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PURPOSE OF THE STUDY In this randomized prospective study, we monitored and compared perioperative changes in skeletal muscle enzymes blood levels in open and mini-invasive stabilization of thoracolumbar spine fractures. The established hypothesis was to confirm higher blood levels of muscle enzymes in open stabilization. MATERIAL AND METHODS This study included 38 patients with the mean age of 46.4 years. 19 injuries were managed in an open procedure and 19 procedures were mini-invasive. Venous blood was taken intermittently at short intervals to determine the levels of skeletal muscle enzymes. The catalytic concentration of creatine kinase was determined via an enzymatic UV-test, and the concentration of myoglobin via electro-chemiluminescent immunoassay. Enzyme levels were processed statistically. The Wilcoxon test was used. RESULTS The median increase in the values of both enzymes is higher in the mini-invasive method than in the open method in both the surgery phase for the injury and in the extraction phase. The median increase in the values of both enzymes is higher in both methods for the primary procedure phase compared to the extraction phase. All results are statistically significant at p of <0.05. All tests were calculated using the MATLAB Statistics Toolbox. DISCUSSION A very surprising finding, when testing the hypothesis of the levels increasing mainly in open stabilization, was confirming the opposite. Both enzymes were higher in the mini-invasive approach to stabilising the spine after the injury, but also after the extraction. This contradicts the available literature. However, this can be explained by the methodology of enzyme levels determination in the previously published studies. We believe that this phenomenon can be partially caused by an iatrogenic mini-compartment of muscles in the postoperative period, absence of wound drainage, but also by higher muscle contusion when inserting bolts through the tubes via small incisions, when the tubes penetrate to the entry points relatively violently and the muscles in this area are affected more than in the classical skeletization. CONCLUSIONS Analysis of biochemical changes in open and mini-invasive surgery did not confirm the hypothesis that levels of creatine kinase and myoglobin enzymes increase especially in open stabilization. On the contrary, they were statistically significantly higher in mini-invasive procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY The retrospective study aims to compare the outcomes of augmentation of neutral triangle formed after the calcaneal fracture reduction with osteosynthesis using the locking compression plate with the outcomes of osteosynthesis without augmentation. MATERIAL AND METHODS In the period from 2005 to January 2011, 98 patients with 114 calcaneal fractures were treated by open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) method with the use of calcaneal plate. The group included 15 women (15.3%) and 83 men (84.7%), with the mean age of 39.2 years (12-62 years). There were 16 cases of bilateral calcaneal fractures, of which 2 in women (12.5%) and 14 in men (87.5%). The fractures were classified based on the Sanders classification as Type I -IV. The patients with Type II and III fracture according to the Sanders classification were indicated for surgical treatment with ORIF using the calcaneal LCP. The defect in the region of neutral triangle of the calcaneus was filled with the injectable hydroxyapatite cement. The cohort of operated patients was evaluated based on the AOFAS (American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society) Clinical Rating System. The bilateral fractures were not evaluated. This group shows a substantially higher occurrence of associated injuries, which causes strong distortion of results. RESULTS The cohort of 82 operated patients with Sanders Type II and III fractures were evaluated. In 20 fractures (24.4%) the defect in the calcaneus body was filled with hydroxyapatite cement. In osteosynthesis without defect augmentation an excellent result was achieved in 21 patients (33.9%). A good result was reported in 24 patients (38.7%), a satisfactory result in 12 patients (19.4%) and a poor result in 5 patients (8.0%). In patients with osteosynthesis of the calcaneus with augmentation, an excellent result was achieved in 6 cases (30%), a good result in 5 cases (25%), a satisfactory result in 7 cases (35%) and a poor result in 2 cases (10%). Early postoperative complications were observed in a total of 13 patients (15.8%). In osteosynthesis without defect augmentation, there were 2 cases of wound dehiscence (3.2%), 3 cases of marginal skin necrosis (4.8%), 4 cases of superficial wound infection (6.4%) and 1 case of deep wound infection (1.6%). In patients with performed augmentation, wound dehiscence was seen in 1 case (5%), superficial