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Cervical dumbbell-shaped schwannomas are uncommon and challenging; clinicians often face the choice between performing incomplete tumor resection and sacrificing nerve roots. Aggressive and total resection is the treatment of choice for this tumor, although surgical resection in asymptomatic patients remains a matter of debate. We present a case report of spontaneous shrinkage of a dumbbell-shaped schwannoma of the cervical spine. A 68-year-old female patient first presented in 2013 with a progressive history of pain in the lower back and both buttocks over the previous 10 years. A dumbbell-shaped cervical spine tumor that had a 30-mm maximum diameter with a foraminal obstruction was identified, along with multiple tiny intradural extramedullary tumors in the lumbar spine. The cervical tumor gradually decreased in size during annual follow-up visits through 2015. Magnetic resonance imaging conducted in November 2017 revealed that this dumbbell-shaped tumor had shrunk significantly, leaving only the paravertebral section with a maximal diameter of 14 mm. This case demonstrated a schwannoma that naturally decreased in size with no treatment. Clinicians should consider the possibility of a spontaneous reduction in schwannoma size when making treatment decisions in asymptomatic patients, in whom avoiding unnecessary surgery may prevent nerve root damage.

AimsTo determine the major risk factors for unplanned reoperations (UROs) following corrective surgery for adult spinal deformity (ASD) and their interactions, using machine learning-based prediction algorithms and game theory.MethodsPatients who underwent surgery for ASD, with a minimum of two-year follow-up, were retrospectively reviewed. In total, 210 patients were included and randomly allocated into training (70% of the sample size) and test (the remaining 30%) sets to develop the machine learning algorithm. Risk factors were included in the analysis, along with clinical characteristics and parameters acquired through diagnostic radiology.ResultsOverall, 152 patients without and 58 with a history of surgical revision following surgery for ASD were observed; the mean age was 68.9 years (SD 8.7) and 66.9 years (SD 6.6), respectively. On implementing a random forest model, the classification of URO events resulted in a balanced accuracy of 86.8%. Among machine learning-extracted risk factors, URO, proximal junction failure (PJF), and postoperative distance from the posterosuperior corner of C7 and the vertical axis from the centroid of C2 (SVA) were significant upon Kaplan-Meier survival analysis.ConclusionThe major risk factors for URO following surgery for ASD, i.e. postoperative SVA and PJF, and their interactions were identified using a machine learning algorithm and game theory. Clinical benefits will depend on patient risk profiles.Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2023;12(4):245–255.

Harms mesh cages are commonly used in the treatment of metastatic spinal tumors by spondylectomy with cage insertion and posterior screw fixation. These cages are even useful for the surgical reconstruction of spinal deformities with mesh-cage replacement after vertebral column resection (VCR). Mesh cages can be customized by 3-dimensional (3D) printing based on the angle between the endplates for the requisite weight-bearing capacity and fit. This study reports two cases wherein a 75-year-old man and a 63-year-old woman were treated with reconstructive spondylectomy and mesh-cage replacement, followed by posterior screw fixation. The 75-year-old man was initially diagnosed with an L4 metastatic non–small cell lung carcinoma accompanied by a pathologic fracture and severe paralysis. The 63-year-old woman had slipped 13 years before and sustained a T11-L1 compression fracture that was aggravated 6 months before this admission, with back pain and numbness in both soles. Herein, we describe the treatment approach with instrumentation using a customized 3D-printed mesh cage after total spondylectomy for the metastatic spinal tumor and after VCR for deformity repair surgery in the respective cases. Our application of a 3D-printed mesh cage in surgery for a metastatic tumor is the first report of such treatment in Korea. Although the use of customized 3D-printed cages for a metastatic spinal tumor and a severe compression fracture was effective, challenges remain regarding fitting, manufacturing time, and costs.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the radiologic and clinical outcomes of minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MIS-TLIF) and conventional posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) at the L5–S1.Methods: We retrospectively reviewed patients who underwent posterior lumbar fusion (MIS-TLIF and PLIF) at only the L5–S1 and were followed up for more than 12 months. Age, sex, body mass index (BMI), bone mineral density (BMD), diagnosis, comorbid conditions, fusion rate, perioperative results, and pre- and postoperative radiographic parameters at the L5–S1 level, pelvic parameters and degree of spondylolisthesis, and clinical results were analyzed.Results: A total of 102 patients (46 male, 56 female) with a mean age of 57.1 years were evaluated. Fifty and fifty-two patients underwent MIS-TLIF and PLIF surgeries, respectively. Radiologic parameters increased from their preoperative measures at the last follow-up study; similarly, there were no intergroup differences. The fusion rates in the MIS-TLIF and PLIF groups were 86% and 82.7%, respectively. The subsidence rates in the MIS-TLIF and PLIF groups were 6% and 3.8%, respectively. There was no intergroup difference in terms of fusion rate and subsidence. Clinical outcomes also gradually improved after surgery in both groups without intergroup differences.Conclusion: In L5–S1 posterior spinal surgery, there was no significant difference between MIS-TLIF and conventional PLIF. Considering the operation time and estimated blood loss, MIS-TLIF is more effective than PLIF surgery in terms of postoperative health care and economics.

