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Study Design: A retrospective cohort study. Objective: To evaluate the effect of O-arm navigation in percutaneous surgeries for thoracolumbar fracture in comparison to the use of conventional fluoroscopic technique. Summary of Background Data: O-arm navigation is a progressive surgical tool, with extensive research papers reporting its effects. Whereas, there were not many papers describing its accuracy and facet impingement rate when compared with fluoroscopy-guided technique in percutaneous surgeries, especially at varying fracture levels. Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective comparative study of 97 consecutive patients of single-level neurological intact thoracolumbar fractures from November 2015 to October 2017 and they were all treated with percutaneous pedicle screw implantation. Screws were classified as 4 grades of perforations and 3 grades of facet joint violation. The association between variables such as anatomic perforation, functional perforation, and facet impingement were investigated by χ2 test, Fisher exact test or t test. A P-value of

STUDY DESIGN A retrospective follow-up study and review of images in published papers. OBJECTIVE To determine whether true heterotopic ossification (HO) occurs in artificial disk replacement (ADR); to evaluate the incidence of paravertebral ossification (PO) and its influence on ADR. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA HO is typically defined as the abnormal formation of true bone within extraskeletal soft tissues. However, HO in ADR does not fit this definition precisely, as it originates from vertebral body, making it hard to distinguish radiologically from preexisting osteophytes. In this study, the term used for bone formation around ADR is PO. METHODS First, all images in the published papers were evaluated as to whether the presented PO in ADR fit the classic definition of HO or osteophytes. Second, we studied 37 consecutive patients who underwent ADR and follow-up for minimum 24 months. The preoperative and follow-up incidence of PO and its influence on range of motion were evaluated using x-ray and computed tomography. RESULTS All 52 images of PO were found adjacent to the disk in 1 segment rather than entire cervical spine. Fifty (96.2%) of the POs were found to originate from the vertebral body rather than in the soft tissue. A total of 31 patients were included in the follow-up study. No significant difference was found in the incidence of PO between the follow-up and preoperation (61.29% vs. 48.39%, P>0.05). The range of motion of the ADR segment in patients with progressed PO (7.44±4.64 degrees) was significantly lower than that of patients with stable PO grade (12.13±4.42 degrees, P

Purpose Ankylosing spondylitis and hereditary hypophosphatemia with long-term high dose supplementation of phosphorous and calcitriol can both lead to severe structural abnormalities of the vertebrae. Impairment of spinal mobility and spinal deformity may ultimately necessitate surgical treatment. A severe fixed hyperkyphosis in a patient with ankylosing spondylitis is a surgically demanding condition, therefore, the indication for surgical treatment should be thoroughly considered and chosen individually. Methods This is an uncommon case with a combination of a severe fixed hyperkyphosis with a Cobb-angle of 105 degrees between Th2 and L4 in an adult male patient suffering from ankylosing spondylitis and X-linked hypophosphatemia with surprisingly massive osteopetrosis. In this paper, the coexisting conditions of late-stage ankylosing spondylitis and long-term treated hereditary hypophosphatemia are highlighted. The surgical treatment with different techniques, complications, and results are well explained. Results A normal gait and stand were achieved by a long posterior fusion with 3 pedicle subtraction osteotomies on L1, L3, and L5. The surgical correction was performed in 3 stages. Postoperative the patient was administered to a rehabilitation center for 3 months. The hyperkyphosis, the C7 plumbline, and the pelvic retroversion were corrected. Conclusions Surgical treatment of a severe fixed hyperkyphosis due to ankylosing spondylitis is technically demanding but can be successfully achieved if all surgical challenges and comorbidities are adequately addressed including intraoperative surprising findings like osteopetrotic bone in a patient with hereditary hypophosphatemia as in our case.

Propensity score matching (PSM) is a commonly used statistical method in orthopedic surgery research that accomplishes the removal of confounding bias from observational cohorts where the benefit of randomization is not possible. An alternative to multiple regression analysis, PSM attempts to reduce the effects of confounders by matching already treated subjects with control subjects who exhibit a similar propensity for treatment based on preexisting covariates that influence treatment selection. It, therefore, establishes a new control group by discarding outlier control subjects. This new control group reduces the unwanted influences of covariates, allowing for proper measurement of the intended variable. An example from orthopedic spine literature is discussed to illustrate how PSM may be applied in practice. PSM is uniquely valuable in its utility and simplicity, but it is limited in that it requires the removal of data and works primarily on binary treatments. In addition to matching, the propensity score can be used for stratification, covariate adjustments, and inverse probability of treatment weighting, but these topics are outside the scope of this paper. Personnel in the orthopedic field would benefit from learning about the function and application of this method given its common use in the orthopedic literature.

