Search

Purpose: To investigate, through a systematic review, the impact of the waiting time for Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS) surgical correction from the point of view of deformity evolution, treatment cost, and quality of life., Methods: PubMed, Embase, LILACS, SciELO, Scopus, Web of Science, LIVIVO, and Cochrane Library databases were searched by two researchers to select the articles. The eligibility criteria were: Patients diagnosed with AIS with indication for surgical correction and submitted to waiting lists until treatment. The risks of bias were evaluated using the Risk Of Bias In Non-randomized Studies-Interventions (ROBINS-I) tool, and the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system was used to classify the level of the evidence for each outcome. The summary of the available evidence is presented in a narrative synthesis., Results: Six observational studies were included. In a Canadian study, the primary outcome was the need for additional spine surgery in patients who had to wait more than three months due to spine deformity progression. American researchers presented a sample of premenarcheal and skeletally immature patients with AIS showing increased Cobb angle and attributed this to a six-month waiting for the surgical treatment. Another study included 177 patients with AIS with a mean waiting time of 225.7 days. There was a worsening average of 7.7° ± 8.6° in Cobb angle, and there was a change in surgical plan in 28 patients, which increased surgical time. Studies that evaluated the treatment cost showed significantly higher mean costs in those who waited longer than six months. Regarding the quality of life, while waiting for surgery, a retrospective study found that patients who underwent surgery earlier showed better results in a questionnaire that assessed their quality of life compared to those who were still waiting., Conclusion: Observational studies show that, in individuals who are on waiting lists for AIS surgery, there is a worsening of the spinal deformity (substantial evidence), an increasing cost of treatment (moderate evidence) and it may negatively impact patients' quality of life (insufficient evidence). Performing better methodological quality studies to investigate these outcomes can violate good research practices since randomized clinical trials on this subject have ethical limitations to be carried out., Trial Registration: The authors declare that the systematic review protocol was registered at the international prospective register of systematic reviews (PROSPERO), CRD42020212134, and it was accepted for publication., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Purpose: Globally, spine disorders are the leading cause of disability, affecting more than half a billion individuals. However, less than 50% of G20 countries specifically identify spine health within their public policy priorities. Therefore, it is crucial to raise awareness among policy makers of the disabling effect of spine disorders and their impact on the economic welfare of G20 nations. In 2019, SPINE20 was established as the leading advocacy group to bring global attention to spine disorders., Methods: Recommendations were developed through two Delphi methods with international and multi-professional panels., Results: In 2022, seven recommendations were delivered to the leaders of G20 countries, urging them to: Develop action plans to provide universal access to evidence-based spine care that incorporates the needs of minorities and vulnerable populations. Invest in the development of sustainable human resource capacity, through multisectoral and inter-professional competency-based education and training to promote evidence-based approaches to spine care, and to build an appropriate healthcare working environment that optimizes the delivery of safe health services. Develop policies using the best available evidence to properly manage spine disorders and to prolong functional healthy life expectancy in the era of an aging population. Create a competent workforce and improve the healthcare infrastructure/facilities including equipment to provide evidence-based inter-professional rehabilitation services to patients with spinal cord injury throughout their continuum of care. Build collaborative and innovative translational research capacity within national, regional, and global healthcare systems for state-of-the-art and cost-effective spine care across the healthcare continuum ensuring equality, diversity, and inclusion of all stakeholders. Develop international consensus statements on patient outcomes and how they can be used to define and develop pathways for value-based care. Recognize that intervening on determinants of health including physical activity, nutrition, physical and psychosocial workplace environment, and smoking-free lifestyle can reduce the burden of spine disabilities and improve the health status and wellness of the population. At the third SPINE20 summit 2022 which took place in Bali, Indonesia, in August 2022, 17 associations endorsed its recommendations., Conclusion: SPINE20 advocacy efforts focus on developing public policy recommendations to improve the health, welfare, and wellness of all who suffer from spinal pain and disability. We propose that focusing on facilitating access to systems that prioritize value-based care delivered by a competent healthcare workforce will reduce disability and improve the productivity of the G20 nations., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Purpose: In-brace radiograph of adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) has been shown to reflect brace efficacy and the possibility of achieving curve correction. Conversely, the first out-of-brace radiograph could demonstrate the patient's ability to maintain the correction. We aimed to determine which of the two radiographs is the best predictor of the Cobb angle at the end of treatment (final radiograph)., Design: Retrospective cohort study of a prospective dataset., Methods: The population was selected based on the following inclusion criteria: AIS, age 10-18 years; Risser score 0-2; Cobb angle 25-40°; brace treatment; availability of all radiographs., Statistics: Pearson correlations provide a first exploration of data. The univariate and multivariate logistic regression model tested the predictors. Finally ROC curve provided a check of model accuracy., Results: A total of 131 patients were included (mean age 13.0 ± 1.3, Cobb angle 33.2 ± 5.5°; 78% females). At the end of treatment, 56% had stabilised, 9% had progressed, and 44% had improved. The difference between the in-brace and final radiographs was 8.0 ± 6.0°, while the difference between the first out-of-brace and final radiographs was 1.8 ± 5.2°. The best predictor of final outcome was the first out-of-brace radiograph (0.80), compared to in-brace (0.68) and baseline (0.59) radiographs. The best cut-offs to predict avoidance of progression were 30% and 10% of the correction rates for the in-brace and first out-of-brace radiographs, respectively., Conclusion: The first out-of-brace radiograph predicts end results better than the in-brace radiograph. It offers an excellent clinical reference for clinicians and patients. The first out-of-brace radiograph should be considered an essential element of future predictive models. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 1: Diagnostic: individual cross-sectional studies with consistently applied reference standard and blinding., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Purpose: The 5-year postoperative failure rate of conventional shunt treatment for syringomyelia is 50%, with arachnoditis, shunt obstruction, and shunt malfunction being the most common causes. We report a new syringo-cisterna magna (SCM) shunt that allows syrinx cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) drainage normally into the cerebellomedullary cisterns through the subarachnoid space., Methods: Between November 2012 and February 2017, six patients (mean age: 57.25 years; sex: four male and two female) received the SCM shunt. They had spinal cord injury, abscess formation after a spine operation, and cerebral meningitis-related syringomyelia (syrinx between C0 and T9), and presented sensory changes and motor weakness. Preoperatively and at 1 year postoperatively, the syrinx length and diameter were assessed using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Clinical outcomes were evaluated using the visual analog scale (VAS) and Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) scores., Results: Motor weakness improved, pain subsided, and sensory disturbance resolved in all patients who returned to work within 6 weeks postoperatively. In all cases, the syrinx collapsed (length: 3.3 levels decreased; diameter: decreased from 7.90 to 4.64 mm, p = 0.046) on postoperative MRI. No patient experienced syrinx recurrence and shunt malfunction on MRI or showed spinal instability signs on plain radiography. The VAS (pre- vs post-shunt: 6.50 vs 3.83, p = 0.027) and JOA scores (pre- vs post-shunt: 10.00 vs 11.17, p = 0.167) were improved postoperatively., Conclusion: We developed a new shunting system allowing syrinx CSF drainage to the posterior fossa, with symptomatic improvement, minimal complications, and syrinx decrease on follow-up MRI. The SCM shunt is effective for treating syringomyelia., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Purpose: Lockdown measures to combat the COVID-19 pandemic restricted social interactions and travel. This retrospective, observational study was conducted to evaluate the effect of lockdown restrictions on Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scores in patients with spinal conditions., Methods: Prospectively collected data from the British Spine Registry were retrospectively analysed in two groups. The study group included patients' baseline pre-operative ODI scores collected during the first national lockdown in the UK between March and May 2020. The reference group included ODI scores recorded during the same period in 2019, before the pandemic. Scores were compared between groups using the Mann-Whitney U test. We also calculated modified scores that omitted responses to questions related to travel and social life. These were compared using Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-rank test and Bland-Altman analyses., Results: The median ODI scores for the reference and lockdown groups were 49 and 45, respectively, with no significant differences in the mean ranks (p = 0.068). Comparisons of original and modified ODI scores showed different outcomes for each study group. No significant differences were observed in the lockdown group (p = 0.06). However, for the pre-COVID-19 reference group, there was a significant difference (p < 0.01). Bland-Altman analyses showed reasonable agreement between the methods for calculating ODI in both groups., Conclusion: We found no clinically important differences in ODI scores between the two groups. The findings suggest that the ODI is reliable during lockdown situations and can be used with confidence in the future research using both retrospective and prospective data., Level of Evidence: Level 3., (© 2022. Crown.)