Objective: This study aimed to compare the radiographic and clinical outcomes between sacral alar iliac (SAI) screw fixation and conventional iliac (CI) screw fixation with a particular focus on the rate of reoperation, surgical site infection (SSI), sacroiliac joint pain, instrument failure, and screw prominence.Methods: Patients who underwent sacropelvic fixation in the authors’ institution from June 2011 to May 2017 were retrospectively investigated. Forty-three patients with SAI screw fixation and 25 with CI screw fixation were included. Preoperative patient and surgical characteristics and postoperative outcomes and complications were analyzed between the SAI and CI groups. Radiographic parameters were analyzed before and after surgery.Results: Lumbosacral fusion rates showed no statistically significant difference between the SAI group and CI groups (90.7% vs. 92.0%, p=0.878). The SAI group showed a significantly good result with regard to SSI compared to the CI group (0% vs. 16%, p=0.016), but had a significantly higher rate of distal screw fracture than the CI group (16.3% vs. 0%, p=0.042).Conclusion: The SAI screw fixation technique could achieve good outcomes of pain relief, deformity correction, and lumbosacral fusion rate with relatively lower complications such as the rates of reoperation, SSI, and screw prominence as compared to the CI screw fixation technique. However, distal instrument failure was observed more frequently in the SAI group, requiring further biomechanical studies.

Objective: In this study, we investigate about relationship between postoperative global sagittal imbalance and occurrence of mechanical complications after adult spinal deformity (ASD) surgery. In global sagittal balance parameters, odontoid-hip axis (OD-HA) angle and T1 pelvic angle (TPA) were analyzed.Methods: Between January 2009 and December 2016, 199 consecutive patients (26 males and 173 females) with ASD underwent corrective fusion of more than 4 levels and were followed up for more than 2 years. Immediate postoperative and postoperative 2 years whole spine x-rays were checked for evaluating immediate postoperative OD-HA, TPA, and other parameters. In clinical outcomes, back and leg pain visual analogue scale, Scoliosis Research Society-22 spinal deformity questionnaire (SRS-22), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), 36- item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) were evaluated.Results: Based on the occurrence of mechanical complications, a comparative analysis was performed for each parameter. In univariable analysis, mechanical complications were significantly much more occurred in OD-HA abnormal group (odds ratio [OR], 3.296; p < 0.001; area under the curve [AUC] = 0.645). In multivariable analysis, the result was much more related (OR, 2.924; p = 0.001; AUC = 0.727). In contrast, there was no significant difference between normal and the occurrence of mechanical complications in TPA. In clinical outcomes (normal vs. abnormal), the differences of SRS-22 (0.88 ± 0.73 vs. 0.68 ± 0.64, p = 0.042), ODI (-24.72 ± 20.16 vs. -19.01 ± 19.95, p = 0.046), SF-36 physical composite score (19.33 ± 18.55 vs. 12.90 ± 16.73, p = 0.011) were significantly improved in OD-HA normal group.Conclusion: The goal of ASD surgery is to improve patient life quality through correction. In our study, TPA was associated with spinopelvic parameter and OD-HA angle was associated with health-related quality of life and complications. OD-HA angle is predictable factor for mechanical complications after ASD surgery.

Objective: This study aimed to analyze the prediction rate of the modified Global Alignment and Proportion (GAP) scoring system with body mass index and bone mineral density (GAPB) in each GAP of the 3 categories.Methods: Between January 2009 and December 2016, 203 consecutive patients with adult spinal deformity (ASD) underwent corrective fusion of more than 4 levels and were followedup for more than 2 years. As a validation of the GAPB, the GAPB was divided into tertiles (Q1, Q2, Q3) for each section of the GAP score. Each patient’s GAP score and GAPB system complication rate were examined.Results: Of the 203 patients, 89 patients (44%) developed mechanical complications after ASD surgery. A GAP score analysis of the patients found that 42 patients were proportioned, 85 patients were moderately disproportioned, and 76 patients were severely disproportioned. Mechanical complications occurred with increasing GAPB in the proportioned group, but were not statistically significant (p = 0.0534). However, mechanical complications occurred in a statistically significant manner in the moderately disproportioned and severely disproportioned groups as GAPB increased (p < 0.001).Conclusion: The GAPB system showed improved predictability for mechanical complications after surgery for ASD in each category of the GAP score.

Objective: The aim of study is to investigate the features and risk factors of rod fracture (RF) following adult spinal deformity (ASD) surgery.Methods: We searched the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases to identify relevant studies. Patient’s data including age, sex, body mass index (BMI), previous spine surgery, pedicle subtraction osteotomy (PSO), interbody fusion, fusion to the pelvis, smoking history, preoperative sagittal vertical axis (SVA), preoperative pelvic tilt (PT), preoperative pelvic incidence minus lumbar lordosis, preoperative thoracic kyphosis (TK), and change in the SVA were documented. Comparable factors were evaluated using odds ratio (OR) and weighted mean difference (WMD) with 95% confidence interval (CI).Results: Seven studies were included. The overall incidence of RF following ASD surgery was 12%. Advanced age (WMD, 2.8; 95% CI, 1.01–4.59; p < 0.002), higher BMI (WMD, 1.98; 95% CI, 0.65–3.31; p = 0.004), previous spine surgery (OR, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.05–2.04; p = 0.02), PSO (OR, 2.28; 95% CI, 1.62–3.19; p < 0.0001), a larger preoperative PT (WMD, 6.17; 95% CI, 3.55–8.97; p < 0.00001), and a larger preoperative TK (WMD, 5.19; 95% CI, 1.41–8.98; p = 0.007) were identified as risk factors for incidence of RF.Conclusion: The incidence of RF in patients following ASD surgery was 12%. Advanced age, higher BMI, previous spine surgery, and PSO were significantly associated with an increased occurrence of RF. A larger preoperative PT and TK were also identified as risk factors for occurrence of RF following ASD surgery.