wound infection in 1 case (5%) and superficial marginal skin necrosis in 1 case (5%). Deep wound infection was not reported in this group. DISCUSSION A question frequently discussed is the filling of defect in the diaphysis of calcaneus. Brodt et al. state a statistically higher stability of the calcaneus in osteosynthesis with augmentation, but he does not use the locking plate. Longino in his study compares the results of calcaneal osteosynthesis with spongioplasty with a graft from pelvis and without it and does not observe any major differences in the final outcome in his cohort. Elsner evaluates the results in 18 patients, in whom calcium phosphate cement augmentation was used for osteosynthesis. Over the period of three years he did not observe a higher rate of complications. Schildhauer assesses the early load of the calcaneus with tricalcium phosphate cement augmentation. After three weeks of full loading no loss of reduction was found. Thordarson evaluates 11 operated patients with Sanders type II and III calcaneal fracture. The defect of the calcaneus was filled by calcium phosphate cement. In this small group 1 case of serious infection complication and 1 loss of reduction with full load at six weeks after the surgery were observed. In our group no differences were observed between the outcomes of patients with performed or not performed defect augmentation in the neutral triangle site. A higher percentage of complications in patients with filled defect of the calcaneus was not observed either. CONCLUSIONS The operative treatment of displaced intra-articular fractures consisting of open reduction from extended lateral approach and internal calcaneal LCP fixation brings good results. We concluded that there is no statistically significant difference in the results of osteosynthesis with a locking plate alone and combined with augmentation of diaphyseal defect of the calcaneus. Filling of the diaphyseal defect in the calcaneus is not necessary, it neither accelerates the healing, nor brings better treatment outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study compared groups of patients with calcaneal fractures of Sanders types II and III. One group was treated with ORIF using an LCP (plate), while the second was treated with a minimally invasive method using a C-Nail., Methods: The study included 217 patients in the ORIF group and 19 patients in the minimally invasive nail osteosynthesis group., Results: In the LCP group, the outcomes were excellent for 35.7% of the patients; good, 38.9%; satisfactory, 19.7%; and poor, 5.7%. In the C-Nail group, the outcomes were excellent for 36.9% of the patients; good; 31.6%; satisfactory, 21%; and poor, 10.2%. The mean values of the restoration of Böhler's angle from post-injury were 6.8° to 32.3° in the LCP group and 7.1° to 33.3° in the C-Nail group. After 12 months, there was only a minimal decrease in Böhler's angle to 29.2° in both the LCP and C-Nail groups., Conclusion: The outcomes obtained with C-Nail fixation are statistically identical to those obtained with LCP fixation. We conclude that osteosynthesis with a C-Nail is suitable as the first-choice treatment for Sanders types II and III fractures. Level of evidence IV, retrospective observational study. , Competing Interests: All authors declare no potential conflict of interest related to this article.

Background: Histological and histochemical analyses of muscle samples were used to determine the intensity of paraspinal muscle injury during open (OPEN) and minimally invasive (MIS) procedures due to spinal trauma., Objective: A randomised prospective study design was chosen. According to our hypothesis, OPEN procedures will lead to more intensive microscopic changes than MIS., Methods: Muscle samples were collected during the primary surgery - fracture surgery (FRS) from the left and during material extraction (EXS) from the right side. Complete samples were acquired from 17 OPEN and 18 MIS subjects. We compared them histochemically and histologically; muscle fibre typing and statistical analysis were performed., Results: We statistically confirmed that the increase in fibrosis in the OPEN EXS sample was significantly higher than in the MIS EXS sample, with p< 0.05 (p= 0.000322453). Fibre types in MIS did not differ almost at all in both samples; the changes were statistically insignificant.In OPEN samples, the number of type I fibres differed significantly. In EXS, it was significantly lower (46.23%) than in FRS (60.63%), at a statistically significant level, p< 0.05 (p= 0.0234375000) especially with the increase of the type IIA fibres, less in IIB fibres., Conclusions: These microscopic findings provide a statistically significant confirmation that OPEN procedures in spinal fracture lead, in most cases, to significant changes in the structure of the corset muscle at the fracture site and surgical access point than MIS procedures.