Purpose: We show a systematic review of known complications during intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) using transcranial electric stimulation motor evoked potentials (TES-MEP) on cervical spine surgery, which provides a summary of the main findings. A rare complication during this procedure, cardiac arrest by cardioinhibitory reflex, is also described., Methods: Findings of 523 scientific papers published from 1995 onwards were reviewed in the following databases: CENTRAL, Cochrane Library, Embase, Google Scholar, Ovid, LILACS, PubMed, and Web of Science. This study evaluated only complications on cervical spine surgery undergoing TES-MEP IONM., Results: The review of the literature yielded 13 studies on the complications of TES-MEP IONM, from which three were excluded. Five studies are case series; the rest are case reports. Overall, 169 complications on 167 patients were reported in a total of 38,915 patients, a global prevalence of 0.43%. The most common complication was tongue-bite in 129 cases, (76.3% of all complication events). Tongue-bite had a prevalence of 0.33% (CI 95%, 0.28-0.39%) in all patients on TES-MEP IONM. A relatively low prevalence of severe complications was found: cardiac-arrhythmia, bradycardia and seizure, the prevalence of this complications represents only one case in all the sample. Alongside, we report the occurrence of cardiac arrest attributable to TES-MEP IONM., Conclusions: This systematic review shows that TES-MEP is a safe procedure with a very low prevalence of complications. To our best knowledge, asystole is reported for the first time as a complication during TES-MEP IONM., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Purpose: Genetic diagnosis is a promising approach because several single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) progression have been reported. We review the predictive value of SNPs in curve progression of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis., Methods: We reviewed DNA-based prognostic testing to predict curve progression. Then, the multiple polymorphisms in loci related to AIS progression were also reviewed, and we elucidated the predictive value of SNPs from four functional perspectives, including endocrine metabolism, neuromuscular system, cartilage and extracellular matrix, enzymes, and cytokines., Results: The ScoliScores were less successful predictors than expected, and the weak power of predictive SNPs might account for its failure. Susceptibility loci in ESR1, ESR2, GPER, and IGF1, which related to endocrine metabolism, have been reported to predict AIS progression. Neuromuscular imbalance might be a potential mechanism of scoliosis, and SNPs in LBX1, NTF3, and SOCS3 have been reported to predict the curve progression of AIS. Susceptibility loci in SOX9, MATN1, AJAP1, MMP9, and TIMP2, which are related to cartilage and extracellular matrix, are also potentially related to AIS progression. Enzymes and cytokines play essential roles in regulating bone metabolism and embryonic development. SNPs in BNC2, SLC39A8, TGFB1, IL-6, IL-17RC, and CHD7 were suggested as predictive loci for AIS curve progression., Conclusions: Many promising SNPs have been identified to predict the curve progression of AIS. However, conflicting results from replication studies and different ethnic groups hamper their reliability. Convincing SNPs from multiethnic populations and functional verification are needed., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: According to published meta-analyses, cervical total disc replacement (CTDR) seems to be superior to anterior cervical decompression and fusion (ACDF) in most clinical parameters. Despite short-term clinical success of CTDR, there are concerns regarding long-term durability of these prostheses., Methods: This prospective study involved 382 patients who received standalone CTDR or a hybrid procedure (ACDF/CTDR). A retrospective comparison between different CTDR devices was conducted regarding patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), failure scenarios, and revision surgeries. The M6-C™ Artificial Cervical Disc (Orthofix, Lewisville, Texas) cohort was compared to the other CTDR devices clinically. Etiological reasons for revision, and the surgical technique of the revision was investigated., Results: Fifty-three patients received M6-C CTDR. Eighteen patients (34%) were revised at an average of 67 months postoperatively for wear-induced osteolysis. There were three additional cases of pending revision. The PROMs of the two groups were similar, indicating that the failure mode (wear-induced osteolysis) is often asymptomatic. The demographics of the two groups were also similar, with more women undergoing revision surgery than men. There were three one-level CTDR, four two-level hybrids, seven three-level hybrids, and three four-level hybrids revised anteriorly. Sixteen patients underwent removal of the prosthesis and were treated according to the extent of osteolysis. There were four vertebrectomies, six revisions to ACDF, and six revisions to another CTDR. One patient underwent supplemental fixation using a posterior approach. The other CTDR cohort had an incidence of 3.3% at the equivalent time, and none of these were due to osteolysis or wear-related events., Conclusions: There is a concerning midterm failure rate related to ultra-high-molecular-weight-polyethylene wear-induced osteolysis in the M6-C. Patients implanted with the M6-C prosthesis should be contacted, informed, and clinically and radiologically assessed., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Purpose: The smartphone-based 6-min walking test (6WT) is an established digital outcome measure in patients undergoing surgery for degenerative lumbar disorders (DLD). In addition to the 6WTs primary outcome measure, the 6-min walking distance (6WD), the patient's distance to first symptoms (DTFS) and time to first symptoms (TTFS) can be recorded. This is the first study to analyse the psychometric properties of the DTFS and TTFS., Methods: Forty-nine consecutive patients (55 ± 15.8 years) completed the 6WT pre- and 6 weeks (W6) postoperative. DTFS and TTFS were assessed for reliability and content validity using disease-specific patient-reported outcome measures. The Zurich Claudication Questionnaire patient satisfaction subscale was used as external criterion for treatment success. Internal and external responsiveness for both measures at W6 was evaluated., Results: There was a significant improvement in DTFS and TTFS from baseline to W6 (p < 0.001). Both measures demonstrated a good test-retest reliability (β = 0.86, 95% CI 0.81-0.90 and β = 0.83, 95% CI 0.76-0.87, both p < 0.001). The DTFS exceeded the 6WD capability to differentiate between satisfied (82%) and unsatisfied patients (18%) with an AUC of 0.75 (95% CI 0.53-0.98) vs. 0.70 (95% CI 0.52-0.90). The TTFS did not demonstrate meaningful discriminative abilities., Conclusion: Change in DTFS can differentiate between satisfied and unsatisfied patients after spine surgery. Digital outcome measures on the 6WT metric provide spine surgeons and researchers with a mean to assess their patient's functional disability and response to surgical treatment in DLD., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Purpose: To investigate whether upright magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has a role in defining thoracolumbar spine pathology in elite gymnastics., Methods: A prospective cross-sectional observational study of National Senior and Junior Artistic gymnasts in three MRI positions (standard supine, upright flexed and extended positions). Two specialist musculoskeletal radiologists independently analysed images with neutral as a baseline with the effects of flexion and extension reported in line with Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) statement., Results: Forty (18 males) gymnasts aged 13-24 years with a mean (SD) of 32 (5.3) training hours per week consented with 75% showing MRI abnormalities. Degenerative disc disease (DDD) was evident in 55% participants with vertebral end plate (VEP) changes in 42.5%. Spondylolysis was present in 40% with an additional 17% showing chronic bilateral complete L5 pars defects. 23% participants demonstrated different MRI findings in upright flexion compared to neutral., Conclusion: Findings suggest a high levels of MRI abnormalities in elite gymnastics including altered disc morphology and posterior element abnormalities. High prevalence of T11/12 DDD and VEP changes reflects the thoracolumbar junction being a transition zone. Upright MRI and varying spine position offer promise for enhanced visualisation of posterior element abnormalities., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Introduction: Various surgical techniques have been introduced for atlantoaxial (C1-C2) fusion, the most common being Magerl's (transarticular) or the Harms/Goel screw fixation. Common indications include degenerative osteoarthritis (OA), trauma or rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Only few, small studies have evaluated patient-reported outcomes after C1-C2 fusion. We investigated 2-year outcomes in a large series of consecutive patients undergoing isolated C1-C2 fusion., Methods: We analysed prospectively collected data (2005-2016) from our Spine outcomes database, collected within the framework of EUROSPINE's Spine Tango Registry. It included 126 patients (34 (27%) men, 92 (73%) women; mean (SD) age 67 ± 19 y) who had undergone first-time isolated C1-C2 fusion (61% Magerl, 39% Harms(-Goel)) at least 2 years ago for OA (83 (66%)), RA (20 (16%)), fracture (15 (12%)) or other (8 (6%)). Patients completed the multidimensional Core Outcome Measures Index (COMI; 0-10) and various single item outcomes., Results: Questionnaires were returned by 118/126 (94%) patients, 2 years post-operative. Mean COMI scores showed a significant reduction from baseline: 6.9 ± 2.4 to 2.7 ± 2.5 (p < 0.0001). Overall, 75% patients achieved the MCIC of ≥ 2.2 points reduction in COMI and 88% reported a good global outcome. 91% patients were satisfied/very satisfied with their care. Self-reported complications were declared by 16% patients and further surgery at the same segment, by 2.5%., Conclusion: In this large series with almost complete follow-up, C1-C2 fusion showed extremely good results. Despite the complexity of the intervention, outcomes surpassed those typically reported for simple procedures such as ACDF and lumbar discectomy, suggesting reservations about the procedure should perhaps be reviewed., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Purpose: Chordomas are rare tumors with an annual incidence of approximately one per million. Chordomas rarely metastasize but show a high local recurrence rate. Therefore, these patients present a major clinical challenge, and there is a paucity of the literature regarding the outcome after revision surgery of cervical spine chordomas. Available studies suggest a significantly worse outcome in revision scenarios. The purpose of this study is to analyze the survival rate, and complications of patients that underwent revision surgery for local recurrence or incomplete resection of chordoma at the craniocervical junction or at the cervical spine., Methods: 24 consecutive patients that underwent revision surgery for cervical spine chordoma remnants or recurrence at a single center were reviewed retrospectively. We analyzed patient-specific surgical treatment strategies, complications, and outcome. Kaplan-Meier estimator was used to analyze five-year overall survival., Results: Gross total resection was achieved in 17 cases. Seven patients developed dehiscence of the pharyngeal wall, being the most common long-term complication. No instability was observed. Postoperatively, four patients received proton beam radiotherapy and 12 patients had combined photon and proton beam radiotherapy. The five-year overall survival rate was 72.6%., Conclusion: With thorough preoperative planning, appropriate surgical techniques, and the addition of adjuvant radiotherapy, results similar to those in primary surgery can be achieved., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Purpose: Lumbar discogenic diffuse pain is still not understood. Authors describe the sinuvertebral nerve (SVN) as one possible cause. Body-donor studies are rare and controversial. Therefore, the aim was to revisit the origin, course and distribution in a body-donor study., Methods: Six lumbar blocks (3 female, 3 male) aged between 59 and 94 years were dissected. After removal of the back muscles, lamina, dura mater and cauda equina, the anterior vertebral venous plexus, spinal artery and SVN were exposed and evaluated., Results: 43 nerves out of 48 levels could be evaluated. The origin of the SVN was constituted by two roots: a somatic and a sympathetic branch arising from the rami communicantes. In 4/48 intervertebral canals studied (8.3%), we found two SVN at the same level. In 35/48 cases, one SVN was found. In 9/48 cases, no SVN was found. The SVN had a recurrent course below the inferior vertebral notch; in the vertebral canal it showed different patterns: ascending branch (31/43, 72.1%), common branch diverging into two branches (10/43, 23.3%), double ascending branch (1/43, 2.3%) finalizing two levels above and a descending branch (1/43, 2.3%). In 12/43 cases (27.9%) the SVN had ipsilateral connections with another SVN. The distribution ended in the middle of the vertebral body supplying adjacent structures., Conclusion: A thorough understanding of the anatomy of the SVN might lead to significant benefits in therapy of discogenic low back pain. We suggest blocking the SVN at the level of the inferior vertebral notch of two adjacent segments., Level of Evidence I: Diagnostic: individual cross-sectional studies with consistently applied reference standard and blinding., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Purpose: Spinal deformities due to adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) result in impairment in the back surface topography. Sophisticated interventions are needed that address different aspects of deformity. The purpose of our study is to test the reliability of hand-held 3D scanners on the assessment of AIS., Methods: Forty-two AIS patients were included in our study. The back surfaces of the patients were scanned with the hand-held 3D scanner, while the patients were in the standing position with the arms hanging at the sides (P1), with the arms extended (P2), and forward bending position (P3). The acquired original image was superimposed with the mirror image. Root mean square (RMS) of the point-to-point distance was calculated, and the differences between the surfaces were determined. Correlation between RMS, Cobb, POTSI, scoliometer, radiographic rotations, TRACE results was calculated., Results: A significant correlation coefficency (r) was found between the RMS and Cobb values in the thoracic (P1 = 0.80, P2 = 0.76, P3 = 0.71) and lumbal region (P1 = 0.56, P2 = 0.65, P3 = 0.63); between RMS and Raimondi in the thoracic (r, P1 = 0.80, P2 = 0.81, P3 = 0.78) and lumbar regions (P1 = 0.54, P2 = 0.64, P3 = 0.59); between RMS and scoliometer measurements in the thoracic (r, P1 = 0.58, P2 = 0.50, P3 = 0.41) and lumbar regions (P1 = 0.35, P2 = 0.41, P3 = 0.59); in thoracolumbar region between RMS and POTSI (P1 = 0.50, P2 = 0.25, P3= 0.36), between RMS and TRACE (P1 = 0.68, P2 = 0.5, P3 = 0.52), CONCLUSION: The hand-held scanners may contribute to gaining new insight into diagnosis and follow-up of AIS by its mobility that enables the acquisition of data in desired body position and place such as bedside or our patient clinics., Level of Evidence Iv: Diagnostic: individual cross-sectional studies with consistently applied reference standard and blinding., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH, DE part of Springer Nature.)