Originally founded in 1885, Gwanghyewon later became the Severance Hospital (named after philanthropist Louis Severance, who supported and funded the construction of a modern hospital) and Yonsei University College of Medicine. The Department of Neurosurgery at Severance Hospital was established in 1957, and its residency program began in 1961. Currently, the Department of Neurosurgery has 34 professors and 17 fellows; specialties include vascular, functional, pediatric, tumor, skull base, and spine neurosurgery. With its state-of-the-art neurosurgical facilities and services, the Department of Neurosurgery has developed into a department of excellence within the Yonsei University Health System. In this vignette, the authors present a historic overview of the Department of Neurosurgery.

Objective: This study aimed to identify the sagittal parameters associated with health-related quality of life and genetic variations that increase the risk of adult spinal deformity (ASD) onset in the older population.Methods: We recruited 120 participants who had a sagittal vertical axis > 50 mm in a sagittal imbalance study. Sagittal radiographic parameters, cross-sectional area, and intramuscular fatty infiltration using the Goutallier classification in the paraspinal lumbar muscles were evaluated. Functional scales included the self-reported Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), and visual analogue scales (VAS) for back and leg pain. We performed whole-exome sequencing and an exome-wide association study using the 100 control subjects and 63 individuals with severe phenotypes of sagittal imbalance.Results: Pelvic incidence minus lumbar lordosis (PI–LL) mismatch was negatively associated with the SF-36 and positively correlated with ODI and VAS for back and leg pain. PI–LL was related to the quality and size of the paraspinal muscles, especially the multifidus muscle. We identified common individual variants that reached exome-wide significance using single-variant analysis. The most significant single-nucleotide polymorphism was rs78773460, situated in an exon of the SVIL gene (odds ratio, 9.61; p = 1.15 × 10-9).Conclusion: Older age, higher body mass index, and a more significant PI–LL mismatch were associated with unfavorable results on functional scales. We found a genetic variation in the SVIL gene, which has been associated with the integrity of the cytoskeleton and the development of skeletal muscles, in severe ASD phenotypes. Our results help to elucidate the pathogenesis of ASD.

Objective Many studies have reported positive surgical outcomes and decreased mortality after spine surgery in the elderly population, including patients between 85 and 90 years of age. Here, in addition to patient age, we investigated the influence of frailty on short and long-term mortality in octogenarians after lumbar surgery. Methods We performed a retrospective analysis of 162 patients over 80 years of age who underwent posterior lumbar fusion or decompressive laminectomy between January 2011 and September 2016. We examined patient survival and modified frailty index (mFI) from medical records. Results By October 2019, 29 of 162 patients had expired (follow-up period: 1-105 months). Three-month mortality was 1.9%, and 1-year mortality was 4.9%. Frailty did not affect long-term survival at 1 year but was associated with 3-month mortality (p = 0.024). Conclusion There was no relationship in long-term survival according to frailty in patients 80 years of age or older, but a difference was identified in short-term mortality. When making a surgical decision for lumbar spine surgery in frail patients over 80 years of age, surgeons should pay attention to the short-term prognosis.

This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of transverse process (TP) hook system at the upper instrumented vertebra (UIV) for preventing screw pullout in adult spinal deformity surgery using the pedicle Hounsfield Unit (HU) stratification based on k-means clustering.We retrospectively reviewed 74 patients who underwent deformity correction surgery between 2011 and 2020 and were followed up for12 months. Pre- and post-operative data were used to determine the incidence of screw pullout, UIV TP hook implementation, Vertebral body HU, Pedicle HU, and patient outcomes. Data was then statistically analyzed for assessment of efficacy and risk prediction using stratified HU at UIV level alongside the effect of the TP hook system.The screw pullout rate was 36.4% (27/74). Perioperative radiographic parameters were not significantly different between the pullout and non-pullout groups. The vertebral body HU and pedicle HU were significantly lower in the pullout group. K-means clustering stratified the vertebral body HU ≥ 205.3,137.2, and pedicle HU ≥ 243.43,156.03. The pullout rate significantly decreases in patients receiving the hook system when the pedicle HU was from ≥156.03 to243.43 (p0.05), but the difference was not statistically significant in the vertebra HU stratified groups and when pedicle HU was ≥ 243.43 or156.03. The postoperative clinical outcomes improved significantly with the implementation of the hook system.The UIV hook provides better clinical outcomes and can be considered a preventative strategy for screw-pullout in the certain pedicle HU range.

