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
-
To assess the impact of diabetes mellitus (DM) on the postoperative motor and somatosensory functional recoveries of degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) patients. ⋯ DM may directly hinders spinal cord conduction recovery in DCM patients after surgery. Corticospinal tract impairments are similar between DCM and DCM-DM patients, but significantly worsened in chronic or insulin-dependent DM patients. The dorsal column is more sensitively affected in all DCM-DM patients. Deeper investigation into the mechanisms and neural regeneration strategies is needed.
-
In this work, a two-center study was performed to study the clinical presentation of cervical spine fractures in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients and assess the surgical management of these fractures. ⋯ High suspicion of cervical spine fractures is necessary for patients with AS. CT and MRI images are necessary to rule out cervical spine fractures in AS patients, especially to detect occult fractures. Surgical treatment is safe, and the posterior approach with long-segment fusion is the approach of choice in this group of patients.
-
To analyze the differential transcriptome expression in hypertrophic ligaments flavum (HLF) compared to normal ligaments. ⋯ Our results suggest that abnormal processes in hypertrophied LF are mediated by the interaction of the Rho GTPase, RTK, and PI3K pathways, which have not been previously described in the HLF, but for which there are currently therapeutic proposals. More studies are required to confirm the therapeutic potential of the pathways and mediators described in our results.
-
In this study, we intended to investigate the association between immediate postoperative hypoalbuminemia and surgical site infection (SSI), and determine a threshold value for postoperative hypoalbuminemia that can assist in risk stratification in patients after posterior lumbar fusion surgery. ⋯ This study showed that immediate postoperative hypoalbuminemia was an independent risk factor for the development of SSI in patients who underwent posterior lumbar fusion. Even in patients with a normal preoperative serum albumin level, there was an increased risk of SSI when the postoperative albumin within 24 h was < 32 g/L.
-
The aim of this study was to elucidate segmental range of motion (ROM) before and after common decompression and fusion procedures on the lumbar spine. ⋯ The amount of posterior decompression significantly impacts ROM of the lumbar spine. The here performed biomechanical study allows creation of a simplified rule of thumb: Increases in segmental ROM of approximately 10%, 20%, and 50% can be expected after unilateral laminotomy, midline decompression, and nucleotomy, respectively. Instrumentation decreases ROM by approximately 80% in bending moments and accompanied decompression procedures only minorly destabilize the instrumentation construct.