Purpose: Although proximal junctional kyphosis (PJK) is common after long spinal fusion, the outcomes of revision surgery for symptomatic PJK are unclear. Our aim was to assess the outcomes of revision surgery for symptomatic PJK in patients with adult spinal deformity and elucidate the incidence and risk factors for recurrent PJK (rePJK)., Methods: We evaluated standing radiographs and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients who underwent revision surgery for symptomatic PJK with at least 2-year follow-up. Patients were assigned to the non-rePJK or rePJK group according to PJK recurrence., Results: Thirty-nine consecutive patients (mean age, 63 ± 11 years; 24 women) met the inclusion criteria. RePJK occurred in 12 patients (31%). There were significant differences in the following parameters between groups (non-rePJK vs. rePJK): initial proximal junctional sagittal Cobb angle (PJA) (26.6° vs. 35.6°), thoracic kyphosis (TK) (38.6° vs. 52.8°), and sagittal vertical axis (SVA) (9.3 vs. 15.9 cm), and pre- to postoperative SVA decrease (6.1 vs. 12.2 cm). Significant risk factors for rePJK were initial PJA > 40°, preoperative TK > 60°, preoperative SVA > 10.0 cm, correction of TK > 15°, and correction of SVA > 5.0 cm. HRQOL scores improved significantly; however, postoperative SRS-22r activity scores were significantly worse in the rePJK group vs the non-rePJK group., Conclusion: The incidence of rePJK was 31%. Risk factors for rePJK were large initial PJA, high preoperative TK and SVA, and greater correction of TK and SVA. HRQOL did not differ significantly between patients with vs without rePJK, except immediate postoperative SRS-22r activity scores., Level of Evidence: III.

Objective: Recurrent lumbar disc herniation (LDH) is the most frequent reason for reoperation after lumbar microdiscectomy. While several risk factors for recurrent LDH have been well-described, the effect of age on recurrence remains unclear, especially concerning the timing of recurrent LDH., Methods: From a prospective registry, we identified all patients who underwent tubular microdiscectomy for LDH. Recurrent LDH was defined as reoperation for LDH at the same index level and side. The associations among age and incidence of recurrent LDH as well as on time to recurrent LDH were statistically evaluated using multivariable analysis of covariance, linear regression, and Cox proportional hazards modelling., Results: Of the 3013 patients who underwent surgery for LDH, 166 (5.5%) had to undergo reoperation due to LDH recurrence. Uni- and multivariable analysis revealed no influence of age on the incidence of recurrent LDH (both p > 0.05). Linear regression indicated earlier reoperation in older patients, both with (β = -0.248) and without (β = -0.374) correction for confounders (both p < 0.05). An additional survival analysis found that patients aged over 35 years had recurrent LDH significantly earlier (hazard ratio 0.617, p = 0.013)., Conclusion: In an analysis of a large prospective database of patients undergoing microdiscectomy for lumbar disc herniation, we found that younger patients do not have a higher reoperation probability than their older counterparts, even after correcting for multiple confounders. However, older patients tend to experience recurrent LDH significantly earlier after the index surgery compared to younger patients.

Purpose: The study objectives were to use a large national claims data resource to examine rates of preoperative epidural steroid injections (ESI) in lumbar spine surgery and determine whether preoperative ESI or the timing of preoperative ESI is associated with rates of postoperative complications and reoperations., Methods: A retrospective longitudinal analysis of patients undergoing lumbar spine surgery for disc herniation and/or spinal stenosis was undertaken using the MarketScan® databases from 2007-2015. Propensity-score matched cohorts were constructed to compare rates of complications and reoperations in patients with and without preoperative ESI., Results: Within the year prior to surgery, 120,898 (46.4%) patients had a lumber ESI. The median time between ESI and surgery was 10 weeks. 23.1% of patients having preoperative ESI had more than one level injected, and 66.5% had more than one preoperative ESI treatment. Patients with chronic pain were considerably more likely to have an ESI prior to their surgery [OR 1.62 (1.54, 1.69), p < 0.001]. Patients having preoperative ESI within in close proximity to surgery did not have increased rates of infection, dural tear, neurological complications, or surgical complications; however, they did experience higher rates of reoperations and readmissions than those with no preoperative ESI (p < 0.001)., Conclusion: Half of patients undergoing lumbar spine surgery for stenosis and/or herniation had a preoperative ESI. These were not associated with an increased risk for postoperative complications, even when the ESI was given in close proximity to surgery. Patients with preoperative ESI were more likely to have readmissions and reoperations following surgery.

Objective: To appraise the available evidence on advanced practice physiotherapy (APP) models of care (MoC) in specialized secondary care such as orthopaedic, rheumatology or neurosurgery outpatients' clinics for adults with spinal pain., Methods: Systematic review with meta-analysis. Electronic searches were conducted up to July 2020 in Medline, Embase, Cochrane CENTRAL and CINAHL. Studies on APP MoC in specialized secondary care for adults with spinal pain were included., Results: Eighteen studies (n = 9405), including two randomized controlled trials and sixteen observational studies were included. One study was considered at high quality, fourteen studies were considered of moderate quality and three were considered of low quality. Pooled results for change in disability for patients with spinal pain reported no significant difference between APP and usual medical care (UMC). Mean wait time for initial consultation was lower with APP (1-9.4 weeks) than with UMC MoC (23-65 weeks). Following the implementation of APP MoC, wait time for a consultation with a medical specialist was reduced (6-16 weeks). Physiotherapists in APP MoC managed independently 89.2% of the patients referred (n = 8393). Stakeholders and patients reported high satisfaction with APP care., Conclusions: APP MoC and UMC likely result in comparable pain, disability and quality of life improvement for adults with spinal pain. However, APP MoC have the potential to improve health care access by reducing wait time for consultation in specialized care and maintaining a high level of satisfaction among stakeholders and patients.

