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Purpose: Balloon kyphoplasty (BK) has emerged as a popular method for treating osteoporosis vertebral compression fractures (OVCFs). In response to several shortcomings of BK, alternative methods have been introduced, among which is radiofrequency kyphoplasty (RFK). Biomechanical comparisons of BK and RFK are very sparse. The purpose of this study was to perform a biomechanical study in which BK and RFK are compared.Methods: Each of the two study groups comprised six specimens prepared from two functional spinal units (FSUs) cut from fresh-frozen cadaveric spines (3 of T9-T11 and 3 of T12-L2). VCFs (A1.2 type) were created in the middle VB of each of the FSUs, with a height loss of 30% of the VB. After that, the specimens were subjected to cyclic compression-compression loading. The following parameters were determined: range of motion (ROM), height of the middle VB, augmentation time, cement interdigitation and cement distribution. Also, the cement layer, the trabecular bone in the augmented VB and the bone-cement interface were examined for cracks. All of these parameters were determined at various stages, namely in the intact middle VB and after its fracture, cement augmentation and subject to the cyclic loading protocol.Results: Fractures caused a significant increase in median ROM and a significant reduction in the height of fractured VB. Cement augmentation significantly stabilized the fractures and led to partial height restoration. ROM and vertebral height, however, were not restored to the intact levels. Cyclic loading led to a further significant increase in ROM and a significant height reduction. There were no significant differences between BK and RFK in terms of any of these parameters.Conclusions: BK and RFK achieved similar results for fracture stabilization and restoration of the height of the fractured VB. RFK involved shorter cement augmentation time and less damage to the trabecular bone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Design: Retrospective cohort.Purpose: The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of percutaneous short fixation (PSFx) plus kyphoplasty (BP) for thoracolumbar fractures.Methods: Thirty-six consecutive selected patients, aged 59 ± 17 years, with fresh single thoracolumbar A2, A3, and B2 AO-type fracture, received PSFx plus BP. The primary outcomes pain, and vertebral body deformity; and the secondary outcomes screw malposition, facet violation, PMMA leakage, adjacent segment degeneration (ASD) and loss of correction were evaluated. The f/up was 31 ± 7 months.Results: Pain and kyphosis decreased and vertebral body heights increased significantly postoperation. PMMA leakage occurred in five cases; 6 (4 %) screws were grades III malpositioned in relation to pedicle; facet violation occurred in 8 (5.5 %) facets; loss of kyphosis correction was 3.68°; ASD occurred in two cases; interfacet fusion in ten (28 %) patients; Three patients were reoperated for different reasons.Conclusions: PSFx plus BP for thoracolumbar fractures reduces significantly spinal deformity and pain with few complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Metastatic epidural spinal cord compression (MESCC) often requires anterior-posterior decompression and stabilization. To reduce approach-related complications, single-stage posterolateral vertebrectomy and 360° fusion is often performed. However, a sufficient reduction of kyphotic deformity through this approach has not been reported. The purpose of this study is to investigate the efficacy of kyphotic deformity reduction by this approach in MESCC.Methods: A retrospective analysis and chart review was performed for 14 consecutive patients who underwent a vertebrectomy and decompression from a posterolateral approach. Anterior mesh stabilization of the ventral column is used as hypomochlion for the posterior compression manoeuvre, which leads to reduction of the kyphotic deformity.Results: Pre-operative back pain was 7.2 on a visual analogue scale. Back pain was reduced to 4.4 at discharge and 2.0 at the latest follow-up with a mean follow-up of 12 months (p < 0.001). The Frankel score remains constant or improved from D to E. Radiological segmental kyphosis was corrected from a mean of 16° to 4° (p < 0.001) post-operatively with a loss of 3° at the final follow-up, but still with significant corrections compared with the pre-operative measurements (p < 0.003).Conclusion: Single-stage posterolateral vertebrectomy and reconstruction is a safe and less invasive approach that allows a sufficient reduction of hyperkyphosis and preservation of neurological function in patients with MESCC. This approach is an efficient alternative to anterior-posterior fusion with good pain reduction and improved sagittal profile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To compare the short- and long-term clinical outcomes, operation times, restoration rate, dosage of polymethylmeth-acrylate (PMMA) injected, complications and X-rays exposure frequency between unilateral and bilateral kyphoplasty approaches for the treatment of OVCF.Study Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis.Methods: Randomized or non-randomized controlled trials published up to April 2015 that compared the unilateral and bilateral PKP for the treatment of OVCF were acquired by a comprehensive search in the Cochrane Controlled Trial Register, PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, OVID. Exclusion criteria were patients with neoplastic etiology (metastasis or myeloma), infection, neural compression syndrome, invasive and degenerative disease, traumatic