Purpose of the Study: Motion-preservation technologies for spinal disorders have evolved and come into use in the last decade. Three principal systems are currently available: total disc replacement, posterior neutralisation transpedicular system and interspinous implants. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate our group of lumbar total disc replacements at a follow-up of 2 years., Material and Methods: A total of 42 disc prostheses were implanted in 37 patients. Of these, 31 with 35 artificial discs were followed up for 2 years. There were 11 men and 20 women with an average age of 42.9 years (range, 21 to 61 years). The indication for surgery was lumbar disc pain without radicular syndrome and contraindications included advanced degenerative facet joint disease and obesity with a body mass index over 30. Surgery was carried out through the pararectal retroperitoneal approach. Early and late complications were recorded. The group evaluation was based on radiological outcomes, and VAS and ODI scores reported by the patients at 6 weeks, and 3, 6, 12 and 24 months after surgery., Results: The average operative time was 68 minutes (range, 36 to 120 min) for single-level lumbar total disc replacement and 92 minutes (range, 72 to 130 min) for two-level procedures. The average hospital stay was 5.2 days (range, 3 to 12). Both keels of the prosthesis were in the exact center in 25 cases, they were shifted laterally in nine cases up to 2 mm and in one case more than 2 mm. Horizontal rotation of the prosthesis was seen in two patients, but not more than 5 degrees to the left. There was no disc loosening or subsidence, and no acceleration of adjacent segment degeneration. Two patients showed heterotopic ossification. Subjective evaluation was recorded as marked improvement in 15, partial improvement in 11 and no change in five patients. None of the patients reported deterioration. Low back pain assessed by the VAS score had an average value of 66.3 before surgery and 14.1 at 2 years after surgery. The average pre-operative ODI value was 48.9 and that at 2 years post-operatively was 24.5., Discussion: Pain relief evaluated by the VAS score in our study is comparable with or slightly better than is reported by the other authors. Some recorded average values for lumbago were 74 before surgery and 35 at 2 years of follow-up, or 62.3 before and 25.4 at 2 years after surgery, while our patients had the average VAS score of 66.3 before surgery and that of 18.4 at 2 years after surgery. The ODI values in our group were similar to those of other authors. When we compare this group with the group of our patients who were treated by spinal fusion surgery, the outcomes at 1 year are better in the total disc replacement group, as shown by the VAS for lumbago of 17.8 and ODI of 24.5 in the former versus the respective values of 18.1 and 29.0 in the latter group., Conclusion: Based on the results it can be concluded that total disc replacement is an efficient method of treating degenerative intervertebral disc disease of the lumbar spine in young, active and motivated patients with no posterior spinal structure degeneration.

Purpose of the Study: Osteoporotic vertebral fractures can be treated by minimally invasive percutaneous vertebral augmentation with bone cement using vertebroplasty or balloon kyphoplasty. Transcutaneous reduction and vertebral body stenting has been the most recent principle. In contrast to balloon placement in kyphoplasty, the stent remains in the vertebral body and supports both the vertebral body and cement filling. In this retrospective study we present the essential information on the method and our first results., Material and Methods: The method of vertebral body stent placement was used in 22 patients treated at 29 levels. Of these, 19 patients with 26 segments followed up for 3 months were evaluated. The group included 12 women and seven men with an average age of 68.3 years (12 to 83). The patients assessed their subjective complaints on the visual analogue scale (VAS) before surgery, and then at 1, 6 and 12 weeks post-operatively. The value of vertebral body reduction was obtained by measurement of anterior, middle and posterior vertebral body heights (AVBH, MVBH and PVBH, respectively) and a change in the vertebral body kyphotic angle (VBKA)., Results: Twenty-four vertebrae were treated for osteoporotic fracture and two as preventive stenting in metastatic breast cancer. In 24 fractures, the stents extended fully in 20 vertebrae, i.e., 40 stents. These fractures evidently were not older than 3 months. In four segments, a total of eight stents did not extend at all or did only slightly. The 20 stabilised vertebral bodies had an average AVBH value of 19.41 mm pre-operatively and that of 22.775 mm post-operatively, which is an average increase by 3.365 mm in absolute numbers and by 17.34 %. The average pre- and post-operative MVBH values were 16.625 mm and 23.065 mm, which was improvement by 6.41 mm or by 38.56 %. The average PVBH values pre- and post-operatively were 26.835 mm and 28.31 mm, which meant improvement by 1.475 mm or by 5.5 %. The average correction of the kyphotic angle was 4.58°, i.e., 35.2 %, from a VBKA of 11.71° pre-operatively to 7.13° post-operatively. There were five cases (22.7 %) of cement leakage, i.e., two of ventral leakage, one of lateral leakage, one of dorsal leakage through a canal left in the pedicle by cannula insertion, and a dorsal leakage in metastatic disease. No neurological findings were recorded. The average VAS scores were as follows: 81.4 before surgery, 30.6 at 1 week, 16.3 at 6 weeks and 15.4 at 12 weeks after surgery., Discussion: Two experimental and one clinical study on vertebral body stenting only have been available in the recent relevant literature. In comparison with their results as well as with those of previous reports on vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty, our results showed high quality fracture reduction in all vertebrae. The rapid decrease in pain intensity in our group is comparable with all available groups treated by any method of vertebral body augmentation by cement injection; and cement leakage was recorded in even fewer cases., Conclusions: The novel method of vertebral body stenting with cement augmentation provides a rapid pain relief, gives stability to fracture reduction and has a low rate of cement leakage. However, care must be taken not to indicate cases with a damaged posterior corticalis of the vertebral body.