Purpose: The coronal Cobb angle is commonly used for assessing the adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS); however, it may underestimate the severity of AIS while the plane of maximum curvature (PMC) could be a promising descriptor for three-dimensional assessment of AIS. This study aimed to develop a computational method (CM) for estimating the PMC based on the coronal and sagittal images of the spine, and to verify the results with computed tomography (CT)., Methods: Twenty-eight thoracic and 24 lumbar curves from 30 subjects with AIS were analysed. For the CM, PMC was estimated via identifying the two corner points at the superior endplate of upper-end vertebra and the inferior endplate of lower-end vertebra in the coronal and sagittal CT images separately (eight corner points in total). For the CT, PMC was determined through rotating the spine images axially until the maximum Cobb angle was found. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), Bland-Altman method and linear regression analysis were used for the statistical analyses., Results: The high ICC values (intra- > 0.91; inter- > 0.84) suggested very good intra- and inter-rater reliability of the CM in PMC estimation. The high ICC values (> 0.91) and assessment of Bland-Altman method demonstrated a good agreement between the PMC acquired using the CM and CT. The generated linear regression equations (R 2  > 0.69) could allow to estimate the PMC (originally measured through the CT) via the CM., Conclusion: The developed computational method could estimate reliable and valid PMC for the patients with AIS, and become feasible for three-dimensional assessment of AIS., Level of Evidence: III.

Introduction and Objective: Although being standard for scoliosis curve size estimation, COBB angle measurement is well known to be inaccurate, due to a high interobserver variance in end vertebra selection and end plate contour delineation. We propose a stepwise improvement by using a spline constructed from vertebra centroids to resemble spinal curve characteristics more closely. To enhance precision even further, a neural net was trained to detect the centroids automatically., Materials & Methods: Vertebra centroids in AP spinal X-ray images of varying quality from 551 scoliosis patients were manually labeled by 4 investigators. With these inputs, splines were generated and the computed curve sizes were compared to the manually measured COBB angles and to the curve estimation obtained from the neural net., Results: Splines achieved a higher interobserver correlation of 0.92-0.95 compared to manual COBB measurements (0.83-0.92) and showed 1.5-2 times less variance, depending on the anatomic region. This translates into an average of 1° of interobserver measurement deviation for spline-based curve estimation compared to 3°-8° for COBB measurements. The neural net was even more precise and achieved mean deviations below 0.5°., Conclusion: In conclusion, our data suggest an advantage of spline-based automated measuring systems, so further investigations are warranted to abandon manual COBB measurements.

Purposes: To explore the function of endplate epiphyseal ring in OLIF stand-alone surgery using a biomechanical model to reduce the complications of endplate collapse and cage subsidence., Methods: In total, 24 human cadaveric lumbar function units (L1-2 and L3-4 segments) were randomly assigned to two groups. The first group was implanted with long fusion cages which engaged with both inner and outer regions of epiphyseal ring (Complete Span-Epiphyseal Ring, CSER). Those engaged with only the inner half of epiphyseal ring were the second group (Half Span-Epiphyseal Ring, HSER). Each group was divided into two subgroups [higher cage-height (HH) and normal cage-height (NH)]. Specimens were fixed in testing cups and compressed at approximately 2.5 mm/s, until the first sign of structural failure. Trabecular structural damage was analyzed by Micro-CT, as well as the difference of bone volume fraction (BV/TV), trabecular thickness (Tb.Th) et al. in different regions., Results: Endplate collapse was mainly evident in the inner region of epiphyseal ring, where trabecular injury of sub-endplate bone was most concentrated. Endplate collapse incidence was significantly higher in HSER than CSER specimens (P = 0.017). A structural failure occurred at a lower force in HSER (1.41 ± 0.34 KN) compared with CSER (2.44 ± 0.59 KN). HH subgroups failed at a lower average force than NH subgroups. Micro-CT results showed a more extensive trabecular fracture in HSER specimens compared to CSER specimens, especially in HH subgroup., Conclusions: Endplate collapse is more likely to occur with short half span cages than complete span cages, and taller cages compared with normal height cages. During OLIF surgery, we should choose cages matching intervertebral disc space height and place the cages spanning over the whole epiphyseal ring to improve support strength.

Purpose: Artificial intelligence algorithms can now identify hidden data patterns within the scientific literature. In 2019, these algorithms identified a thermoelectric material within the pre-2009 chemistry literature; years before its discovery in 2012. This approach inspired us to apply this algorithm to the back pain literature as the cause of back pain remains unknown in 90% of cases., Methods: We created a subset of all PubMed abstracts containing "back" and "pain" and then trained the Word2vec algorithm to predict word proximity. We then identified word pairings having high vector proximities between three spinal domains: anatomy, pathology and treatment. We plotted both between-domain and within-domain proximities then used the highest proximity pairs as ground truths in analogy testing to identify known associations (e.g., Canal is to Stenosis as Multifidus is to ?) RESULTS: We found  50,038 abstracts resulting in 27,984 unique words and 108,252 instances of "back pain". Ground truth pairings ranged in proximity from 0.86 to 0.70. Plotting revealed unique proximity representations between the three spine domains. From analogy testing, we identified 13 known word associations (pars&#95;interarticularis is to stress&#95;reaction as nerve&#95;root is to compression)., Conclusions: Artificial intelligence algorithms can successfully extract complex concepts from back pain literature. While use of AI algorithms to discover potentially unknown word associations requires future validation, our results provide investigators with a novel tool to generate new hypotheses regarding the origins of LBP and other spine related topics. To encourage use of these tools, we have created a free web-based app for investigator-driven queries.

Purpose: In surgical correction of scoliosis with pedicle screw dual-rod systems, frequently used freehand technique of screw positioning is challenging due to 3D deformity. Screw malposition can be associated with serious complications. Image-guided technologies are already available to improve accuracy of screw positioning and decrease radiation to surgeon. This study was conducted to measure intraoperative radiation to patients in freehand technique, evaluate screw-related complications and compare radiation values to published studies using navigation techniques., Methods: Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data of 73 patients with idiopathic scoliosis, who underwent surgical correction with pedicle screw dual-rod system. Evaluated parameters were age, effective radiation dose (ED), fluoroscopy time, number of fused segments, correction and complications. Parameters were compared with regarding single thoracic curve (SC) and double thoracic and lumbar curves (DC), adolescent (10-18 years) or adult (> 18 years) idiopathic scoliosis, length of instrumentation. ED was compared with values for navigation from online database., Results: Average age was 21.0 ± 9.7 years, ED was 0.17 ± 0.1 mSv, time of fluoroscopy was 24.1 ± 18.6 s, 9.5 ± 1.9 fused segments. Average correction for SC was 75.7%, for DC 69.9% (thoracic) and 76.2% (lumbar). No screw-related complications. ED was significantly lower for SC versus DC (p < 0.01), short versus long fusions (p < 0.01), no significant difference for age (p = 0.1). Published navigation data showed 6.5- to 8.8-times higher radiation exposure for patients compared to our results., Conclusion: Compared to navigation procedures, freehanded positioning of pedicle screws in experienced hands is a safe and effective method for surgical correction of idiopathic scoliosis with a significant decrease in radiation exposure to patients.

Purpose: The positive association between low back pain and MRI evidence of vertebral endplate bone marrow lesions, often called Modic changes (MC), offers the exciting prospect of diagnosing a specific phenotype of chronic low back pain (LBP). However, imprecision in the reporting of MC has introduced substantial challenges, as variations in both imaging equipment and scanning parameters can impact conspicuity of MC. This review discusses key methodological factors that impact MC classification and recommends guidelines for more consistent MC reporting that will allow for better integration of research into this LBP phenotype., Methods: Non-systematic literature review., Results: The high diagnostic specificity of MC classification for a painful level contributes to the significant association observed between MC and LBP, whereas low and variable sensitivity underlies the between- and within-study variability in observed associations. Poor sensitivity may be owing to the presence of other pain generators, to the limited MRI resolution, and to the imperfect reliability of MC classification, which lowers diagnostic sensitivity and thus influences the association between MC and LBP. Importantly, magnetic field strength and pulse sequence parameters also impact detection of MC. Advances in pulse sequences may improve reliability and prove valuable for quantifying lesion severity., Conclusions: Comparison of MC data between studies can be problematic. Various methodological factors impact detection and classification of MC, and the lack of reporting guidelines hinders interpretation and comparison of findings. Thus, it is critical to adopt imaging and reporting standards that codify acceptable methodological criteria. These slides can be retrieved under Electronic Supplementary Material.