Purpose This study aimed to present our experience with failures in C-TDR and revision surgery outcomes. Materials and methods We retrospectively examined patients who underwent revision surgery due to the failure of C-TDR between May 2005 to March 2019. Thirteen patients (8 males and 5 females) were included in this study. The mean age was 46.1 years (range: 22-61 years), and the average follow-up period was 19.5 months (range: 12-64 months). The outcome measures of pre- and post-operative neck and arm pain using a visual analogue scale (VAS) and functional impairment were assessed using a modified Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) scale and the Neck Disability Index (NDI). Results The main complaints of patients were posterior neck pain (77%), radiculopathy (62%), and/or myelopathy (62%). The causes of failure of C-TDR were improper indications for the procedure, osteolysis and mobile implant use, inappropriate techniques, and postoperative infection. The most common surgical level was C5-6, followed by C4-5. After revision surgery, the neck and arm pain VAS (preoperative vs. postoperative: 5.46 vs. 1.31; 4.86 vs. 1.08), a modified JOA scale (14.46 vs. 16.69), and the NDI (29.77 vs. 9.31) scores were much improved. Conclusion C-TDR is good surgical option. However, it is very important to adhere to strict surgical indications and contraindications to avoid failure of C-TDR. The results of reoperations were good regardless of the approach. Therefore, various reoperation options could be considered in patients with failed C-TDR.

This is a retrospective study.Implant nonfusion is an important prognostic factor for patients after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF). This study aimed to investigate endplate-specific pseudarthrosis after ACDF, to determine if the rate of fusion is inferior in the lower endplate, and to identify any differences in clinical and radiological results. Research comparing each endplate on which the endplate affects nonfusion is limited.We analyzed 71 patients with 142 total spinal levels who underwent double-level ACDF (C4-5-6 and C5-6-7) with an allograft and plate at our hospital between January 2012 and December 2018. Fusion grades were assessed using computed tomography and the Bridwell fusion grade system at 1 year postoperatively. Radiological parameters were obtained from lateral cervical radiographs collected preoperatively and at 1 month and 1 year after surgery.There was no difference in fusion between the C4-5-6 and C5-6-7 ACDF procedures, but the fusion rate and Bridwell fusion grade at the caudal surgery level were lower than those at the cranial surgery level (93 vs. 79%, p 0.001). The lower endplate of the caudal fusion level showed the most common pseudarthrosis (18 of 71 [25%]). There was no difference in radiological parameters and clinical outcomes between the fusion and pseudarthrosis groups.In double-level ACDF procedures, the nonfusion rate was higher at the caudal fusion levels, especially at the lower endplates of the caudal fusion levels.

OBJECTIVE Mechanical complications should be considered following the correction of multilevel posterior cervical instrumented fusion. This study aimed to investigate clinical data on the patients’ pre- and postoperative cervical alignment in terms of the incidence of mechanical complications after multilevel posterior cervical instrumented fusion. METHODS Between January 2008 and December 2018, 156 consecutive patients who underwent posterior cervical laminectomy and instrumented fusion surgery of 4 or more levels and were followed up for more than 2 years were included in this study. Age, sex, bone mineral density (BMD), BMI, mechanical complications, and pre- and postoperative radiographic factors were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression analysis to investigate the factors related to mechanical complications. RESULTS Of the 156 patients, 114 were men and 42 were women; the mean age was 60.38 years (range 25–83 years), and the mean follow-up duration of follow-up was 37.56 months (range 24–128 months). Thirty-seven patients (23.7%) experienced mechanical complications, and 6 of them underwent revision surgery. The significant risk factors for mechanical complications were low BMD T-score (−1.36 vs −0.58, p = 0.001), a large number of fused vertebrae (5.08 vs 4.54, p = 0.003), a large preoperative C2–7 sagittal vertical axis (SVA; 32.28 vs 23.24 mm, p = 0.002), and low preoperative C2–7 lordosis (1.85° vs 8.83°, p = 0.001). The clinical outcomes demonstrated overall improvement in both groups; however, the neck visual analog scale, Neck Disability Index, and Japanese Orthopaedic Association scores after surgery were significantly worse in the mechanical complication group compared with the group without mechanical complications. CONCLUSIONS Low BMD, a large number of fused vertebrae, a large preoperative C2–7 SVA, and low C2–7 lordosis were significant risk factors for mechanical complications after posterior cervical fusion surgery. The results of this study could be valuable for preoperative counseling, medical treatment, or surgical planning when multilevel posterior cervical instrumented fusion surgery is performed.

The biplanar whole body imaging system (EOS) is a new tool for measuring the whole body sagittal alignment in a limited space. This tool may affect the sagittal balance of patients compared to conventional whole spine X-ray (WSX). This study aimed to investigate the difference in sagittal alignment between WSX and EOS.We compared the spinal and pelvic sagittal parameters in 80 patients who underwent EOS and WSX within one month between July 2018 and September 2019. The patients were divided based on sagittally balanced and imbalanced groups according to pelvic tilt (PT)20°, pelvic incidence-lumbar lordosis10°, C7-sagittal vertical axis (SVA)50 mm in WSX.In the sagittally imbalanced group, compared to WSX, the pelvic parameters demonstrated compensation in EOS with smaller PT (27.4±11.6° vs. 24.9±10.9°,EOS showed a negative SVA shift and lesser PT compared to WSX, especially in patients with sagittal imbalance. When preparing a surgical plan, surgeons should consider these differences between EOS and WSX.