Introduction: The authors have attempted to elucidate the differences between Chance, seat-belt, and flexion distraction fractures. Chance and seat-belt fractures have more common features, while flexion distraction fractures differ, in particular, due to the mechanism of injury. A difficult diagnosis is sometimes a common characteristic, while therapy is always the same., Patients and Methods: During the period from 1997 to 2005, the authors treated 23 seat-belt fractures, and only three "genuine" Chance fractures. All patients had normal neurological findings. The mechanisms of injury were a car crash in 20 cases, and a fall associated with flexion in 6 cases, such as a rolling fall while skiing. According to the localisation, Chance fractures were found at the L 1 level twice and at the L 2 level once. Seat-belt injury was found once each in the areas of T 7, L 4, L 5, -twice at L 2 and L 3, and 16 times at the T / L spine transition, respectively. All patients were operated on using instrumented posterolateral spondylodesis., Results: All fractures healed by spondylodesis as confirmed by X-ray images. All patients returned to their original job or school. 14 patients were evaluated 6 months after removal of the metallic implants. The mean subsequent kyphotisation was 1.4 degrees with the largest deviation of 4 degrees in a patient with a pure ligamentous variant of a seat-belt fracture., Conclusion: The objective of this work is to illustrate the various types of spinal distraction injuries of a seat-belt character and Chance fracture, when the vertebral body is not compressed. X-rays and often also CT scans show a "benign" character. Interpretation of the findings is very important for the development of further chronic instability of the spine and all consequences. If the diagnosis of a distraction injury is made the operative stabilisation is essential. That is why all our patients were tretaed by operation.

Aim: The authors assessed options for vertebral body replacements with the Synex telescopic expansion cage. Autologic or homologic bone grafts, a titanium "Harm's" cage or a polymethylmetacrylate filling reinforced by Kirschner wires, may be used for vertebral body replacements. The cement filling is indicated in oncological patients, the Harm's cage requires filling with a quantity of bone grafts and, with massive bone grafts, the collection place or the graft availability may be a problem. The telescopic expansion implant is fairly easy to implant, is stable and requires to be filled with a minimum of spongious grafts., Material: From May 2001 to November 2005, 20 telescopic Synex cages were implanted in 18 patients. Vertebral body replacements were performed 14x for acute fractures, 4x for posttraumatic kyphosis and 2x for metastatic skeletal disorder in breast and prostate tumors., Methods: Vertebral body replacement was completed with posterior transpedicular stabilization in 14 subjects, in 5 subjects, additional anterior Ventrofix stabilization was performed. Vertebral body replacements down to the L1 level were conducted through thoracotomy or video-assissted minithoracotomy, L2-L4 replacements from lumbotomy or anterior retroperitoneal approach., Results: The most requently affected and operated vertebrae included the L1 (4 patients), Th12 (4 patients), Th6 (3 patients). The minimal interval between the procedure and a follow- up was 12 months. No fatal outcome has been recorded. In one patient with a vertebral body metastasis, the disorder has generalized and in a second one, no further metastatic spread has been reported. In one subject, the left-sided L4 root injury was recorded postoperatively, a cauda equina syndrome, diagnosed after the injury, persits in one subject. No signs of deep infection have been recorded. There are no records of the Synex release or displacement. Correction loss (kyphotisation) of up to 2 degrees was recorded in patients with transpedicular stabilization, in Ventrofix patients the loss was up to 5 degrees, except one case, where the loss reached 10 degrees., Discussion: One of the commonest indications for the anterior approach surgical stabilization of the spine, is the vertebral body destruction in burst fractures or posstraumatic kyphotizations of the spinal column. Unhealed or poorly healed type A and B (AO classification) pincer vertebral body fractures are other common indications for partial corpectomy and vertebral body replacements. Such fractures can be managed using posterior transpedicular stabilization. However, provided the procedure results in insufficient fracture repositioning, the anterior procedure and the anterior column reconstruction must be performed. A vertebral body can be replaced by a bone graft, a cement filling with Kirschner wiring, a traditional Harm's cage or an expansion implant. The bone graft may be autologic, which involves a disadvantage of the "donor site pain", or homologic, although a potential for reconstruction is not fully evidenced here. Implant migration into the vertebral body has been recorded in the classical titanium Harm's cage with a sharp edge without an additional endplate. Furthermore, it is a rather complicated implantation, requiring an exact implant size, which is considered another disadvantage. The expansion implant may be expanded telescopically in the very place, which is considered its biggest advantage. Furthermore, it need not be filled with bone grafts, but is applied only ventrally or laterally to the cage., Conclusion: The Synex titanium expansion implant has been designed for vertebral body implantations in any indication. It requires additional stabilization, either by an anterior fixator or a cast, or a posterior transpedicular fixation. It is primarily indicated in traumatic vertebral body destructions or in reconstructions of maltreated fractures. Considering its higher price and the expected shorter patient survival period in oncological patients, its use in oncological indications is controversial.