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Aims of the study: Mobility disability due to spinal stenosis is common in the senior population and often surgery is warranted for patients with severe symptoms and neurological dysfunction. However, although current clinical guidelines recommend stabilisation surgery in addition to decompression in patients with spinal stenosis and instability due to degenerative spondylolisthesis, the relationship between outcomes and the specific type of surgery have not been well studied. We therefore assessed the postoperative recovery timeline for 12 months and compared patient-reported outcomes dependent on the extent of decompression and additional stabilisation among seniors undergoing spinal stenosis surgery. Methods: We investigated 457 patients (mean age 76.0 ± 10.7 years, 58% women) from a consecutive cohort prior to spinal stenosis surgery. Follow-up was at 3 or 6months and at 12 months postoperatively. At each visit, pain, neurological dysfunction and disability were assessed using the North American Spine Society questionnaire. Repeated-measures analysis compared outcomes by type of surgery adjusting for baseline symptoms, gender, age, number of comorbidities, centre and year of surgery. Results: Most improvement occurred within the first 3 to 6 months with little or no further improvement at 12 months. Over 12 months and in adjusted models, patients receiving one-segment versus multi-segment decompression experienced significantly greater reduction of pain (−49.2% vs −41.9%, p = 0.013) and neurological dysfunction (−37.1% vs −25.9%, p <0.0001), but only borderline greater reduction of disability (−32.7% vs −28.2%, p = 0.051). Moreover, reduction in pain and neurological function did not differ with or without additional stabilisation and extend of decompression. However, patients who received one-segment (−28.9%) or multi-segment (−28.3%) stabilisation experienced significantly less reduction in disability a

Purpose: The Swiss Federal Office of Public Health demanded a nationwide HTA registry for lumbar total disc arthroplasty (TDA), to decide about its reimbursement. The goal of the SWISS spine registry is to generate evidence about the safety and efficiency of lumbar TDA. Methods: Two hundred forty-eight cases treated between 3-2005 and 6-2006, who were eligible for the 5-year follow-up were included in the study. Follow-up rates for 3-6months, 1, 2 and 5years were 85.9, 77.0, 44.0 and 51.2%, respectively. Outcome measures were back and leg pain, medication consumption, quality of life, intraoperative and postoperative complication and revision rates. Additionally, segmental mobility, ossification, adjacent and distant segment degeneration were analysed at the 5-year follow-up. Results: There was a significant, clinically relevant and lasting reduction of back (preop/postop 73/29 VAS points) and leg pain (preop/postop VAS 55/22) and a consequently decreased analgesics consumption and quality of life improvement (preop/postop 0.30/0.76 EQ-5D score points) until 5years after surgery. The rates for intraoperative and early postoperative complications were 4.4 and 3.2%, respectively. The overall complication rate during five postoperative years was 23.4%, and the adjacent segment degeneration rate was 10.7%. In 4.4 % of patients, a revision surgery was performed. Cumulative survivorship probability for a revision/re-intervention-free 5-year postoperative course was 90.4%. At the 5-year follow-up, the average range of motion of the mobile segments (86.8%) was 9.7°. In 43.9% of patients, osteophytes at least potentially affecting the range of motion were seen. Conclusions: Lumbar TDA appeared as efficient in long-term pain alleviation, consequent reduction of pain medication consumption and improvement of quality of life. The procedure also appeared sufficiently safe, but surgeons have to be aware of a list of potential adverse events. The outcome is stable over the 5-year

Objective: : Posterior stabilization of the occipitocervical junction, the upper and lower cervical spine (C-spine), and the upper thoracic spine (T-spine) using the Cervi-Fix® rod system, a modular tension band system made of titanium. Various connectors are attached to the pliable rod. 3.5-mm screws are inserted through the connectors into the occiput and into each motion segment of C- and T-spine in an optimal position. Indications: : Occipitocervical and upper C-spine instabilities (malformations, tumors, infections, aseptic inflammatory lesions, posttraumatic conditions). Instabilities of the lower C-spine on the condition that the anterior column is intact (iatrogenic, posttraumatic instabilities caused by degenerative or inflammatory processes, tumors). Degenerative or posttraumatic painful conditions of the lower C-spine. Additional posterior stabilization after anterior spondylodesis of the C-spine or upper T-spine. Contraindications: : Absent stability of the anterior column due to vertebral body destruction caused by trauma, infection, or tumors. Surgical Technique: : Insertion of screws into the occiput and/or into the lateral masses or pedicles of the C-spine or upper T-spine depending on the level to be fused. Adaptation of rods and their attachments to the screws with the help of connectors. Addition of autogenous cancellous bone grafts. Results: : The CerviFix® system was used for various pathologic conditions in 54 patients (26 women, 19 men, average age 59 years). Average duration of follow-up of 47 patients was 20 months. Bony fusion was obtained in all. We did not see any implant-associated complications