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
-
In the realm of spinal surgery, infections have multiple etiologies and sites of origin. In this case series, we describe a juxtafacet cyst spinal infection that can often be missed or attributed to common symptomology of benign processes despite florid infection. ⋯ In our two patient presentations, both were diabetics and had remote histories of cancer that necessitated chemotherapy or radiation therapy. They also seemingly had de novo onset of infected juxtafacet cyst. The variety of causes and presentations of spinal infections should heighten the astute surgeon to be suspicious of these entities and thus intervene early with appropriate management.
-
To quantify the dimensions of the atlas pedicles and to analyze the relationship between extra medullary height (EMH) with intra medullary height (IMH) of the atlas pedicle. ⋯ The EMH and the IMH of the atlas pedicles were measured by using CT images of the atlas, providing anatomic parameters for surgery. They showed a certain correlation but with a high variability. C1 pedicle screw fixation was well performed when the medullary canal was ≥1 mm, but the surgical procedure should be careful when it was between 0 and 1 mm, and avoided when there was no medullary canal in the atlas pedicle! So 3D CT reconstruction should be conducted to obtain data and establish individualized fixation strategy preoperatively.
-
Case Reports
Iliac artery perforation and treatment during lumbar disc surgery by simple balloon tamponade.
Although vascular injury during lumbar disc surgery is quite rare, it may be life threatening if not recognized and treated immediately. ⋯ This case differs from those published in the literature as we used a single balloon inflation and subtotal occlusion without the need for a covered stent.
-
We retrospectively investigated the radiographic findings in patients with atlanto-axial subluxation (AAS) due to rheumatoid arthritis, and clarified the effect of reduction of the atlanto-axial angle (AAA) on the cranio-cervical and subaxial angles. ⋯ A proper reduction of the AAA did not affect the cranial angles or induce kyphotic malalignment of the subaxial region after atlanto-axial arthrodesis. However, if we can obtain a significant and large reduction of AAA in patients showing kyphosis before surgery, then this reduction will be offset in the atlanto-occipital joint and we should therefore pay special attention to its morphology after surgery.
-
To investigate the clinical and radiological outcomes of multilevel minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MITLIF) in multilevel degenerative lumbar diseases. ⋯ Regardless of the number of fused levels, satisfactory clinical and radiological outcomes of MITLIF were seen in patients with spinal stenosis, which suggests that the said surgical procedure may be useful even for patients with multilevel spinal stenosis.