BACKGROUND CONTEXT The global alignment and proportion (GAP) score for predicting mechanical complications of adult spinal deformity (ASD) surgery has limitations due to its lack of bone quality and patient characteristics such as obesity, which has a significant impact on surgical outcome, especially in the elderly population with ASD. PURPOSE This study aimed to improve the predictability of GAP score after ASD surgery by adding body mass index (BMI) and bone mineral density (BMD). DESIGN A retrospective comparative study. PATIENT SAMPLE Between January 2009 and December 2016, 203 consecutive patients with ASD underwent corrective fusion of more than 4 levels and were followed up for more than 2 years. OUTCOME MEASURES The ability of the Scoliosis Research Society (SRS)-Schwab classification, age-adjusted alignment goals, GAP score, and modified global alignment and proportion scoring with BMI and BMD (GAPB) to predict mechanical failure was compared by calculating the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). METHODS The GAPB was developed and validated in patients randomly assigned to derivation (n=125, 61.6%) and validation (n=78, 38.4%) cohorts. Considering multicollinearity, a multivariable logistic regression model with BMD, BMI, and the GAP score was constructed. RESULTS Patients’ average age was 66.8±12.28 years, and they were followed for an average of 30.54±10.25 months. Fifty-five patients of the derivation cohort (44%) and 34 patients of the validation cohort (43%) had mechanical complications after ASD surgery. AUCs of the SRS-Schwab classification, GAP score, age-adjusted alignment goals, and GAPB were 0.532 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.463–0.602), 0.798 (95% CI, 0.720–0.877), 0.568 (95% CI, 0.495–0.641), and 0.885 (95% CI 0.828–0.941), respectively. CONCLUSIONS The GAPB system, which includes BMI and BMD, showed improved predictability for predicting mechanical complications compared to the GAP score. Given these results, surgeons should keep in mind the importance of bone quality and BMI as well as proportional alignment.

Several methods have been developed to prevent mechanical complications after adult spinal deformity (ASD) surgery, but mechanical complications remain frequent in ASD surgery. A modified Global Alignment and Proportion (GAP) scoring system in addition to body mass index (BMI) and bone mineral density (BMD; the GAPB system), was developed to predict mechanical complications after ASD surgery. This study aimed to create an ideal machine learning model to predict mechanical complications in ASD surgery based on GAPB factors. Between January 2009 and December 2018, 238 consecutive patients with ASD, who received at least four-level fusions and were followed-up for ≥2 years, were included in the study. Data collection included demographic and radiological examinations. The data were stratified into training (n=167, 70%) and test (n=71, 30%) sets and input to machine learning algorithms, including logistic regression, random forest gradient boosting system, and deep neural network. The patients’ average age and follow-up period were 67.1±6.17 years and 28.54±4.25 months, respectively. BMI, BMD, the relative pelvic version score, the relative lumbar lordosis score, and the relative sagittal alignment score of the GAP score were significantly different in the training and test sets (p

STUDY DESIGN Retrospective analysis of prospective observational cohort OBJECTIVE.: This study assessed the difference in health-related quality of life (HRQOL) between participants with a mild to moderate adult sagittal deformity (ASD) (sagittal vertical axis [SVA] ≤9.5 cm) and those with a marked deformity (SVA >9.5 cm). We also evaluated predisposing factors for a marked deformity. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA Sagittal imbalance is closely associated with HRQOL for the patient. However, how the effect changes depending on the degree of imbalance has not been fully evaluated. The understanding of the predisposing factor associated with marked deformity also lacks. METHODS A total of 124 elderly persons with a stooping posture were enrolled. Questionnaires related to HRQOL were administered. Sagittal alignment parameters and pelvic parameters were measured with a whole spine x-ray. Lumbar spine magnetic resonance imaging was used to assess the presence of pathologic conditions, muscle quality and quantity. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to analyze potential risk factors. RESULTS Marked ASD was associated with female sex, lower height and weight, and osteoporosis (P

Background A 61-year-old man was admitted complaining of myelopathy and back pain for 3 months. Case Description A 15-mm hemangioma with calcification was noted on magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography. Intraoperatively, the mass was hard with ill-defined demarcation. The cranial portion of the mass was brown and dark gray on the dorsal cord. During surgery, motor evoked potentials transiently decreased, but they fully recovered at the end of surgery. After surgery, the patient's symptoms recovered without severe neurologic deficit. Conclusions Hemangioma calcificans, a variant of cavernous hemangioma with full calcification and ossification, is an extremely rare disease in the spine and brain. Here we report a rare case of intramedullary cavernous hemangioma with calcification of the spinal cord.

