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
Chronic pure radiculopathy in patient with organizing epidural hematoma around C8 nerve root.
Spontaneously occurring spinal epidural hematomas are uncommon clinical findings, and the chronic form is the rarest and its most frequent location is the lumbar spine. Pure radicular involvement is far less frequent than myelopathy. We report a case of progressive radiculopathy in a 52-year-old man with spontaneously occurring cervical epidural hematoma (SCEH). ⋯ MRI scan showed small space-occupying lesion around left 8th cervical nerve root. After surgery we confirmed chronic organizing epidural hematoma. To the best of our knowledge, this is the second reported case in the worldwide literature of pure radiculopathy in a patient with chronic SCEH.
-
Case Reports
Subacute steroid-induced paraparesis: surgical treatment of a devastating "invisible" side effect.
To emphasize an underestimated side effect following long-term use of steroids. ⋯ Diagnostic work-up of such patients should include early spinal MRI resulting in surgical intervention, if indicated. Decompression of the spinal cord eventually combined with fusion is necessary.
-
Eosinophilic granuloma (EG) is a benign bone tumor that rarely occurs in adults. It is usually found occurring in flat and long bones, but spine is often affected too. EG is of unknown aetiology, and the course of the disease is unpredictable. ⋯ CT scan guided trocar biopsy allowed to achieve a definitive diagnosis, and CT scan guided intralesional infiltrations of corticosteroids were the successful treatment.
-
Comparative Study
Biomechanical comparison of alternative densities of pedicle screws for the treatment of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.
The objective of this computational study was to compare the biomechanical effects of different implant densities in terms of curve reduction and the force levels at the implant-vertebra interface and on the intervertebral elements. ⋯ With the same fusion levels, lower density screws allowed achieving similar deformity correction and it was more likely to have lower screw-vertebra loads.
-
Does hormone replacement therapy prevent lateral rotatory spondylolisthesis in postmenopausal women?
Degenerative scoliosis usually begins at menopause and lateral rotatory olisthesis (LRO) might be a triggering factor in the onset of degenerative scoliosis in postmenopausal women. We set out to evaluate the influence of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on degenerative scoliosis and on LRO. ⋯ LRO was significantly lower in women who received HRT. The excess risk of LRO was dependent on both age and HRT status. These findings suggest that HRT might prevent the onset of LRO, and therefore might contribute to the prevention of low back pain.