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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Whilst rigid fixation for craniovertebral instability is the gold standard, in very young, small children conventional management may have to be modified. We present a single-centre experience of craniocervical fixation in children under 5 years. ⋯ High fusion rates with good outcomes are achievable using semi-rigid fixation in the under 5-year-olds. Full thickness, autologous calvarial bone graft secured with wire cables and halo external orthosis offers a safe and effective alternative technique when traditional screw instrumentation is not feasible. These slides can be retrieved under Electronic Supplementary Material.
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Even though the anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) is one of the most common spinal procedures, a consensus on the real need for prescribing a cervical collar (CC) after surgery is still missing. In fact, the role of external immobilization in decreasing non-fusion rate and implants displacement has not been clarified yet. ⋯ The use of a CC after ACDF without plating on single or double levels for cervical spondylosis seems not supported by scientific evidence. These slides can be retrieved under Electronic Supplementary Material.
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To investigate the changes of spinal cord angle between anterior controllable antedisplacement and fusion (ACAF) and posterior laminectomy in treating severe ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL). ⋯ This present study revealed that ACAF can achieve better recovery of the expansion of the spinal cord, spinal cord alignment, and Cobb angle, with better postoperative JOA score and less complications, compared with posterior laminectomy in treating severe cervical OPLL. These slides can be retrieved under Electronic Supplementary Material.
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To explore the characteristics of vertebral CT Hounsfield units (HU) in elderly patients with acute vertebral fragility fractures. ⋯ The elderly patients with acute vertebral fragility fractures have much lower HU values than those without fractures. Moreover, the lower the vertebral HU value is, the more likely the patients have more than one vertebral fracture. These slides can be retrieved under Electronic Supplementary Material.