Objective Histologic types and grades are critical in the diagnosis and treatment of spinal tumors. Intraoperative frozen section is a fast and easy method in confirming pathologic diagnosis during the operation. This study was undertaken to reveal the accuracy of intraoperative frozen section biopsy in order to make proper treatment plans. Methods This retrospective study concerned patients who underwent spinal tumor surgeries from 1 January, 2012 to 31 December, 2016. Frozen section biopsy and permanent biopsy were compared, and cases that had differences were counted. Results Thirty-seven cases out of 324 patients had discrepancies (11.4%). In discrepant cases 11 cases were ependymoma (29.7%) and 6 cases were schwannoma (16.2%). Among 34 patients who were finally diagnosed with an ependymoma, 11 cases had discrepancies, which was the highest mismatch rate among tumor final pathologic types. By frozen biopsy, astrocytoma (n = 5) and ependymoma (n = 5) turned out to be the most discrepant pathologic types and 16 frozen section biopsy cases were “null.” Frozen biopsy astrocytoma (n = 5) mostly turned out to be ependymoma in 4 cases. Conclusions Pathologic findings from frozen biopsy for spinal cord tumors could not be corresponded to final diagnosis, especially when the results of frozen biopsy were ependymoma or astrocytoma. Therefore careful decision making for treatment plans is required.

Because of the scarcity of atypical spinal meningioma, there is a lack of research on this type of tumor or its associated metastases.The aim of this study was to investigate the biological behavior of atypical spinal meningioma and identify its prognostic factors by reviewing surgical and clinical outcomes of patients with these tumors.A retrospective chart review was performed.We retrospectively reviewed the data from all patients who underwent spinal cord tumor excision between 1994 and 2017. Seventeen patients were pathologically proven to have atypical spinal meningioma.We examined patients' neurologic status by determining their Nurick scores before and after surgery. Moreover, imaging studies, laboratory data, and the employed surgical method were analyzed retrospectively, as was the Ki-67 index and prognosis following postoperative radiation therapy.The ranges, locations, and pathologic diagnoses of the tumors were extracted from the radiological and pathological records of each patient. The extent of surgery and progression of disease were confirmed using postoperative enhanced magnetic resonance imaging. Patients were divided into two atypical spinal meningioma groups: primary and metastatic. The demographics, age, sex, presenting symptom duration, tumor location, Simpson resection grade, Ki-67, radiotherapy, recurrence, overall survival, and progression-free survival of patients in both groups were compared.Seventeen patients were included in the analysis, of whom 12 (70%), 4 (24%), and 1 (6%) had tumors in the thoracic, cervical, and sacral regions, respectively. Complete and subtotal resections were achieved in 15 (88%) and 2 (12%) patients, respectively. Overall and progression-free survival rates in patients who underwent complete resection were longer than those in patients who underwent subtotal resection (p.001). Four patients (24%) had metastatic meningiomas in the brain, among whom three were administered adjuvant radiotherapy after surgery. Two patients with intramedullary atypical spinal meningioma had metastatic tumors and experienced poorer prognoses. The 5-year overall and progression-free survival rates were 84.4% and 85.2%, respectively. The Simpson resection grade, Ki-67 index, and preoperative neurologic status were found to be important prognostic factors on univariate Cox regression analysis (p.05).Complete resection should be considered as a primary treatment modality for individuals with atypical spinal meningioma. If subtotal resection is performed, adjuvant therapy can be administered.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study. Objective: Implant subsidence is an important prognostic factor after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF). Our purpose in this study was to investigate whether graft position affects subsidence after ACDF and to determine if there is a difference in clinical results based on allograft subsidence and position. Methods: We reviewed 92 patients who underwent single-level ACDF with allograft and plate between January 2012 and October 2018. Treatment levels were divided based on allograft position within 2 mm of the posterior margin of the augmented plate (Anterior group) or at greater than 2 mm (Center group). Subsidence was defined as segmental vertebral body height decrease of 2 mm or more at 1 year compared to 1 week after surgery. Results: Overall subsidence prevalence was 15 (16%) cases. Subsidence was 11% in the Anterior group (8/73) and 39% in the Center group (7/19; P = .012). The subsidence group showed smaller graft footprint size (graft/endplate ratio) compared with the nonsubsidence group, and pseudarthrosis occurred frequently in the subsidence. There was no significant difference in clinical results according to graft position. These findings indicate that anterior graft position reduces risk of subsidence (95% confidence interval = 0.085-0.949). Conclusion: To minimize risk of subsidence, the graft should be positioned on the anterior position of the surgical-level endplate. In addition, using a graft appropriate for endplate size will further reduce subsidence.

Purpose This study aimed to present our experiences with a precise surgical strategy for sacrectomy. Materials and methods This study comprised a retrospective review of 16 patients (6 males and 10 females) who underwent sacrectomy from 2011 to 2019. The average age was 42.4 years old, and the mean follow-up period was 40.8 months. Clinical data, including age, sex, history, pathology, radiographs, surgical approaches, onset of recurrence, and prognosis, were analyzed. Results The main preoperative symptom was non-specific local pain. Nine patients (56%) complained of bladder and bowel symptoms. All patients required spinopelvic reconstruction after sacrectomy. Three patients, one high, one middle, and one hemi-sacrectomy, underwent spinopelvic reconstruction. The pathology findings of tumors varied (chordoma, n=7; nerve sheath tumor, n=4; giant cell tumor, n=3, etc.). Adjuvant radiotherapy was performed for 5 patients, chemotherapy for three, and combined chemoradiotherapy for another three. Six patients (38%) reported postoperative motor weakness, and newly postoperative bladder and bowel symptoms occurred in 5 patients. Three patients (12%) experienced recurrence and expired. Conclusion In surgical resection of sacral tumors, the surgical approach depends on the size, location, extension, and pathology of the tumors. The recommended treatment option for sacral tumors is to remove as much of the tumor as possible. The level of root sacrifice is a predicting factor for postoperative neurologic functional impairment and the potential for morbidity. Pre-operative angiography and embolization are recommended to prevent excessive bleeding during surgery. Spinopelvic reconstruction must be considered following a total or high sacrectomy or sacroiliac joint removal.