Purpose: Microendoscopy-assisted minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MIS-TLIF) is an advantageous method for treating lumbar degenerative disease; however, some patients show contralateral radiculopathy postoperatively. This study aims to investigate its risk factor., Methods: A total of 130 cases who underwent microendoscopy-assisted MIS-TLIF at L4-5 level were divided into symptomatic and asymptomatic groups according to the presence of postoperative contralateral radiculopathy. Both preoperative and postoperative radiographic parameters, as well as their changes were compared between the two groups, including lumbar lordosis (LL), surgical segmental angle (SSA), disc height (DH), contralateral foramen area (CFA) and contralateral canal area (CCA). Screw breach on contralateral L4 pedicle and decompression method (ipsilateral or bilateral canal decompression through unilateral route) were also analyzed as potential risk factors. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was drawn for the risk factor to determine the optimal threshold for predicting postoperative contralateral radiculopathy. Besides, clinical outcome assessment, involving Visual Analog Score (VAS) for back and leg, Japanese Orthopaedics Association Score (JOA) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), was also compared between the two groups before surgery and at final follow-up (at least 3 months after the surgery for asymptomatic patients or final treatments of contralateral radiculopathy for symptomatic cases)., Results: Postoperative contralateral radiculopathy occurred in 11 (8.5%) of the 130 patients. Both preoperative and postoperative CFA as well as its change were significantly decreased in symptomatic group compared with asymptomatic group (all P < 0.05). For the remaining four parameters (LL, SSA, DH, CCA), their preoperative, postoperative and change values showed no statistical difference between the two groups (all P > 0.05). Neither screw breach nor decompression method revealed statistical association with this complication (both P > 0.05). Based on ROC curve, the optimal threshold of preoperative CFA was 0.76 cm 2 . At final follow-up, significant improvement in VAS (back and leg), JOA and ODI was observed in both groups compared with preoperative baseline (all P < 0.05), while no difference was found between the two groups (all P > 0.05)., Conclusions: Preoperative contralateral foramen stenosis is the risk factor of contralateral radiculopathy following microendoscopy-assisted MIS-TLIF. If preoperative CFA at L4-5 level is not larger than 0.76 cm 2 , prophylactic measures, including both indirect and direct decompression of contralateral foramen, are recommended.

Purpose: Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is frequently utilised to aid in the comprehensive assessment of back pain, while dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) is the gold standard test for the assessment of bone density. Assessing bone density on MRI could reduce costs and avoid exposing patients to ionising radiation. The aim of this paper is to investigate whether the relative signal intensity of vertebral bodies compared to other structures can detect osteoporosis on MRI., Methods: 100 patients that had undergone both a lumbar spine MRI and a DEXA scan were identified. The T1 and T2 signal intensity of L1-L4 vertebral bodies (VB), cerebro-spinal fluid (CSF), and psoas muscle were measured within a 1-cm 2 region of interest (ROI), and the signal intensity ratios were calculated. The ratios were stratified as normal, osteopenic, or osteoporotic based on DEXA T-scores., Results: The T1 VB /T1 CSF ratio was significantly higher in the osteoporotic group than the normal and osteopenic groups (p < 0.001). The T1 VB /T1 CSF ratio had excellent discrimination (AUC = 0.841) for the presence of osteoporosis. The Pearson correlation coefficient between the DEXA T-score and the T1 VB/T1 CSF ratio was -0.474 (p < 0.001). The intra-observer (ICC = 0.910, 95% CI = 0.757-0.966) and inter-observer reliability (ICC = 0.927, 95% CI = 0.824-0.970) were excellent. In our cohort, a T1 VB / T1 CSF ratio of greater than 4 is 66.7% sensitive but 90.0% specific for the presence of osteoporosis., Conclusion: A high T1 VB/T1 CSF ratio suggests osteoporosis on MRI. Prospective validation is needed to confirm these findings., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Purpose: Advancement in all surgery continues to progress towards more minimally invasive surgical (MIS) approaches. One of the platform technologies which has helped drive this trend within spine surgery is the development of endoscopy; however, the limited anatomic view experienced when performing endoscopic spine surgery requires a significant learning curve. The use of intraoperative navigation has been adapted for endoscopic spine surgery, as this provides computer-reconstructed visual data presented in three dimensions, which can increase feasibility of this technique to more surgeons., Methods: This paper will describe the principles, technical considerations, and applications of stereotactic navigation-guided endoscopic spine surgery., Results: Full-endoscopic spine surgery has advanced in recent years such that it can be utilized in both decompressive and fusion surgeries. One of the major pitfalls to any minimally invasive surgery (including endoscopic) is that the limited surgical view can often complicate the surgery or confuse the surgeon, leading to longer operative times, higher risks, among others. This is the real utility to using navigation in conjunction with the endoscope-when registered correctly and utilized appropriately, navigated endoscopic spine surgery can take some of the guesswork out of the minimally invasive approach., Conclusions: Using navigation with endoscopy in spine surgery can potentially expand this technique to surgeons who have yet to master endoscopy as the assistance provided by the navigation can alleviate some of the complexities with anatomic understanding and surgical planning., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Purpose: Endoscopic endonasal approach (EEA) is the safest and most effective technique for odontoidectomy. Nevertheless, this kind of approach is yet not largely widespread. The aim of this study is to share with the scientific community some tips and tricks with our ten-year-old learned experience in endoscopic endonasal odontoidectomy (EEO), which remains a challenging surgical approach., Material and Methods: Our case series consists of twenty-one (10 males, 11 females; age range of 34-84 years) retrospectively analyzed patients with ventral spinal cord compression for non-reducible CVJ malformation, treated with EEA from July 2011 to March 2019., Results: The results have recently been reported in a previous paper. The only intraoperative complication observed was intraoperative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak (9.5%), without any sign of post-operative CSF leak., Conclusions: Considering our experience, EEO represents a valid and safe technique to decompress neural cervical structures. Despite its technical complexity, mainly due to the use of endoscope and the challenging surgical area, with this study we encourage the use of EEO displaying our experience-based surgical tips and tricks., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Purpose: Tuberculosis is one of the oldest diseases in human history, and spinal tuberculosis (STB) is the most common form of extrapulmonary tuberculosis. A large number of research has been conducted in this field. However, there has been no bibliometric analysis performed in recent years in STB. The aim of this study was to analyze trends and hotspots in research on STB., Methods: Publications regarding STB between 1980 and 2022 were extracted from the Web of Science database. CiteSpace (V5.7.R2) and VOSviewer (1.6.10) were used to perform global analyses of the number of publications, countries, institutions, authors, journals, keywords, and cited references., Results: A total of 1262 articles were published between 1980 and 2022. We observed rapid growth in the number of publications since 2010. Spine had the highest number of publications (47, 3.7%). Zhang HQ and Wang XY were key researchers. The Central South University published the most papers (90, 7.1%). China was the leading contributor in this field with 459 publications and 29 H-index. National partnerships are dominated by the USA, and there is a lack of active cooperation between other countries and authors., Conclusion: research on STB has achieved great progress, with an increasing number of publications since 2010. Surgical treatment and debridement are current research hots pots, and diagnosis, drug resistance, and kyphosis are likely research frontiers. Cooperation between countries and authors needs to be further strengthened., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Purpose: Low back pain is a significant health problem with a high prevalence. Studies of smaller cohorts of low back pain patients have indicated increased body sway. The present paper tests the hypothesis of an association between low back pain and postural sway in a large randomly selected population., Methods: The current study used the fifth examination (2011-2015) of The Copenhagen City Heart Study where 4543 participated. The participants answered a self-administered questionnaire regarding pain, physical activity, smoking, alcohol consumption, education, and other lifestyle factors. Measurement of postural body sway was performed using the CATSYS system., Results: Totally 1134 participants (25%) reported to have low back pain. Subjects with low back pain had higher sway area and sway velocity than subjects without., Conclusion: When using multivariate statistical analysis, confounding factors such as male gender, higher age, larger body height, low education level, smoking, and low activity level explained the association between low back pain and postural sway., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background: Malignant spinal cord compression (MSCC) has been noted in 3-5% of children with primary tumours. MSCC can be associated with permanent neurological deficits and prompt treatment is necessary. Our aim was to perform a systematic review on MSCC in children < 18 years to help formulate national guidelines., Methods: A systematic review of the English language was undertaken using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Search criteria included 'MSCC in children, paediatric and metastases' for papers published between January1999 and December 2022. Isolated case reports/case series with < 10 patients were excluded., Results: From a total of 17 articles identified, a final 7 were analysed (Level III/IV). Neuroblastoma constituted the most common cause for MSCC in children (62.7%) followed by sarcoma (14.2%). Soft tissue sarcomas were the most frequent cause of MSCC in children > 5 years old, while for neuroblastomas, the mean age of presentation was 20 months. The median age at time of diagnosis for the entire cohort of patients was 50.9 months (14.8-139). The median follow-up duration was 50.7 months (0.5-204). Motor deficits were the presenting symptom in 95.6% of children followed by pain in 65.4% and sphincter disturbance in 24%. There was a delay of about 26.05 days (7-600) between the onset of symptoms and diagnosis. A multimodality approach to treatment was utilised depending on the primary tumour. The prognosis for neurological recovery was found to be inversely proportional to the degree of neurological deficits and duration of symptoms in four studies., Conclusion: Neuroblastoma is the most common cause for MSCC in children (62.7%) followed by sarcoma (14.2%), whilst soft tissue sarcomas constituted the most frequent cause of MSCC in children > 5 years old. The majority of patients presented with motor deficit, followed by pain. In children with neuroblastoma /lymphoma, chemotherapy was the primary treatment. Early surgery should be a consideration with rapid deterioration of neurology despite chemotherapy. A multimodality approach including chemo-radiotherapy and surgery should be the treatment of choice in metastatic sarcomas. It is worth noting that multi-level laminectomy/decompression and asymmetrical radiation to the spine can lead to spinal column deformity in the future., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Purpose: Our aim was to develop a nationwide, computer-based, Spine Register (FinSpine) for monitoring surgical activity, quality of surgery, long-term outcomes, and effectiveness of treatment. In this paper, we describe our experiences in the development and implementation of the register., Methods: The register was developed by a steering group, consisting of orthopedic surgeons and neurosurgeons from the whole country. We strived to develop a register which would be in active use by spine surgeons and enable collection of Patient Reported Outcome and Experience Measures (PROMs and PREMs) automatically and prospectively. We are actively promoting the use of the register in order to gain a nationwide coverage and achieve high response-rates from both surgeons and patients., Results: The use of FinSpine started in 2016 and it has been granted continuous funding from the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare from the 1st of January 2023 onwards. Currently the register is used by 19/23 (83%) public hospitals and the use is expanding to private hospitals as well. The response-rate of surgeons is currently 80%. The response-rate of patients is on average 56% but reaches up to 90% in hospitals using register-coordinators., Conclusion: The use of FinSpine is increasing. By gaining a larger coverage and completeness, the data can be used for research purposes which we believe will influence decision making and ultimately improve the outcomes and quality of life of the patients. Comparison with other national spine registers is possible, since FinSpine includes similar baseline characteristics and outcome measures (e.g., ODI, EQ-5D, VAS)., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

