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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Case Reports
Traumatic hyperextension-distraction injuries of the thoracolumbar spine: a technical note on surgical positioning.
Hyperextension-distraction type injury of the thoracolumbar spine is an unstable fracture pattern that generally necessitates surgical stabilization by posterior instrumentation. Care must be taken when positioning these patients from supine to prone due to the unstable nature of their injury. The study objectives were (1) to describe a novel modification of the Jackson table turn technique, which may be safer and more effective than the conventional log-roll method and traditional Jackson table technique for positioning patients with hyperextension-distraction injuries of the thoracolumbar spine from supine to prone in the operating room and (2) to present two cases in which this technique was successfully performed. ⋯ This technique is safe and effective for positioning patients with hyperextension-distraction type injuries of the thoracolumbar spine from supine to prone in the operating room and may be superior to conventional methods. These slides can be retrieved under Electronic Supplementary Material.
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The objective of this research was to evaluate the prevalence of cervical and lumbar pain in obese patients eligible for bariatric surgery and to investigate possible changes in sagittal spine alignment in these patients. ⋯ Obese patients demonstrated lower functional performance compared with their non-obese counterparts, while cervical lordosis was diminished and the cSVA was increased in obese patients. These slides can be retrieved under Electronic Supplementary Material.
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A new variant ligament of the atlantooccipital joint: the lateral oblique atlantooccipital ligament.
During routine dissection of the anterior craniocervical junction (CCJ), a variant ligament just anterior to the articular capsule of the atlantooccipital joint was observed. To our knowledge, no literature has previously described this ligament. Therefore, the aim of this study was to clarify the anatomy, incidence, and biomechanics of this undescribed structure of the anterior atlantooccipital joint. ⋯ We propose that this ligament may be termed the lateral oblique atlantooccipital ligament. To date, this structure has not been described in any textbooks or reports in the extant medical literature. Although its function is not clear, based on its course and connections, it might function as a secondary stabilizer of the atlantooccipital joint. As the stability of the craniocervical junction is of paramount importance, knowledge of normal and variant anatomical structures in this region is important for the surgeon treating patients with pathology of this region. These slides can be retrieved under Electronic Supplementary Material.
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We aimed to determine the age- and sex-related changes in facet orientation and facet tropism in lower lumbar spine. ⋯ Predominant morphological changes in superior articular process are responsible for remodeling of facets that occur with increasing age, resulting in sagittalization. Even though the facet orientation changes over a period of time, differential changes within the facets at the same level might not be seen. These slides can be retrieved under Electronic Supplementary Material.
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Observational Study
Effectiveness of posterior reduction and fixation in atlantoaxial dislocation: a retrospective cohort study of 135 patients with a treatment algorithm proposal.
Surgical procedures on atlantoaxial dislocation remain controversial. The aim of this observational retrospective study was to investigate the treatment algorithm of surgical procedures. ⋯ This article proposes a clinical procedure that assists with therapeutic decision making and indicates the severity and difficulty of reduction of the atlantoaxial joint. These slides can be retrieved under Electronic Supplementary Material.