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Study Design: Retrospective observational study. Objectives: To evaluate the long-term recurrence rates and functional status of patients with thoracic ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) after decompression and posterior fusion surgery. Methods: Thirty-seven consecutive patients who underwent posterior thoracic spine surgery at a single institution were retrospectively reviewed. The long-term neurological and functional outcomes of 25 patients who were followed up for ≥10 years after surgery were assessed. Factors associated with the recurrence of myelopathy were also analyzed. Results: The mean preoperative Japanese Orthopaedic Association score was 3.7, which improved to 6.5 at postoperative year 2 and declined to 6.0 at a mean follow-up of 18 years. No patient experienced a relapse of myelopathy due to OPLL within the instrumented spinal segments. However, 15 (60%) patients experienced late neurological deterioration, 10 of whom had a relapse of myelopathy due to OPLL or ossification of the ligamentum flavum (OLF) in the region outside the primary operative lesion, while 4 developed myelopathy due to traumatic vertebral fracture of the ankylosed spine. Young age, a high body mass index, and lumbar OPLL are likely associated with late neurological deterioration. Conclusions: Decompression and posterior instrumented fusion surgery is a reliable surgical procedure with stable long-term clinical outcomes for thoracic OPLL. However, as OPLL may progress through the spine, attention should be paid to the recurrence of paralysis due to OPLL or OLF in regions other than the primary operative lesion and vertebral fractures of the ankylosed spine after surgery for thoracic OPLL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The occurrence of an iatrogenic vertebral fracture during non-spinal digestive surgery is an exceptional event that has not been previously documented. Our study aims to explain the occurrence of this fracture from a biomechanical perspective, given its rarity. Using a finite element model of the spine, we will evaluate the strength required to induce a vertebral fracture through a hyperextension mechanism, considering the structure of the patient's spine, whether it is ossified or healthy. Methods: A 70-year-old patient was diagnosed T12 fracture during a liver transplantation on ankylosed spine. We use a finite element model of the spine. Different mechanical properties were applied to the spine model: first to a healthy spine, the second to a osteoporotic ossified spine. The displacement and force imposed at the Sacrum, the time and location of fractures initiation were recorded and compared between the two spine conditions. Results: A surgical treatment is done associating decompression with posterior fixation. After biomechanical study, we found that the fracture initiation occurred for the ossified spine after a sacrum displacement of 29 mm corresponding to an applied force of 65 N. For the healthy spine it occurred at a sacrum displacement of 52 mm corresponding to an applied force of 350 N. Conclusion: The force required to produce a type B fracture in an ankylosed spine is 5 times less than in a healthy spine. These data enable us to propose several points of management to avoid unexpected complications with ankylosed spines during surgical procedures. Level of evidence: IV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION: This was a retrospective study aimed to investigate the perioperative outcomes of long construct minimally invasive spinal stabilisation (MISt) using percutaneous pedicle screws (PPS) versus conventional open spinal surgery in the treatment of spinal fracture in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-one patients with AS and DISH who were surgically treated between 2009 and 2017 were recruited. Outcomes of interest included operative time, intra-operative blood loss, complications, duration of hospital stay and fracture union rate. RESULTS: Mean age was 69.2 ± 9.9 years. Seven patients had AS and 14 patients had DISH. 17 patients sustained AO type B3 fracture and 4 patients had type B1 fracture. Spinal trauma among these patients mostly involved thoracic spine (61.9%), followed by lumbar (28.6%) and cervical spine (9.5%). MISt using PPS was performed in 14 patients (66.7%) whereas open surgery in 7 patients (33.3%). Mean number of instrumentation level was 7.9 ± 1.6. Mean operative time in MISt and open group was 179.3 ± 42.3 minutes and 253.6 ± 98.7 minutes, respectively (p=0.028). Mean intra-operative blood loss in MISt and open group was 185.7 ± 86.4ml and 885.7 ± 338.8ml, respectively (p