Spinal cord stimulator trials are indicated for the treatment of postlaminectomy syndrome with persistent severe back and limb pain which has failed conservative treatment options and where no further surgery is indicated. They are also indicated for refractory complex regional pain syndrome. This article details patient positioning and set up, step-by-step instructions for the procedure and postoperative management. Pearls and pitfalls are also discussed. In addition, an instructional procedure video, Supplemental Digital Content 1 (http://links.lww.com/CLINSPINE/A121) accompanies this paper.

In using observational, nonrandomized data, there is often interest in studying the effect of a particular treatment on a specific outcome. However, the imbalance of potential confounding variables between the treatment groups can distort the relationship between treatment and outcome. Propensity score matching is one, increasingly utilized, method to help account for such imbalances, allowing for a more accurate estimation of the influence of treatment on outcome. In this paper, we provide the clinician with an overview of propensity score matching techniques and provide a practical example of how this has been used in clinical research relevant to spine surgery.

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text., Cervical radiculopathy is characterized by compression of the roots of the nerve. When conservative treatment fails and symptoms persist or increase in severity, surgical treatment is considered. Anterior cervical discectomy with or without fusion is regarded as the standard treatment for cervical disk herniation. Recently, there is an evolving trend in spinal surgery towards less invasive techniques. Nucleoplasty is a minimally invasive technique in which radiofrequency technology is used for percutaneous decompression. During the last years nucleoplasty has been proven to be a safe and effective treatment to alleviate radiculopathy, caused by a contained disk herniation. Nucleoplasty is usually performed on an outpatient basis and is associated with a fast recovery time. This paper will describe the preoperative and postoperative management of cervical nucleoplasty as well as the surgical technique, accompanied by a video.

There are many questions in the literature that remain unanswered due to the paucity of available subjects or the large sample size needed to detect a difference. A meta-analysis consists of integrating together data from multiple studies into one larger data set in order to increase the subject size and power of a paper. In essence, it is a systematic review in which one uses statistical methods to summarize the results of these studies. It is important that a meta-analysis be performed in a systematic and orderly manner with the assistance of a statistician. When carried out correctly, these studies serve as powerful tools to help us better address our knowledge. Because of their complexity, they are prone to bias at multiple levels. This article will discuss the steps involved in performing a meta-analysis, select good studies, as well as explain the statistics conducted in these studies. Furthermore, we will discuss examples from the literature that demonstrate a good meta-analysis.

With the exponential increase in research in the field of spine surgery, publishing peer-reviewed articles has become both more desirable and competitive in the past decade. Constructing an impactful manuscript has many important factors, one of which is a well-written Discussion section. A research study can ask a pressing question, have a meticulous methodology and report compelling results; however, without a thoughtful and well-informed analysis of the meaning of the study's findings and their potential influence on the field, the paper will be uninteresting and weak. Thus, formulating an effective Discussion section is crucial to improving the likelihood of the study's publication and its impact.

Fluoroscopically guided lumbar transforaminal epidural steroid injections are indicated for the treatment of lumbar radicular pain that has failed more conservative options. This article details proper equipment and medications, patient positioning and set-up, step-by-step instructions for multiplanar fluoroscopic visualization, needle advancement and medication instillation, and postoperative management. Pearls and pitfalls are also discussed. In addition, an instructional procedure video accompanies this paper.

STUDY DESIGN Review of spine surgery literature between 2005 and 2014 to assess the reporting of patient outcomes by determining the variability of use of patient outcomes metrics in the following categories: pain and disability, patient satisfaction, readmission, and depression. OBJECTIVE Expose the heterogeneity of outcomes reporting and discuss current initiatives to create more homogenous outcomes databases. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA There has been a recent focus on the reporting of quality metrics associated with spine surgery outcomes. However, little consensus exists on the optimal metrics that should be used to measure spine surgery outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS A PubMed search of all spine surgery manuscripts from January 2005 through December 2014 was performed. Linear regression analyses were performed on individual metrics as well as outcomes categories as a fraction of total papers reviewing surgical outcomes. RESULTS Outcomes reporting has increased significantly between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2014 [175/2871 (6.1%) vs. 764/5603 (13.6%), respectively; P

