a guide for studying the prevalence of idiopathic scoliosis in a large population, and the increasing trend in the prevalence of idiopathic scoliosis emphasizes the need for awareness.
-
Decompression surgery is a common and generally successful treatment for lumbar disc herniation (LDH). However, clinical practice raises some concern that the presence of concomitant low back pain (LBP) may have a negative influence on the overall outcome of treatment. This prospective study sought to examine on how the relative severity of LBP influences the outcome of decompression surgery for LDH. ⋯ In conclusion, patients with more back pain showed significantly worse outcomes after decompression surgery for LDH. This finding fits with general clinical experience, but has rarely been quantified in the many predictor studies conducted to date. Consideration of the severity of concomitant LBP in LDH may assist in establishing realistic patient expectations before the surgery.
-
Previous literatures revealed abnormal cross-sectional morphology of spinal cord in AIS, suggesting the presence of disproportional growth between the neural and skeletal system. No accurate measurement of whole spine by MRI multiplanar reconstruction and their correlation with Cobb angle were studied. In this study, MRI three-dimensional reconstruction of the whole spine was performed in 90 adolescents (49 AIS with thoracic/thoracolumbar curve, and 41 age-matched healthy controls). ⋯ Cord length, vertebral column length and cord/vertebral column length ratio were not related with age or Cobb angle (P > 0.05). These data suggest the presence of uncoupled neuro-osseous growth along the longitudinal axis of spinal cord with associated morphologic changes of cross-sectional configuration and relative position of the cord. Some changes are significantly relevant with Cobb angle, which may indicate pathogenesis of AIS.