Journal of neurosurgery. Spine
-
Randomized Controlled Trial
Postoperative outcome after modified unilateral-approach microendoscopic midline decompression for degenerative spinal stenosis.
The object of this study was to assess the feasibility and efficacy of a novel, minimally invasive spinal surgery technique to correct degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis involving a modified unilateral-approach microendoscopic midline decompression. ⋯ This novel procedure provides effective spinal decompression. Although this method requires more operating time than a conventional method, it requires only minimal muscle trauma and spinal stability maintenance, and allows for early mobilization. This shortens the hospital stay, reduces postoperative back pain, and leads to satisfactory neurological and functional outcomes. Moreover, with the midline approach, decompression was accomplished without compromising the facet joints, even with a narrow width of lamina.
-
Few options exist for the treatment of severe, early onset scoliosis. Goals of treatment include stabilizing curve progression while allowing for normal spine, chest, and lung growth. The vertical expandable prosthetic titanium rib (VEPTR) is a novel device designed to control the spine deformity while permitting lung and spine growth. In this paper the authors report their experience with using bilateral VEPTRs from the ribs to the pelvis for children with severe, early onset scoliosis. ⋯ The VEPTR offers a viable treatment option for children with severe, early onset scoliosis. It achieves and maintains spinal deformity correction, while allowing for continued spine and chest-wall growth. Complication rates are similar to those reported for other growing systems.
-
The authors present 2 cases involving patients who presented with myelopathy. Magnetic resonance imaging of the cervical spine showed spinal cord signal changes on T2-weighted images without any spinal cord compression. ⋯ Compression of the spinal cord was caused by dynamic anulus bulging and ligamentum flavum buckling. This report emphasizes the need for dynamic MR imaging of the cervical spine for evaluating spinal cord changes on neutral position MR imaging before further workup for other causes such as demyelinating disease.