We conducted a retrospective study to compare the clinical and radiological results of anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) and posterior laminoplasty for two-level localized ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL). ACDF and posterior laminoplasty are performed for localized OPLL at the disc and vertebral body levels, respectively. Eighty six patients with two-level localized OPLL who underwent surgery from January 2011 to December 2016 were retrospectively investigated (41, ACDF group; 45, laminoplasty group). Clinical outcomes were reviewed, and radiologic results such as occupying ratio (OR), space available in the spinal cord, cranial and caudal OPLL-to-disc distance (ODD)/posterior body height (PBH) ratios, segmental angle, C2–C7 Cobb angle, T1 slope, C2–C7 sagittal vertical axis (SVA), and range of motion were investigated. Patients were followed-up for an average of 42.7 ± 10.5 months. Clinical outcomes, postoperative OR, and space available in the spinal cord were significantly improved at the final follow-up in both groups. Preoperatively, the OR and cranial and caudal ODD/PBH ratios were not significantly different between the groups. Compared to pre-operative values, differences in the segmental and C2–C7 Cobb angles at the final follow-up were statistically significant for the ACDF group (P

Background Many patients with cervical radiculopathy experience stenosis of the neural foramens due to cumulative osteophyte or uncovertebral joint hypertrophy. For cervical foraminal stenosis, complete uncinate process resection (UPR) is often conducted concurrently with anterior discectomy and fusion (ACDF). The aim of this study was to assess the clinical and radiological outcomes of ACDF with complete UPR versus ACDF without UPR. Methods In total, 105 patients who performed one-level ACDF with a cage-and-plate construct between 2011 and 2015 were retrospectively reviewed. Among them, 37 patients had ACDF with complete UPR, and 68 patients had ACDF without UPR. Radiologic outcomes of disc height, C2–C7 lordosis, T1 slope, C2–C7 sagittal vertical axis (SVA), center of the sella turcica–C7 SVA (St-SVA), spino-cranial angle (SCA), and fusion rate were evaluated on plain X-ray at pre-operation, immediately post-operation, and at 2-year follow-up. For statistically matched pairs analysis, ACDF with UPR group (24 patients) and ACDF without UPR (24 patients) were compared. Results All of the clinical parameters improved at the 2-year follow up (P p p Conclusions Cervical sagittal alignment after ACDF with complete UPR is not significantly different from that achieved with ACDF without UPR. However, subsidence appears to occur more often after ACDF with complete UPR than after ACDF without UPR, although with little to no clinical impact. More precise and careful selection of patients is needed when deciding on additional complete UPR.

Background. This study aims to examine the validity of European quality of life-5 dimensions, 3-level version (EQ-5D-3L) on patients with osteoporotic vertebral fractures and compare health related quality of life (QOL) of these patients with them of general population in Korea. Methods. Totally, 163 patients with osteoporotic fractures in any vertebrae from outpatient clinics of multiple hospitals. After informed consents, study participants administered general and clinical information including sex, age, fracture site, and fracture age. Then they filled up several questionnaires such as EQ-5D-3L, 12-item short form health survey version 2.0 (SF-12v2), Roland-Morris disability questionnaire (RMQ) and Pain numeric rating scale (PAIN NRS). To examine the discriminant and convergent validity of EQ-5D-3L, Spearman's correlation analyses among the questionnaires were conducted. Also, PAIN NRS, physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS) from SF-12v2 and RMQ scores were compared on problems reporting of each dimension of EQ-5D-3L. Finally, results in EQ-5D-3L from study participants were compared with those things from the comparison group of general populations which were match-sampled according to age and sex from the 2013 Korean National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey. Results. Spearman's correlation coefficients among EQ-5D-3L and PAIN NRS, SF-12v2, and RMQ were mostly statistically significant. The coefficients between the relevant dimensions such as mobility of EQ-5D-3L and physical functioning of SF-12v2were higher than coefficients between the irrelevant ones. Study participants reporting problems in each dimension of EQ-5D-3L showed lower scores on PAIN NRS, PCS and MCS from SF-12v2 and RMQ scores and those were statistically significant. For comparisons with the general populations, problems reporting in the patient group were statistically higher than those things from the general people. Conclusions. This study showed that EQ-5D-3L could be valid to measure a health related QOL of patients with osteoporotic vertebral fractures in Korea.