This paper presents a comparison of quantitative computed tomography (QCT) and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in osteoporosis with vertebral fracture and osteoporosis without fracture. It has been proved that the volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD) measured by QCT exhibits a stronger correlation with fracture risk than areal bone mineral density (aBMD) measured by DXA., Purpose: This study aims to systematically evaluate the ability of QCT and DXA to distinguish between osteoporosis with vertebral fracture and osteoporosis without fracture according to vBMD and aBMD., Methods: We conducted a primary literature search of the online databases up to 3 July, 2022, in both English and Chinese publications, combining synonyms for "QCT", "DXA" and "osteoporosis". The Newcastle-Ottawa scale (NOS) was employed to evaluate the quality of the selected articles. vBMD obtained through QCT and aBMD obtained through DXA were extracted, and were analyzed by Review Manager 5.4 and RStudio., Results: Six studies with 610 individuals aged 45 to 90, of which 179 had vertebral fractures, were included in the final analysis. The weighted mean difference (WMD) between osteoporosis with vertebral fracture and osteoporosis without fracture for vBMD was - 27.08 (95% CI  - 31.24 to  - 22.92), while for aBMD was - 0.05 (95% CI - 0.08 to - 0.03)., Conclusions: Both vBMD detected by QCT and aBMD detected by DXA could discriminate fracture status in the spine, and vBMD performed a stronger correlation with fracture risk., Trial Registration: PROSPERO 2022 CRD42022349185., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Introduction: Patients with spinal deformities undergoing corrective surgery are at risk for iatrogenic spinal cord injury (SCI) and subsequent neurological deficit. Intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (IONM) allows early detection of SCI which enables early intervention resulting in a better prognosis. The primary aim of this literature review was to search if there are threshold values of TcMEP and SSEP in the literature that are widely accepted as alert during IONM. The secondary aim was to update knowledge concerning IONM during scoliosis surgery., Method: PubMed/MEDLINE and Cochrane library electronic databases were used to search publication from 2012 to 2022. The following keywords were used: evoked potential, scoliosis, surgery, intraoperative monitoring and neurophysiological. We included all studies dealing with SSEP and TcMEP monitoring during scoliosis surgery. Two authors reviewed all titles and abstracts to identify studies that met the inclusion criteria., Results: We included 43 papers. Rates of IONM alert and neurological deficit varied from 0.56 to 64% and from 0.15 to 8.3%, respectively. Threshold values varied from a loss of 50 to 90% for TcMEP amplitude, whereas it seems that a loss of 50% in amplitude and/or an increase of 10% of latency is widely accepted for SSEP. Causes of IONM changes most frequently reported were surgical maneuver., Conclusion: Concerning SSEP, a loss of 50% in amplitude and/or an increase of 10% of latency is widely accepted as an alert. For TcMEP, it seems that the use of highest threshold values can avoid unnecessary surgical procedure for the patient without increasing risk of neurological deficit., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Objective: The study aims to assess the current development status of transforaminal full-endoscopic spine surgery (TFES) by exploring and analyzing the published literature to obtain an overview of this field and discover the evolution and emerging topics that are underrepresented., Methods: Using Bibliometrix, CiteSpace, and VOSviewer, we analyzed the bibliometric data selected from the Web of Science Core Collection between January 2002 and November 2022. The descriptive and evaluative analyses of authors, institutes, countries, journals, keywords, and references are compiled. The quantity of research productivity was measured by the number of publications that were published. A quality indicator was thought to be the number of citations. In the bibliometric analysis of authors, areas, institutes, and references, we calculated and ranked the research impact by various metrics, such as the h-index and m-index., Results: A total of 628 articles were identified in the field of TFES by the 18.73% annual growth rate of research on the subject from 2002 to 2022, constituting the documents are by 1961 authors affiliated with 661 institutions in 42 countries or regions and published in 117 journals. The USA (n = 0.20) has the highest international collaboration rate, South Korea has the highest H-index value (h = 33), and China is ranked as the most productive country (n = 348). Brown univ., Tongji univ., and Wooridul Spine represented the most productive institutes ranked by the number of publications. Wooridul Spine Hospital demonstrated the highest quality of paper publication. The Pain Physician had the highest h-index (n = 18), and the most cited journal with the earliest publication year in the area of FEDS is Spine (t = 1855)., Conclusion: The bibliometric study showed a growing trend of research on transforaminal full-endoscopic spine surgery over the past 20 years. It has shown a significant increase in the number of authors, institutions, and international collaborating countries. South Korea, the United States, and China dominate the related areas. A growing body of evidence has revealed that TFES has leapfrogged from its infancy stage and gradually entered a mature development stage., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Purpose: Current literature suggests that biportal spinal endoscopy is safe and effective in treating lumbar spine pathology such as lumbar disc herniation, lumbar stenosis, and degenerative spondylolisthesis. No prior study has investigated the postoperative outcomes or complication profile of the technique as a whole. This study serves as the first comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis of biportal spinal endoscopy in the lumbar spine., Methods: A PubMed literature search provided over 100 studies. 42 papers were reviewed and 3673 cases were identified with average follow-up time of 12.5 months. Preoperative diagnoses consisted of acute disc herniation (1098), lumbar stenosis (2432), and degenerative spondylolisthesis (229). Demographics, operative details, complications, and perioperative outcome and satisfaction scores were analyzed., Results: Average age was 61.32 years, 48% male. 2402 decompressions, 1056 discectomies, and 261 transforaminal lumbar Interbody fusions (TLIFs) were performed. Surgery was performed on 4376 lumbar levels, with L4-5 being most common(61.3%). 290 total complications occurred, 2.23% durotomies, 1.29% inadequate decompressions, 3.79% epidural hematomas, and < 1% transient nerve root injuries, infections, and iatrogenic instability. Significant improvement in VAS-Back, VAS-Leg, ODI, and Macnab Scores were seen across the cohort., Conclusion: Biportal spinal endoscopy is a novel method to address pathology in the lumbar spine with direct visualization through an endoscopic approach. Complications are comparable to previously published rates. Clinical outcomes demonstrate effectiveness. Prospective studies are required to assess the efficacy of the technique as compared to traditional techniques. This study demonstrates that the technique can be successful in the lumbar spine., (© 2023. This is a U.S. Government work and not under copyright protection in the US; foreign copyright protection may apply.)