fracture, re-operation, neurological deficits, significant scoliosis and spinal stenosis. The main end points included: operation times, the short- and long-term postoperative Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores, the short-term postoperative Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), restoration rate, dosage of PMMA injected, cement leakage, X-ray exposure frequency and postoperative adjacent-level fractures.Results: A total of 8 studies involving 428 patients were included in the meta-analysis. The mean operative time was shorter in the unilateral groups compared with the bilateral groups [P < 0.05, weighted mean difference (WMD) -19.74 (-30.56, -8.92)]. There was no significant difference in the short-term postoperative VAS scores [P > 0.05, WMD 0.03 (-0.34, 0.40)], the long-term postoperative VAS scores between them [P > 0.05, WMD 0.01 (-0.42, 0.45)] and the short-term postoperative ODI [P > 0.05, WMD -0.33 (-2.36, 1.69)] between the two groups. The unilateral approaches required significantly less dosage of PMMA than the bipedicular approaches did [P < 0.05, WMD -1.56 (-1.59, -1.16)]. The restoration rate in the bilateral groups was higher than the unilateral groups [P < 0.05, WMD -7.82 (-12.23, -3.41)]. There was no significant difference in the risk ratio of cement leakage [P > 0.05, RR 0.86 (0.36, 2.06)] and postoperative adjacent-level fractures [P > 0.05, RR 0.91 (0.25, 3.26)] between the two methods. The mean X-ray exposure frequency in the unilateral groups was greater than the bilateral groups [P < 0.05, WMD -5.69 (-10.67, -0.70)].Conclusions: A definitive verdict could not be reached regarding which approach is better for the treatment of OVCF. Although unilateral PKP was associated with shorter operative time, less X- ray exposure frequency and dosage of PMMA than bilateral PKP. There was no apparent difference in the short- and long-term clinical outcomes and complications between them. However, bilateral PKP approaches were higher than unilateral PKP in term of the restoration rate. But on account of lack of some high-quality evidence, we hold that amounts of high-quality randomized controlled trials should be required and more complications should be analysed to resolve which surgical approach is better for the treatment of OVCF in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Metastatic spinal cord compression (MSCC) incidences are increasing. Our objective was to identify predictive factors involved in long-term survival after use of a surgical approach. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed all patients referred to our institution for MSCC who underwent surgery ( N = 138). We identified patients with an overall survival (OS) rate greater than 2 years, compared their characteristics to the remaining patients, and performed recursive partitioning analysis (RPA). Results: Median OS was 7.8 months (95 % confidence interval 4.4-11.2). Thirty-nine patients presented with OS ≥2 years. A comparative analysis found significant differences concerning the delay (first symptom-surgery, p < 0.001), number of systemic ( p = 0.001) or bone metastases ( p = 0.013), Karnofsky performance status (KPS) ( p = 0.006), Frankel ( p = 0.025), ASA scores ( p < 0.001), weight loss ( p = 0.003), hyperalgia ( p = 0.002), chemotherapy use ( p = 0.034), and primary tumor ( p < 0.001). RPA classification identified six prognostic classes based on the ASA score, primary type, KPS, and systemic metastases. Conclusion: Long-term metastatic cancer survivor patients are an increasing population with specific characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents abstracts on topics related to spine including the use epidural analgesia after spinal surgery, the role of preoperative vascular embolization in surgery and the cost for the metastatic spinal cord compression surgical treatment.

Anterior decompression and/or reconstruction can be an effective method for the surgical treatment of ventral spinal cord compression in the upper cervical spine. Options for traditional surgical approaches include transoral, transnasal, and extraoral. The risk and complex anatomy with the aforementioned approaches induces surgeons to use the transcervical route to expose the upper cervical spine. A traditional transcervical approach, however, carries the disadvantages of a deep operative field and steep trajectory. We performed a new endoscopically assisted method of anterior reconstruction for the treatment of ventral lesions in upper cervical spine. Six patients were treated from January 2005 to December 2007. Among those six patients, three patients were diagnosed with fixed atlantoaxial dislocations, two with plasmacytomas, and one with a giant cell tumor. All patients were treated by combined endoscopically assisted anterior reconstruction and posterior fusion. One patient with a fixed atlantoaxial dislocation sustained a cerebrospinal fluid leak in the immediate postoperative period, which spontaneously resolved 7 days after surgery. None of the patients had any neurologic deterioration following surgery, nor did any require admission to the intensive care unit for any reason. At the final follow-up, all patients were found to have evidence of a successful clinical outcomes and radiographic fusion. There were no implant failures or radiographic signs of implant migration or loosening. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that an anterior transcervical decompression using endoscopic visualization combined with a posterior arthodesis can achieve good clinical and radiographic outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]