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
-
A high C7 slope induces C2-C7 lordosis to compensate for cervical sagittal balance adjustments. A muscle-preserving selective laminectomy (SL) can maintain this compensation postoperatively. This study evaluated the effect of an extremely high C7 slope on C2-C7 lordotic compensation following SL. ⋯ Patients in group EH were older and had highly compensated cervical sagittal alignment preoperatively. They demonstrated postoperative cervical sagittal balance mismatch increases and slightly worse functional recovery. An extremely high C7 slope limited compensatory cervical lordosis following SL. These slides can be retrieved under Electronic Supplementary Material.
-
Scoliosis is a common deformity in patients with neuromuscular disorders which usually necessitates surgical correction. Patients with neuromuscular scoliosis are characterized by increased incidence of associated medical co-morbidities and higher postoperative complication rate; therefore, these patients are often managed with a wide multidisciplinary care team. Postoperative fever is a frequent complication after surgery which is often routinely investigated using different workup tests to rule out infection. These tests lack clear evidence on how they impact the patient care and are associated with increased cost and burden on the health system. ⋯ Sixty-four percent of patients who underwent surgical correction of neuromuscular scoliosis developed postoperative fever. Postoperative fever was sign of infection in 32.7% of patients and urinary tract infection was the most frequent finding. Only 15.2% of fever diagnostic workup tests were positive. Diagnostic urine tests account for 70% of the positive diagnostic workup. The routine use of blood cultures for the assessment of postoperative fever in such population should be avoided due to the low rate of positive tests and the associated high cost.
-
This study aims to investigate the clinical effect and complications of a novel technique named bridge crane for the treatment of the severe thoracic ossification of the ligamentum flavum (TOLF) with myelopathy. ⋯ The technique of bridge crane is feasible and may be relatively safe and effective for the treatment of severe TOLF with myelopathy. However, further studies with large-scale cases and control groups are required to reveal the generalizability and safety of the bridge crane technique in the future. These slides can be retrieved under Electronic Supplementary Material.
-
Comparative Study
Pedicle screw anchorage of carbon fiber-reinforced PEEK screws under cyclic loading.
Pedicle screw loosening is a common and significant complication after posterior spinal instrumentation, particularly in osteoporosis. Radiolucent carbon fiber-reinforced polyetheretherketone (CF/PEEK) pedicle screws have been developed recently to overcome drawbacks of conventional metallic screws, such as metal-induced imaging artifacts and interference with postoperative radiotherapy. Beyond radiolucency, CF/PEEK may also be advantageous over standard titanium in terms of pedicle screw loosening due to its unique material properties. However, screw anchorage and loosening of CF/PEEK pedicle screws have not been evaluated yet. The aim of this biomechanical study therefore was to evaluate whether the use of this alternative nonmetallic pedicle screw material affects screw loosening. The hypotheses tested were that (1) nonmetallic CF/PEEK pedicle screws resist an equal or higher number of load cycles until loosening than standard titanium screws and that (2) PMMA cement augmentation further increases the number of load cycles until loosening of CF/PEEK screws. ⋯ Using nonmetallic CF/PEEK instead of standard titanium as pedicle screw material did not affect screw loosening in the chosen test setup, whereas cement augmentation enhanced screw anchorage of CF/PEEK screws. While comparable to titanium screws in terms of screw loosening, radiolucent CF/PEEK pedicle screws offer the significant advantage of not interfering with postoperative imaging and radiotherapy. These slides can be retrieved under Electronic Supplementary Material.
-
Previous studies did not specifically assess the influence of proximal femoral angle (PFA) on sagittal balance in high-grade spondylolisthesis (HGS). In addition, the relationship between PFA and quality of life (QOL) remains unknown. This study determines if increased PFA is associated with decreased QOL and sagittal balance in lumbosacral HGS. ⋯ A PFA ≥ 10° is proposed as a criterion to define abnormal PFA. PFA was increased in HGS and increased along with deteriorating sagittal balance and QOL. PFA is a clinically relevant parameter of sagittal balance, and can be useful in the evaluation and management of patients with HGS.