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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Intracranial hemorrhage is a serious but rare complication of spinal surgery, which can occur in the intracerebral, cerebellar, epidural, or subdural compartment. ⋯ Though rare, intracranial hemorrhage can occur following lumbar spinal surgery. This complication may be asymptomatic or manifest with intense headache at early stages any time during the first week after surgery. Dural tear, bloody CSF leakage, focal neurologic symptoms, and headache are indicators of potential intracranial hemorrhage, which should be considered during or following surgery and necessitate diagnostic imaging.
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Idiopathic scoliosis is a complex developmental syndrome defined by an abnormal structural curvature of the spine. High treatment costs, chronic pain/discomfort, and the need for monitoring at-risk individuals contribute to the global healthcare burden of this musculoskeletal disease. Although many studies have endeavored to identify underlying genes, little progress has been made in understanding the etiopathogenesis. The objective of this comprehensive review was to summarize genetic associations/linkages with idiopathic scoliosis, as well as explore the strengths and weaknesses of each study, such that it may serve as a guide for the design and interpretation of future genetic studies in scoliosis. ⋯ The major difficulty in idiopathic scoliosis research is phenotypic and genetic heterogeneity. Genetic research was overrepresented by underpowered studies. The use of biological endophenotypes, as well as restricted clinical definitions, may help to partition variation and increase the power of studies to detect or confirm an effect.
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Metastatic involvement of the sacrum is rare and there is a paucity of studies which deal with the management of these tumours since most papers refer to primary sacral tumours. This study aims to review the available literature in the management of sacral metastatic tumours as reflected in the current literature. ⋯ The mainstay of management for sacral metastatic tumours is palliation. Preoperative angioembolisation is shown to be of value in cases of highly vascularised tumours. Radiotherapy is used as the primary treatment in cases of inoperable tumours without spinal instability where pain relief and neurological improvement are attainable. Minimal invasive procedures such as sacroplasties were shown to offer immediate pain relief and improvement with ambulation, whereas more aggressive surgery, involving decompression and sacral reconstruction, is utilised mainly for the treatment of local advanced tumours which compromise the stability of the spine or threaten neurological status. Adjuvant cryosurgery and radiosurgery have demonstrated promising results (if no neurological compromise or instability) with local disease control.
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Previous studies had shown that sagittal spinal and pelvic morphology may be associated with the development and progression of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, but the predictive value of initial spinal and pelvic morphology on the curve progression during brace treatment is unknown. The objective of this study was to evaluate the relation between initial spinopelvic morphology and the risk of curve progression of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis with the Milwaukee brace. ⋯ Initial pelvic tilt and spinopelvic inclination angles may predict the curve progression and treatment outcome of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis with the Milwaukee brace.