Study design Review of the articles. Objective The objective of this study was to review all articles related to spinal instability to determine a consensus statement for a contemporary, practical definition applicable to thoracolumbar injuries. Summary of background data Traumatic fractures of the thoracolumbar spine are common. These injuries can result in neurological deficits, disability, deformity, pain, and represent a great economic burden to society. The determination of spinal instability is an important task for spine surgeons, as treatment strategies rely heavily on this assessment. However, a clinically applicable definition of spinal stability remains elusive. Materials and methods A review of the Medline database between 1930 and 2014 was performed limited to papers in English. Spinal instability, thoracolumbar, and spinal stability were used as search terms. Case reports were excluded. We reviewed listed references from pertinent search results and located relevant manuscripts from these lists as well. Results The search produced a total of 694 published articles. Twenty-five articles were eligible after abstract screening and underwent full review. A definition for spinal instability was described in only 4 of them. Definitions were primarily based on biomechanical and classification studies. No definitive parameters were outlined to define stability. Conclusions Thirty-six years after White and Panjabi's original definition of instability, and many classification schemes later, there remains no practical and meaningful definition for spinal instability in thoracolumbar trauma. Surgeon expertise and experience remains an important factor in stability determination. We propose that, at an initial assessment, a distinction should be made between immediate and delayed instability. This designation should better guide surgeons in decision making and patient counseling.

A "dorsal spinal arachnoid web" is the thickened arachnoid band on the surface of the spinal cord which disturbs the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow, known as a rare cause of thoracic myelopathy. The ideal treatment is controversial because of the risk of readhesion after simple resection of the web. A subarachnoid-subarachnoid bypass is a method to reestablish CSF flow through a silicon tube between the cranial and caudal subarachnoid space. This method is reported to be useful for traumatic syringomyelia, adhesive arachnoiditis, etc. We applied this technique for arachnoid webs with the assistance of a microscope and fiberscope. After a dura incision, the thickened arachnoid web can be seen fluttering within the CSF flow inside the arachnoid space, which partitions the subarachnoid space into cranial and caudal parts. After opening the subarachnoid space and resection of the web under a microscope, the fiberscope is inserted toward the cranial and caudal directions to check for the presence of another arachnoid web. If another web is found, it is penetrated using a guiding wire. Then, a silicone tube is inserted into the cranial and caudal normal subarachnoid space. In this paper, we would like to introduce this technique.

Atlanto-axial rotatory-subluxation (AARS) is the most common pediatric cervical spine injury. Patients usually present with contralateral rotation and inclination of the upper cervical spine after minor trauma, or associated with an infection of the upper respiratory tract. According to the authors, initial management of patients with acute and chronic AARS type I-II should comprise closed reduction and immobilization with a cervical collar or a Halo-Body-Jacket. Surgical options of open reduction or C1/2 fusion should be restricted to irreducible or recurrent subluxations. This paper reviews the detailed technique of transoral closed reduction of AARS, as well as the preoperative and postoperative considerations.

Insurance premium rates have typically been calculated using a variety of rating algorithms. Passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act mandated that all individual and small group plans must use the community rating method. This method gives the same insurance rate to all members of a community, with adjustments only being allowed based on age, geography, and tobacco use. This effectively raises rates on low-risk individuals to subsidize high-risk individuals. With President Trump and Congressional Republicans vowing to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, this lesser-known but controversial portion of the law may be abolished. This paper will review the various rating methods used by insurance companies in determining premiums.

A retrospective comparative study.To compare pedicle subtraction osteotomy (PSO) and iliac fixation (ILF) without osteotomy as methods of correcting lumbar spine deformities due to degenerative sagittal imbalance (DSI) through the evaluation of the changes in spinopelvic alignment.Many papers have reported the surgical results after PSO and ILF for patients with fixed adult deformities. However, little is known about the difference between PSO and ILF corrections of spinopelvic alignment in adults with DSI.DSI patients who had undergone PSO or ILF with a minimum of 2-year follow-up (FU) were retrospectively studied in PSO (n=30) or ILF (n=25) groups. Lumbar lordosis (LL), thoracic kyphosis (TK), and sagittal vertical axis (SVA) were measured as spinal parameters and pelvic incidence (PI), sacral slope (SS), and pelvic tilt (PT) were used as measurements of pelvic parameters. Clinical outcomes were evaluated using a visual analogue scale (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scores.There were no statistically significant differences between the PSO and ILF groups with regard to age and fused segments, but there were significant differences in operative time and estimated blood loss. Concerning spinal parameters, there were significant increases of LL and TK in PSO group immediate postoperatively (LL: P=0.014, TK: P=0.017) and at the 2-year FU (LL: P=0.021, TK: P=0.022), but no significant difference in SVA was evident between the 2 groups. Within the pelvic parameters, there was a significant increase of SS and decrease of PT in the ILF group immediate postoperatively (SS: P=0.013, PT: P=0.009) and at the 2-year FU (SS: P=0.024, PT: P=0.027), but the PI in both groups was not changed after surgery and there was no significant difference between 2 groups. VAS and ODI were significantly improved after surgery in both groups.The PSO group was better than the ILF group in the correction of the LL and TK, but not with regard to the pelvic parameters. The ILF group was superior in the correction of the pelvic orientation as compared with the PSO group when the PI was constant after surgery. Ultimately, ILF effectively achieves better correction of the pelvic parameters (SS and PT).