Purpose: Pan Lumbar Arthodesis (PLA) are often required for Adult Spinal Deformity (ASD) correction, reducing significantly the compensatory capacity in case of postoperative sagittal malalignment. Few papers have investigated outcomes and complications in this vulnerable subset of patients. The objective of this study was to assess revision surgery rate for PLA in ASD, its risk factors and impact on clinical outcomes., Methods: Retrospective multicenter review of prospective ASD data from 7 hospitals covering Europe and Asia. ASD patients included in two prospective databases having a posterior instrumentation spanning the whole lumbar region with more than 2-years of follow-up were reviewed. Demographic, surgical, radiographic parameters and Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) scores were analyzed. Univariate and multivariate regression models analyzed risk factors for revision surgery as well as surgical outcomes. Patients with Early versus Late and PJK versus Non-PJK mechanical complications were also compared., Results: Out of 1359 ASD patients included in the database 589 (43%) had a PLA and 357 reached 2-years mark. They were analyzed and compared to non-PLA patients. Average age was 67 and 82% were females. 100 Patients (28.1%) needed 114 revision surgeries (75.4% for mechanical failures). Revised patients were more likely to have a nerve system disorder, higher BMI and worst immediate postoperative alignment (as measured by GAP Parameters). These risk factors were also associated with earlier mechanical complications and PJK. Deformity and HRQoL parameters were comparable at baseline. Non-revised patients had significantly better clinical outcomes at 2-years (SRS 22 scores, ODI, Back pain). Multivariate analysis could identify nerve system disorder (OR 4.8; CI 1.8-12.6; p = 0.001), postoperative sagittal alignment (GAP Score) and high BMI (OR 1.07; CI 1.01-1.13; p = 0.004) as independent risk factors for revisions., Conclusions: Revision surgery due to mechanical failures is relatively common after PLA leading to worse clinical outcomes. Prevention strategies should focus on individualized restoration of sagittal alignment and better weight control to decrease stress on these rigid constructs in non-compliant spines. Nerve system disorders independently increase revision risk in PLA., Level of Evidence Ii: Prognosis., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Purpose: This paper sets out to analyse mobility changes in segments adjacent to the operated segment. Additionally, it investigates the relationship between the degree of fusion in the operated disc space and mobility changes in the adjacent segments., Methods: In total, 170 disc spaces were operated on in 104 consecutive patients qualified for one- or two-level surgery. The degree of mobility of segments directly above and below the implant insertion site was calculated. Measurements were performed the day before the surgery and 12 months post-surgery. Functional (flexion and extension) radiographs of the cervical spine and CT scans obtained 12 months post-surgery were used to evaluate the fusion status. The results were subjected to statistical analysis., Results: Statistically significant increase in mobility was recorded for the segments situated immediately below the operative site, with a mean change in mobility of 1.7 mm. Complete fusion was demonstrated in 101 cases (71.1%), and partial fusion in 43 cases (29.9%). In the complete fusion subgroup, the ranges of both flexion and extension in the segments directly below the operative site were significantly greater than those in the partial fusion (pseudoarthrosis) subgroup., Conclusion: The mobility of the adjacent segment below the implant insertion site was significantly increased at 12 months post-ACDF surgery. The range of this compensatory hypermobility was significantly greater in patients with complete fusion at the ACDF site than in cases of pseudoarthrosis. Implant subsidence was not associated with mobility changes in the segments directly above or directly below the site of ACDF surgery., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Purpose: Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is the most common type of scoliosis that affects children aged 10-18 years old, manifesting in a three-dimensional spinal deformity. This study aimed to explore outcome measures used in defining AIS treatment success. Particularly, analyzing the extent of qualitative and quantitative (radiographic and quality of life domains) measures to evaluate AIS and whether AIS treatment approaches (surgical, bracing and physiotherapy) influences outcomes used as proxies of treatment success., Methods: EMBASE and MEDLINE databases were used to conduct a systematic scoping review with 654 search queries. 158 papers met the inclusion criteria and were screened for data extraction. Extractable variables included: study characteristics, study participant characteristics, type of study, type of intervention approach and outcome measures., Results: All 158 studies measured quantitative outcomes. 61.38% of papers used radiographic outcomes whilst 38.62% of papers used quantitative quality of life outcomes to evaluate treatment success. Irrespective of treatment intervention utilized, the type of quantitative outcome measure recorded were similar in proportion. Moreover, of the radiographic outcome measures, the subcategory Cobb angle was predominantly used across all intervention approaches. For quantitative quality of life measures, questionnaires investigating multiple domains such as SRS were primarily used as proxies of AIS treatment success across all intervention approaches., Conclusion: This study identified that no articles employed qualitative measures of describing the psychosocial implications of AIS in defining treatment success. Although quantitative measures have merit in clinical diagnoses and management, there is increasing value in using qualitative methods such as thematic analysis in guiding clinicians to develop a biopsychosocial approach for patient care., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Purpose: Clinical guidelines recommend epidural steroid injection (ESI) as a treatment option for severe disc-related sciatica, but there is considerable uncertainty about its effectiveness. Currently, we know very little about factors that might be associated with good or poor outcomes from ESI. The aim of this systematic review was to synthesise and appraise the evidence investigating prognostic factors associated with outcomes following ESI for patients with imaging confirmed disc-related sciatica., Methods: The search strategy involved the electronic databases Medline, Embase, CINAHL Plus, PsycINFO and reference lists of eligible studies. Selected papers were quality appraised independently by two reviewers using the Quality in Prognosis Studies tool. Between-study heterogeneity precluded statistical pooling of results., Results: 3094 citations were identified; 15 studies were eligible. Overall study quality was low with all judged to have moderate or high risk of bias. Forty-two prognostic factors were identified but were measured inconsistently. The most commonly assessed prognostic factors were related to pain and function (n = 10 studies), imaging features (n = 8 studies), patient socio-demographics (n = 7 studies), health and lifestyle (n = 6 studies), clinical assessment findings (n = 4 studies) and injection level (n = 4 studies). No prognostic factor was found to be consistently associated with outcomes following ESI. Most studies found no association or results that conflicted with other studies., Conclusions: There is little, and low quality, evidence to guide practice in terms of factors that predict outcomes in patients following ESI for disc-related sciatica. The results can help inform some of the decisions about potential prognostic factors that should be assessed in future well-designed prospective cohort studies., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Purpose: Patients undergoing spinal fusion are prone to develop persisting spinal pain that may be related to pre-existent psychological factors. The aim of this review was to summarize the existing evidence about perioperative psychological interventions and to analyze their effect on postoperative pain, disability, and quality of life in adult patients undergoing complex surgery for spinal disorders. Studies investigating any kind of psychological intervention explicitly targeting patients undergoing a surgical fusion on the spine were included., Methods: We included articles that analyzed the effects of perioperative psychological interventions on either pain, disability, and/or quality of life in adult patients with a primary diagnosis of degenerative or neoplastic spinal disease, undergoing surgical fusion of the spine. We focused on interventions that had a clearly defined psychological component. Two independent reviewers used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) to perform a systematic review on different databases. Risk of bias was evaluated using the Downs and Black checklist. Given study differences in outcome measures and interventions administered, a meta-analysis was not performed. Instead, a qualitative synthesis of main results of included papers was obtained., Results: Thirteen studies, conducted between 2004 and 2017, were included. The majority were randomized-controlled trials (85%) and most patients underwent lumbar fusion (92%). Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) was used in nine studies (69%). CBT in the perioperative period may lead to a postoperative reduction in pain and disability in the short-term follow-up compared to care as usual. There was less evidence for an additional effect of CBT at intermediate and long-term follow-up., Conclusion: The existing evidence suggests that a reduction in pain and disability in the short-term, starting from immediately after surgery to 3 months, is likely to be obtained when a CBT approach is used. However, there is inconclusive evidence regarding the long-term effect of a perioperative psychological intervention after spinal fusion surgery. Further research is necessary to better define the frequency, intensity, and timing of such an approach in relation to the surgical intervention, to be able to maximize its effect and be beneficial to patients., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Purpose: Chronic low back pain (cLBP) is a common health condition worldwide and a leading cause of disability with an estimated lifetime prevalence of 80-90% in industrialized countries. However, we have had limited success in treating cLBP likely due to its non-specific heterogeneous nature that goes beyond detectable anatomical changes. We propose that omics technologies as precision medicine tools are well suited to provide insight into its pathophysiology and provide diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets. Therefore, in this review, we explore the current state of omics technologies in the diagnosis and classification of cLBP. We identify factors that may serve as markers to differentiate between acute and chronic cases of low back pain (LBP). Finally, we also discuss some challenges that must be overcome to successfully apply precision medicine to the diagnosis and treatment of cLBP., Methods: A literature search for the current applications of omics technologies to chronic low back pain was performed using the following search terms- "back pain," "low back pain," "proteomics," "transcriptomics", "epigenomics," "genomics," "omics." We reviewed molecular markers identified from 35 studies which hold promise in providing information regarding molecular insights into cLBP., Results: GWAS studies have found evidence for the role of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with pain pathways in individuals with cLBP. Epigenomic modifications in patients with cLBP have been found to be enriched among genes involved in immune signaling and inflammation. Transcriptomics profiles of patients with cLBP show multiple lines of evidence for the role of inflammation in cLBP. The glycomics profiles of patients with cLBP are similar to those of patients with inflammatory conditions. Proteomics and microbiomics show promise but have limited studies currently., Conclusion: Omics technologies have identified associations between inflammatory and pain pathways in the pathophysiology of cLBP. However, in order to integrate information across the range of studies, it is important for the field to identify and adopt standardized definitions of cLBP and control patients. Additionally, most papers have applied a single omics method to a sampling of cLBP patients which have yielded limited insight into the pathophysiology of cLBP. Therefore, we recommend a multi-omics approach applied to large global consortia for advancing subphenotyping and better management of cLBP, via improved identification of diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Purpose: Anterior trans-articular C1-C2 screw placement can be considered as a surgical alternative in different conditions affecting the atlantoaxial region. While its rigidity is similar to posterior Magerl and Harms techniques, it also provides some surgical advantages. However, the literature lacks papers exhaustively describing indication criteria, surgical steps, and pitfalls., Methods: This is a radiological study on 100 healthy subjects. Thin-layer CT scans of the craniovertebral junction were retrieved from the institutional database. The coronal