Background: Many patients with cervical radiculopathy experience stenosis of the neural foramens due to cumulative osteophyte or uncovertebral joint hypertrophy. For cervical foraminal stenosis, complete uncinate process resection (UPR) is often conducted concurrently with anterior discectomy and fusion (ACDF). The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical and radiological consequences of complete UPR during ACDF versus those seen with ACDF without UPR. Methods: In total, 105 patients who underwent one-level ACDF with a cage-and-plate construct between 2011 and 2015 were retrospectively reviewed. Among them, 37 underwent ACDF with complete UPR, and 68 underwent ACDF without UPR. Radiographic parameters of disc height, C2–C7 lordosis, T1 slope, C2–C7 sagittal vertical axis (SVA), center of the sella turcica–C7 SVA (St-SVA), spino-cranial angle (SCA), and fusion rate were measured on plain radiographs at pre-operation, immediately post-operation, and during the follow-up period (median follow-up duration: 37.7 ± 10.5 months). Results: All of the clinical parameters improved at the 2-year follow up (P

This study examined the validity of the European Quality of Life-5 dimensions, 3-Level version (EQ-5D-3L) in patients with osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCF) and compared the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of these patients with that of the general population in Korea.Study participants completed several questionnaires, such as the EQ-5D-3L, 12-item short-form health survey version 2.0 (SF-12v2), Roland-Morris disability questionnaire (RMQ), and Pain Numeric Rating Scale (Pain NRS). Spearman's correlation analyses of the questionnaire results were conducted to examine the discriminant and convergent validity of the EQ-5D-3L. Finally, EQ-5D-3L results from study participants were compared with those from the comparison group of the general population that were match-sampled according to age and sex from the 2013 Korean National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey.Spearman's correlation coefficients between EQ-5D-3L and pain NRS, SF-12v2, and RMQ were statistically significant. The coefficients between the relevant dimensions, such as mobility in the EQ-5D-3L and physical functioning in the SF-12v2, were higher than those between irrelevant ones. Problems reported by study participants in each dimension of EQ-5D-3L showed statistically significant lower scores in pain NRS, PCS, and MCS from the SF-12v2 and RMQ scores. In comparison with the general population, the problems reported in the patient group were statistically higher than those reported by the general population.This study showed that EQ-5D-3L will be useful for patients with OVCF in Korea because it could be valid. The HRQOL of patients with OVCF was very low in all dimensions of the EQ-5D-3L.

Objective To describe our experience in treating esophageal and pharyngeal perforation after anterior cervical spine surgery. Methods Six patients with esophageal injury and one patient with pharyngeal injury after anterior cervical spinal surgery, managed at our department between 2000 and 2015, were analyzed retrospectively. Results During the study period, 7 patients (6 male and 1 female; mean age, 45 years) presented with esophageal perforation. The original anterior cervical spinal surgery was performed due to trauma in 2 patients and because of a degenerative cervical disorder in 5. Early esophageal perforation was diagnosed in 2 patients, and delayed esophageal injury due to chronic irritation with the cervical implants was noted in 5. Three of the five delayed perforation cases were related to cervical instrument displacement. Two patients showed no definite signs of infection, whereas 5 patients had various symptoms, including fever, neck pain, odynophagia, neck swelling, and upper extremity weakness. Two patients with a large defect underwent surgical repair and three with minimal perforation due to chronic irritation from the implants underwent instrument removal without direct repair of defect. Two asymptomatic patients received no intervention. Six patients with infection completely recovered from esophageal injury after treatment for a mean duration of 5.2 weeks (range, 4–8 weeks). One patient died because of postoperative pneumonia and sepsis after implant removal. Conclusions Esophageal and pharyngeal injury after cervical spinal surgery may occur either directly due to spinal trauma and vigorous intraoperative retraction or due to chronic irritation with cervical implants. In cases of perforation associated with infection, various surgical modalities, including primary closure and reinforcement with a flap, could be considered depending on factors such as esophageal defect size, infection severity, and timing of recognition of injury.

Lumbar degenerative kyphosis (LDK) is a subgroup of the flat-back syndrome and is most commonly caused by unique life styles, such as a prolonged crouched posture during agricultural work and performing activities of daily living on the floor. Unfortunately, LDK has been used as a byword for degenerative sagittal imbalance, and this sometimes causes confusion. The aim of this review was to evaluate the exact territory of LDK, and to introduce another appropriate term for degenerative sagittal deformity. Unlike what its name suggests, LDK does not only include sagittal balance disorder of the lumbar spine and kyphosis, but also sagittal balance disorder of the whole spine and little lordosis of the lumbar spine. Moreover, this disease is closely related to the occupation of female farmers and an outdated Asian life style. These reasons necessitate a change in the nomenclature of this disorder to prevent misunderstanding. We suggest the name "primary degenerative sagittal imbalance" (PDSI), which encompasses degenerative sagittal misalignments of unknown origin in the whole spine in older-age patients, and is associated with back muscle wasting. LDK may be regarded as a subgroup of PDSI related to an occupation in agriculture. Conservative treatments such as exercise and physiotherapy are recommended as first-line treatments for patients with PDSI, and surgical treatment is considered only if conservative treatments failed. The measurement of spinopelvic parameters for sagittal balance is important prior to deformity corrective surgery. LDK can be considered a subtype of PDSI that is more likely to occur in female farmers, and hence the use of LDK as a global term for all degenerative sagittal imbalance disorders is better avoided. To avoid confusion, we recommend PDSI as a newer, more accurate diagnostic term instead of LDK.