European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society
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Despite the advantages that new derotation-based systems have brought to the treatment of scoliosis, the debate continues, especially regarding adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Problems like decompensation, junctional kyphosis, and insufficient sagittal plane alignment are met with new proposals. We now are using a technique and system, the Ibn-I Sina Spinal System (IBS), that we think is able to overcome these problems. ⋯ IBS has proved easy and successful in scoliosis treatment, especially with lordotic rigid curves. We encountered no neurologic injury or instrument failure. In addition to these advantages, ease of preoperative planning and application, decreased operation time, easy removal or revision, and versatility and safety of the system has made the Ibn-I Sina Spinal System (IBS) a treatment of choice, especially for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis cases, in some centers in Turkey.
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Case Reports
Unusual presentation of spinal cord compression related to misplaced pedicle screws in thoracic scoliosis.
Utilization of thoracic pedicle screws is controversial, especially in the treatment of scoliosis. We present a case of a 15-year-old girl seen 6 months after her initial surgery for scoliosis done elsewhere. She complained of persistent epigastric pain, tremor of the right foot at rest, and abnormal feelings in her legs. ⋯ At the time of the revision surgery the somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEP) returned to normal after screw removal. The clinical symptoms resolved 1 month after the revision. The authors conclude that after pedicle instrumentation at the thoracic level a spinal cord compression should be looked for in case of subtle neurologic findings such as persistent abdominal pain, mild lower extremity weakness, tremor at rest, thermoalgic discrimination loss, or unexplained imbalance.
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The radiographic and clinical outcomes and complications among two groups of adolescent patients treated for idiopathic thoracic scoliosis with dorsal instrumentation using a unified implantation system (Universal Spinal System) were compared retrospectively. A total of 69 patients were included in the study. In 30 patients an intraoperative correction of the scoliosis was performed by translation and segmental correction (translation group, Helsinki). ⋯ Neurological complications did not occur. In both patient groups an increase in the non-instrumented lumbar curve was noted, in two cases each. In three patients from the rod rotation group the instrumentation had to be removed due to a late infection with negative microbiological results.
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The progression of kyphosis in myelomeningocele is independent of skeletal growth and requires early operative correction and stabilization to prevent a loss of sitting ability. In severe cases, only vertebrectomy makes it possible to achieve correction, stability and skin-closure without tension. In 14 patients with myelomeningocele gibbus, kyphectomy was performed, removing two vertebral bodies on average. ⋯ In three cases, kyphosis reappeared cranial to the fused segments, requiring ventral stabilization. With respect to increasing kyphosis angle, an early intervention should be aimed at. A secondary operation can be necessary, if surgery is performed without taking care of the growth potential.
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This cadaver study evaluated the value of MR images for detection of acute intervertebral disc damage associated with fractures of the thoracolumbar spine. Damage to the intervertebral disc may be a major contributor to chronic instability in non-operative treatment or failure of fixation and recurrence of deformity in posterior fixation methods. MR imaging can help us to understand the injury patterns and their prognostic significance. ⋯ These were all detected on the corresponding MR images. The study showed that MRI is able to detect acute, macroscopic injury to the intervertebral disc. It is therefore justified to use MR for the study of acute disc damage associated with thoracolumbar fractures.