inclination of the C1-C2 joint rim and the depth of the entry point of the screw with respect to the anterior profile of C2 were measured. The antero-posterior and the medio-lateral surgical corridors for the screw placement, and the wideness of the target area on the upper surface of C1 were also measured., Results: The multivariate analysis showed that the coronal inclination of the C1-C2 articular joint rim strongly influences the surface extension of the C1 target area; the depth of the entry point and the C1-C2 articular rim inclination seem to be independent factors in influencing both the medio-lateral and the antero-posterior surgical corridors wideness. A decisional algorithm on whether to perform an anterior or posterior approach to the atlantoaxial region was also proposed., Conclusions: We can conclude that, as much as the C1-C2 articular rim is tending to the horizontal line, and as deeper is the entry point of the screw on the anterior profile of C2, as easier the anterior C1-C2 trans-articular screw placement will result., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Purpose: Circumferential (AP) lumbar fusion surgery is an effective treatment for degenerative and deformity conditions of the spine. The lateral decubitus position allows for simultaneous access to the anterior and posterior aspects of the spine, enabling instrumentation of both columns without the need for patient repositioning. This paper seeks to outline the anatomical and patient-related considerations in anterior column reconstruction of the lumbar spine from L1-S1 in the lateral decubitus position., Methods: We detail the anatomic considerations of the lateral ALIF, transpsoas, and anterior-to-psoas surgical approaches from surgeon experience and comprehensive literature review., Results: Single-position AP surgery allows simultaneous access to the anterior and posterior column and may combine ALIF, LLIF, and minimally invasive posterior instrumentation techniques from L1-S1 without patient repositioning. Careful history, physical examination, and imaging review optimize safety and efficacy of lateral ALIF or LLIF surgery. An excellent understanding of patient spinal and abdominal anatomy is necessary. Each approach has relative advantages and disadvantages according to the disc level, skeletal, vascular, and psoas anatomy., Conclusions: A development of a framework to analyze these factors will result in improved patient outcomes and a reduction in complications for lateral ALIF, transpsoas, and anterior-to-psoas surgeries., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Purpose: Clinical pathways for low back pain (LBP) have potential to improve clinical outcomes and health service efficiency. This systematic review aimed to synthesise the evidence for clinical pathways for LBP and/or radicular leg pain from primary to specialised care and to describe key pathway components., Methods: Electronic database searches (CINAHL, MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, EMBASE) from 2006 onwards were conducted with further manual and citation searching. Two independent reviewers conducted eligibility assessment, data extraction and quality appraisal. A narrative synthesis of findings is presented., Results: From 18,443 identified studies, 28 papers met inclusion criteria. Pathways were developed primarily to address over-burdened secondary care services in high-income countries and almost universally used interface services with a triage remit at the primary-secondary care boundary. Accordingly, evaluation of healthcare resource use and patient flow predominated, with interface services associated with enhanced service efficiency through decreased wait times and appropriate use of consultant appointments. Low quality study designs, heterogeneous outcomes and insufficient comparative data precluded definitive conclusions regarding clinical- and cost-effectiveness. Pathways demonstrated basic levels of care integration across the primary-secondary care boundary., Conclusions: The limited volume of research evaluating clinical pathways for LBP/radicular leg pain and spanning primary and specialised care predominantly used interface services to ensure appropriate specialised care referrals with associated increased efficiency of care delivery. Pathways demonstrated basic levels of care integration across healthcare boundaries. Well-designed randomised controlled trials to explore the potential of clinical pathways to improve clinical outcomes, deliver cost-effective, guideline-concordant care and enhance care integration are required., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: To compare high- versus low-viscosity bone cement on the clinical outcomes and complications in patients with Osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCFs) who underwent percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) or percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP)., Methods: PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were searched for papers published from inception up to February 2021 for potentially eligible studies comparing high- versus low-viscosity cement for PVP/PKP. The outcomes were the leakage rate, visual analog scale (VAS), and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI)., Results: Eight studies (558 patients; 279 in each group) were included. The meta-analysis showed that the leakage rate was lower with high-viscosity cement than with low-viscosity cement (OR = 0.23, 95%CI 0.14-0.39, P < 0.001; I 2  = 43.5%, P heterogeneity  = 0.088); similar results were observed specifically for the disk space, paravertebral space, and peripheral vein, but there were no differences regarding the epidural space and intraspinal space. The VAS was decreased more significantly with high-viscosity cement than with low-viscosity cement (WMD = - 0.21, 95%CI - 0.38, - 0.04, P = 0.015; I 2  = 0.0%, P heterogeneity  = 0.565). Regarding the ODI, there was no difference between high- and low-viscosity cement (WMD = - 0.88, 95%CI - 3.06, 1.29, P = 0.426; I 2  = 78.3%, P heterogeneity  < 0.001)., Conclusions: There were lower cement leakage rates in PVP/PKP with high-viscosity bone cement than low-viscosity bone cement. The two groups have similar results in ODI, but the VAS scores favor high-viscosity bone cement. Therefore, the administration of high-viscosity bone cement in PVP/ PKP could be a potential option for improving the complications of leakage in OVCFs, while the clinical efficacy of relieving pain is not certain., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Purpose: The effect of paraspinal muscles atrophy and fat infiltration (FI) on the complications of spinal surgery has not been established., Methods: A review of the literature was conducted from a search of the PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases from inception through January 2021. The literature was searched and assessed by independent reviewers based on criteria that included an assessment of preoperative paraspinal muscle morphology in addition to measuring its relationship to surgical complications. All relevant papers were assessed for risk of bias according to the modified Newcastle Ottawa Scale and the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Tools. A narrative synthesis was conducted., Results: The initial search yielded 5632 studies, of which 16 studies were included in the analysis. All included studies were at a low risk of bias. There existed strong evidence that the atrophy and FI of paraspinal muscles had an association with the development of bone nonunion (two high quality studies), pedicle screw loosening (two high quality studies), adjacent segment degeneration (three high quality studies) and proximal junctional kyphosis (five high quality studies) after lumbar surgery. Besides, there is also limited evidence for association between atrophy and FI of paraspinal extensor muscles and less local and global curve improvement., Conclusions: Strong evidence was found for an association between preoperative paraspinal muscle degeneration and multiple postoperative complications after lumbar surgery. However, the findings should be interpreted with caution due to the small quantity of the available literature and high heterogeneity among studies., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Background: Little is known about patients' understanding of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). This paper aims to develop and validate the Scoliosis Misconception Scale (SMS) and to explore patients' level of misconception about AIS., Methods: A total of 195 patients who were newly referred with newly diagnosed AIS were recruited to assess their levels of misconception and psychological distress before and after their first consultation with a specialist. The 17-item SMS was administered to assess patients' level of misconception about AIS and the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10) was used to measure their level of distress., Results: According to the Item Response Theory, all items were within the acceptable range from -3.69 to 2.39 for difficulty parameters, which determined the difficulty of the scale, while most of the items were within the acceptable range from 0.11 to 1.54 for the discrimination parameters, which determined the rate at which the probability of endorsing a correct item changes given ability levels. Internal consistency by marginal reliability was 0.66. One-sample t test revealed that participants on average scored 6.79 (SD = 2.12) before the first clinic session and 6.45 (SD = 2.51) after the first clinic session, both significantly higher than 0 [t(75) = 27.86, p < .001; t(75) = 22.43, p < .001]., Conclusions: Despite a longstanding clinical model that functions well to treat AIS, most patients still have significant misconceptions about the condition. This highlights the necessity to assess patients' knowledge level of a medical condition and potential generalisability of misconception-distress link to the forefront across other illnesses., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Purpose: Percutaneous vertebroplasty (PV) is a minimally invasive technique requiring the injection of polymethylmethacrylate cement into a collapsed or weakened vertebral body to stabilize the fracture. The present study aims to determine the trends in PV procedures over the recent years. The longitudinal analysis of national registers may help to understand the yearly trends and the economic burden of PV. The evaluation of the yearly national costs of this procedure is essential to surgeons, policymaker, hospital administrator and the healthcare system. Moreover, to observe possible variation in the trend of hospitalization between countries, the data of the present study were compared to the US population., Methods: Data of this study were collected from the National Hospital Discharge Reports reported at the Italian Ministry of Health regarding the years of this paper (2009-2015). The yearly number of hospital admission for PV, sex, age, days of hospitalization and primary diagnoses in the whole Italian population were calculated., Results: 31,887 vertebroplasties were performed in Italy, with an incidence of 8.8 procedures for every 100,000 inhabitants. Females represented the majority of patients undergoing PV. The median length of hospital stay was 4.15 days. The mean hospital reimbursement was 4,629€ for each PV hospitalization., Conclusion: The burden of vertebral fracture is relevant in the Italian population, and PV constitutes a rapid and effective treatment. Compared to other countries, the costs of PV in Italy are relatively lower; however, it is important to define the incidence of this procedure to understand the economic trend of PV., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Metastatic epidural spinal cord compression (MESCC) is a debilitating sequela of cancer that results in pain, disability, and neurologic deficits. Surgical techniques have included open surgical (OS) techniques with anterior and/or posterior decompression and fusion procedures. Further technical evolution has led to minimally invasive spinal (MIS) decompression and fusion. The objective of this study is to compare MIS to OS techniques in the treatment of thoracolumbar MESCC., Methods: A review of the literature was performed using PubMed database. Inclusion criteria included patients 18 years or older, thoracolumbar MESCC, and surgeries with instrumented fusion. A total of 451 articles met the inclusion criteria and further analysis narrowed them down to 81 articles. Variables collected included blood loss, length of stay, operative time, pre- and postoperative Frankel grade, and complications., Results: A total of 5726 papers were collected, with a total of 81 papers meeting final inclusion criteria: 26 papers with MIS technique and 55 with OS. A total of 2267 patients were evaluated. They were split into three surgical subtypes of MIS and OS: posterior decompression and fusion, partial corpectomy, and complete corpectomy. Overall, MIS had lower operative time, blood loss, and complications compared to OS. A timeline analysis showed reduction of complication rates in MIS surgery between papers published over a 28-year period., Conclusion: MESCC carries significant morbidity and mortality. Surgical approaches for palliative treatment should account for this fact. We conclude that MIS techniques offer a viable alternative to traditional OS approaches with lower overall morbidity and complications., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)