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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To establish a chordoma tissue cohort (n = 43) and to correlate localization, size, metastasis, residual disease (R-status), recurrences, histological subtype, matrix content, and Ki-67 proliferation index with patients' overall survival (OS). ⋯ We propose to include these parameters in the final pathologic report of the resected chordoma.
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Description of a novel method for evaluation of pedicle screws in 3 dimensions utilizing O-arm(®) and StealthStation(®) navigation; identifying sources of error, and pearls for more precise screw placement. ⋯ This new technique evaluating precision of screw placement in 3 dimensions improves the ability to define screw placement. Pedicle screw position at final imaging showed the use of StealthStation navigation to be accurate and safe. As this is a preliminary evaluation, we have identified several factors affecting the precision of pedicle screw final position relative to that predicted with navigation.
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The purpose of this retrospective analyses was to evaluate the bone viability in the ventral column of the spine following large segmental defect reconstructions. Osseous integration of implants following spinal fusion procedures is an essential precondition to provide adequate mechanical strength to any applied forces and subsequently satisfying patient outcomes. Although CT scan is the non-invasive gold standard for fusion assessment, it lacks the ability to visualize bone viability and, therefore, discrepancy remains about sensitivity and specificity of CT as evaluation tool of spinal fusion. ⋯ This study suggests a discrepancy between fusion rates assessed by plain radiographs and CT scan compared to (18)F PET/CT.
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Congenital scoliosis is not normally associated with pain in young children. We are presenting two cases of young patients with congenital scoliosis and moderate to severe pain. There were no spinal cord abnormalities found in these patients. ⋯ We hypothesized that the mechanical instability resulting from poor spinal element formations associated with congenital scoliosis was responsible for causing the disc degeneration and endplate changes. Modic changes have been reported to be associated with pain in degenerative conditions of the spine. Both patients underwent a posterior spinal fusion and instrumentation, which relieved their pain immediately.
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Conventional treatment of rigid deformity in Scheuermann's kyphosis (SK) in young patients includes a preliminary anterior spinal release and fusion (ASF) followed by posterior spinal fusion and instrumentation (PSF). However, recently there are more trends to do posterior-only surgery for correction of this deformity. The aim of our study was to compare clinical and radiological outcomes of ASF/PSF and PSF-only procedures in treatment of SK. ⋯ Clinical and radiological parameters were similar in both groups after surgical correction while, complication rates, operation time and blood loss were significantly higher in ASF/PSF procedure.