Background: Spinal injuries associated with ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) have been characterized. However, the imaging features of traumatic cervical spine fractures in patients with OPLL have not been assessed adequately. Purpose: To characterize the patterns of traumatic cervical spine fractures associated with different types of OPLL. Material and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the patterns of fractures resulting from cervical spine injury in patients with OPLL of different types and assessed the fracture patterns in patients with ankylosed segments. Results: Twenty-six patients (23 men, 3 women; median age, 67.0 years; age range, 43-87 years) were included. Fall from a height <3m was the most common trauma. Contiguous type OPLL was seen in 11 patients (42%), segmental type in 11 (42%), and mixed type in four (15%). Four of the contiguous OPLL and one of the mixed OPLL patients had ankylosed segments. The incidence of cervical fractures was 69% (16/26): seven (64%) in contiguous OPLL, five (46%) in segmental OPLL, and in all four patients with mixed OPLL. Unilateral interfacetal fracture-dislocation was most common (4/16); the others were bilateral interfacetal fracture-dislocation, fractures through the ankylosed segment, transdiscal fractures, isolated facet fractures, and compression fractures. Cervical fractures were exclusively observed in the C4 to C7, except in one case occurred at the C2 level. Conclusion: Interfacetal fracture-dislocation in the lower cervical vertebrae constitutes the most common injury resulting from minor trauma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Supra/interspinous ligaments connect adjacent spinous processes and act as a stabilizer of the spine. As with other spinal ligaments, it can become ossified. However, few report have discussed ossification supra/ interspinous ligaments (OSIL), so its epidemiology remains unknown. We therefore aimed to investigate the prevalence and distribution of OSIL in symptomatic patients with cervical ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL). Methods: The participants of our study were symptomatic patients with cervical OPLL who were diagnosed by standard radiographs of the cervical spine. The whole spine CT data as well as clinical parameters such as age and sex were obtained from 20 institutions belong to the Japanese Multicenter Research Organization for Ossification of the Spinal Ligament (JOSL). The prevalence and distribution of OSIL and the association between OSIL and clinical parameters were reviewed. The sum of the levels involved by OPLL (OP-index) and OSIL (OSI-index) as well as the prevalence of ossification of the nuchal ligament (ONL) were also investigated. Results: A total of 234 patients with a mean age of 65 years was recruited. The CT-based evidence of OSIL was noted in 68 (54 males and 14 females) patients (29%). The distribution of OSIL showed a significant thoracic preponderance. In OSIL-positive patients, single-level involvement was noted in 19 cases (28%), whereas 49 cases (72%) presented multi-level involvement. We found a significant positive correlation between the OP-index grade and OSI-index. ONL was noted at a significantly higher rate in OSIL-positive patients compared to negative patients. Conclusions: The prevalence of OSIL in symptomatic patients with cervical OPLL was 29%. The distribution of OSIL showed a significant thoracic preponderance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients with Parkinson's disease have higher risk of complications and revision surgery following spine surgery. Spinal fracture in an ankylosed spine is also difficult to treat. We recently treated a case of thoracic spine fracture in a patient with Parkinson's disease complicating a severely ankylosed spine. There is no report describing surgical treatment of spine fracture in such a difficult condition, thus, we firstly report the case and discuss the reasons for a successful result. Case presentations: A 68-year-old man with Parkinson's disease had a pathologic thoracic spine fracture at T11. Four days after onset, he was referred to a local hospital because of gradually increasing back pain, but no spinal fracture was pointed out at that time. Because he developed lower extremity bilateral numbness and weakness, he was transported to our hospital, eight days after onset. When referred to our hospital, he exhibited severe back pain and paralysis of the lower extremities due to spinal cord involvement. Emergency surgery was performed. Decompression of T10-11 was performed followed by instrumented spinal fusion from T8 to L2. A dramatic neurological improvement was observed following surgery, and complete bony fusion was achieved. At the final two-year postoperative follow-up, the patient had no pathological symptoms related to spinal fracture and no instrument failure was observed. Conclusion: This patient had Parkinson's disease and a severely ankylosed spine, both of which may lead to unsatisfactory surgical results from spinal surgery. Generally, patients with Parkinson's disease have an increased risk for adjacent segment disease and instrument failure. In this patient, fusion surgery did not change the number of fused segments because operated segments were already ankylosed. Because no stress force exists between adjacent vertebral bodies, a severely ankylosed spine may help prevent screw pullout. Thus, treatment of a spinal fracture in an ankylosed spinal segment is a less adverse condition for patients with Parkinson's disease. Our experience led us to think that a combination of Parkinson's disease with severely ankylosed spine does not necessarily suggest unsatisfactory outcomes after surgical treatment of spinal fracture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which assessed demographics, fracture characteristics, outcome and complications in patients with cervical fractures managed surgically. The researchers identified the number of diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH)-affected segments, injury severity, and medical co-morbidities. The findings suggested the potential for medical and surgical complications in this group of patients.

Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) is a systemic condition leading to ossification of spinal ligaments and has been shown to behave similarly to ankylosing spondylitis (AS) often leading to unstable hyperextension fractures. Currently, no quantitative data are available on the spatial relationship between the bridging anterolateral ossification mass (ALOM) and the vertebral body/intervertebral disc to explain the propensity in DISH to fracture through the vertebral body instead of through the intervertebral disc as more often seen in AS. Furthermore, no reasonable explanation is available for the typical flowing wax morphology observed in DISH. In the current study, a quantitative analysis of computed tomography (CT) data from human cadaveric specimens with DISH was performed to better understand the newly formed osseous structures and fracture biomechanics. Additionally, the results were verified using computed tomography angiography data from ten patients with DISH and ten controls. Transverse CT images were analyzed to obtain ALOM area and centroid angle relative to the anteroposterior axis; intervertebral disc and adjacent cranial and caudal levels. The ALOM area at the mid-vertebral body level averaged 57.9 ± 50.0 mm; at the mid-intervertebral disc space level it averaged 246.4 ± 95.9 mm. The mean ALOM area at the adjacent level caudal to the mid-vertebral body level was 169.6 ± 81.3 mm; at the adjacent cranial level, it was 161.7 ± 78.2 mm. The main finding was the significant difference between mean ALOM area at the mid-vertebral body level and other three levels ( p < 0.0001). The subsequent verification study showed the presence of vertebral segmental arteries at the mid-vertebral body level in nearly all images irrespective of the presence of DISH. A larger area of ALOM seemed associated with increased counter-clockwise rotation (away from the aorta) of the centroid relative to the anteroposterior axis. The results from the present study suggest a predisposition for fractures through the vertebral body and a role for the arterial system in the inhibition of soft tissue ossification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Spinal injuries associated with ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) have been characterized. However, the imaging features of traumatic cervical spine fractures in patients with OPLL have not been assessed adequately., Purpose: To characterize the patterns of traumatic cervical spine fractures associated with different types of OPLL., Material and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the patterns of fractures resulting from cervical spine injury in patients with OPLL of different types and assessed the fracture patterns in patients with ankylosed segments., Results: Twenty-six patients (23 men, 3 women; median age, 67.0 years; age range, 43-87 years) were included. Fall from a height <3 m was the most common trauma. Contiguous type OPLL was seen in 11 patients (42%), segmental type in 11 (42%), and mixed type in four (15%). Four of the contiguous OPLL and one of the mixed OPLL patients had ankylosed segments. The incidence of cervical fractures was 69% (16/26): seven (64%) in contiguous OPLL, five (46%) in segmental OPLL, and in all four patients with mixed OPLL. Unilateral interfacetal fracture-dislocation was most common (4/16); the others were bilateral interfacetal fracture-dislocation, fractures through the ankylosed segment, transdiscal fractures, isolated facet fractures, and compression fractures. Cervical fractures were exclusively observed in the C4 to C7, except in one case occurred at the C2 level., Conclusion: Interfacetal fracture-dislocation in the lower cervical vertebrae constitutes the most common injury resulting from minor trauma.

Background: Supra/interspinous ligaments connect adjacent spinous processes and act as a stabilizer of the spine. As with other spinal ligaments, it can become ossified. However, few report have discussed ossification supra/interspinous ligaments (OSIL), so its epidemiology remains unknown. We therefore aimed to investigate the prevalence and distribution of OSIL in symptomatic patients with cervical ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL)., Methods: The participants of our study were symptomatic patients with cervical OPLL who were diagnosed by standard radiographs of the cervical spine. The whole spine CT data as well as clinical parameters such as age and sex were obtained from 20 institutions belong to the Japanese Multicenter Research Organization for Ossification of the Spinal Ligament (JOSL). The prevalence and distribution of OSIL and the association between OSIL and clinical parameters were reviewed. The sum of the levels involved by OPLL (OP-index) and OSIL (OSI-index) as well as the prevalence of ossification of the nuchal ligament (ONL) were also investigated., Results: A total of 234 patients with a mean age of 65 years was recruited. The CT-based evidence of OSIL was noted in 68 (54 males and 14 females) patients (29%). The distribution of OSIL showed a significant thoracic preponderance. In OSIL-positive patients, single-level involvement was noted in 19 cases (28%), whereas 49 cases (72%) presented multi-level involvement. We found a significant positive correlation between the OP-index grade and OSI-index. ONL was noted at a significantly higher rate in OSIL-positive patients compared to negative patients., Conclusions: The prevalence of OSIL in symptomatic patients with cervical OPLL was 29%. The distribution of OSIL showed a significant thoracic preponderance.