This study was a case series.The purpose of this paper was to present a case series of fresh stress fractures (spondylolysis) in the lumbar spines of adult athletes.Lumbar spondylolysis is a stress fracture of the pars interarticularis, which is generally considered a disease of children or adolescence. There is only 1 case series written in English reporting on adult-onset fresh spondylolysis.Eleven patients aged 20-27 years are included in this case series. A retrospective analysis was made of events that may cause stress fracture such as traumatic episodes or sports activities, spinal level, radiologic findings, stage of spondylolysis, treatment, and prognosis.Among the 11 patients, two had bilateral early-stage spondylolysis, 7 had unilateral early-stage spondylolysis and 2 had unilateral progressive-stage spondylolysis. Three occurred subsequent to a preexisting terminal-stage spondylolysis in the contralateral side, 1 occurred subsequent to a terminal-stage spondylolysis at the adjacent spinal level, and 1 occurred subsequent to a terminal-stage spondylolysis at a distant level. Thirteen pedicles adjacent to the pars interarticularis in the 11 patients showed bone marrow edema-like signal on magnetic resonance imaging. Six spondylolyses were found at L5, 2 each at L3 and L4, and 1 spondylolysis at L2. The 11 patients were divided into 4 groups according to suspected pathogenic mechanism: preexistent spondylolysis in the contralateral side, alteration of the athletic event, apparent traumatic episode, and others. Conservative treatment was prescribed for return to sports in all cases. Although 1 patient retired because of persistent low back pain, the remaining 10 patients returned to competition.Although lumbar spondylolysis is generally recognized to occur in childhood or adolescence, fresh lumbar spondylolysis should be included in the differential diagnosis of adult low back pain when patients are high-level athletes. Conservative treatment should be attempted for adult patients.

STUDY DESIGN A study using intraoperative sonography (IOS) was conducted for evaluating neural mobility in anterior cervical decompression surgery. OBJECTIVES To analyze decompression status and mobility of the spinal cord and the nerve root during anterior cervical decompression and to clarify its relevance to the postoperative neurological recovery. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA Several papers introduced the usefulness of IOS assessments; however, there have been no reports systematically evaluating the neural mobility in anterior cervical decompression surgery. METHODS Eighty-four consecutive patients with compressive myelopathy who underwent anterior cervical decompression procedures were studied. The decompression status of the spinal cord was evaluated with IOS and classified into 3 grades according to the restoration pattern of the space ventral to the cord. Pulsatile motion of the spinal cord in cranio-caudal direction was named "sliding pulsation" and graded into 3 groups. The nerve root pulsation was also assessed using the IOS short-axis views. This study analyzed whether those neural mobility in anterior cervical decompression surgery had relevance to postoperative neurological recovery, which was assessed by the Japan Orthopaedic Association score. RESULTS The mean recovery rate of the Japan Orthopaedic Association score was 59.1% in total. According to the decompression status in IOS, 67 patients who acquired space ventral to the spinal cord indicated 64.3% of the recovery rate which was significantly higher than 36.6% of the other patients on an average. As to the sliding pulsation of the cord, 10 patients who failed to show this particular motion indicated significantly lower recovery rate as 36.9%. In addition, 6 patients who did not exhibit nerve root pulsation indicated just 29.3% of recovery rate, and 4 of them failed to show the cord sliding motion. CONCLUSIONS Sonographic evaluation during anterior cervical decompression surgery provided very useful information of neural decompression status that had significant correlation with postoperative neurological recovery.