Journal of spinal disorders & techniques
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Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) is a common procedure for radicular and spondylotic disease of the cervical spine. Radiographs are routinely used to evaluate complications in the postoperative ACDF patient, especially airway compromise. Our purpose was to establish baseline data on the amount of change that can be expected in the prevertebral soft tissues after this procedure in the uncomplicated asymptomatic (no airway compromise) 1 or 2-level ACDF patient. Our hypothesis was that the upper cervical spinal levels (C2-C4) would experience greater degrees of swelling than the lower cervical spine (C5-C7). To date no published data exist in the English literature upon which to judge symptomatic patients (experiencing postoperative airway distress) radiographically. ⋯ As we predicted, the greatest edema was noted in the upper cervical spine. Studies need to be performed to compare the radiographic data of symptomatic patients with the baseline data we have collected.
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J Spinal Disord Tech · Dec 2007
Comparative StudyCervical range of motion and alignment after laminoplasty preserving or reattaching the semispinalis cervicis inserted into axis.
A radiographic study in 111 patients using radiographs was conducted. ⋯ This modified laminoplasty preserving the SSC inserted into C2 is an effective procedure for maintaining postoperative ROM, especially in extension, and sagittal alignment of the upper cervical spine well.
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J Spinal Disord Tech · Dec 2007
Comparative StudyAnterior corpectomy with iliac bone fusion or discectomy with interbody titanium cage fusion for multilevel cervical degenerated disc disease.
Clinical and radiologic study evaluating the outcome after anterior corpectomy with iliac bone fusion compared with discectomy with interbody titanium cage fusion for multilevel cervical degenerated disc disease. ⋯ Either a multilevel discectomy and cage fusion with plating or a corpectomy and iliac bone fusion with plating provides good clinical results and similar fusion rates for cervical degenerative disc disease. However, absence of donor site complications and construct failures and shorter hospital stay make the multilevel discectomy and cage fusion with plate fixation better than corpectomy and strut graft fusion with plate fixation.
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J Spinal Disord Tech · Dec 2007
The use of fuzzy logic to select which curves need to be instrumented and fused in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: a feasibility study.
Selection of the appropriate curve fusion levels for surgery in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is a complex and difficult task. Despite numerous publications on this subject, the decision as to which spinal curve, that is proximal thoracic, main thoracic or lumbar, needs to be instrumented and included in the fusion relies mostly on each surgeon's past experience, although recently published data have revealed a high variability of spinal instrumentation configurations among spinal surgeons in AIS. This situation exists because of ambiguity and vagueness in the decision process. ⋯ When all input values are entered in the model for a specific subject with AIS, the software calculates the level of suggestion for the indication to perform an instrumentation and fusion of the high thoracic and/or lumbar curves for this particular subject. The usefulness of this approach is demonstrated using illustrative cases. This is the first report on the use of fuzzy logic to assist the decision-making process in the field of spinal deformity surgery and the results suggest that this approach may be useful to facilitate surgical planning in difficult or borderline cases of AIS.