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
A novel "pelvic ring augmentation construct" for lumbo-pelvic reconstruction in tumour surgery.
Reconstructing or augmenting the lumbo-pelvic junction after resection of L5 and part of the sacrum is challenging. Numerous lumbo-pelvic reconstruction methods based on posterior construct and anterior cages have been proposed for cases involving total sacrectomy and lumbar vertebrectomy. These constructs create long lever arms and generate high cantilever forces across the lumbo-sacral junction, resulting in implant failure or breakage. Biomechanical studies have shown that placing implants anterior to lumbo-sacral pivot point provides a more effective moment arm to resist flexion force and improves the ultimate strength of the construct. We present here a novel method to augment a lumbo-pelvic construction using a pelvic ring construct. ⋯ There were no intra-operative complications. At the end of 12 months, she was mobilising with a frame, with no radiological evidence of failure of the construct. However, she died due to disease progression at the end of 15 months. Experience from one clinical case shows that such a construct is feasible and adds a technical option to the difficult reconstruction of lumbo-pelvic junction after tumour surgery.
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The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of multilevel balloon kyphoplasty (BK) on blood pressure, blood gases and cement leakage. ⋯ BK performed under general anesthesia appears to be safe when applied in multiple levels in the same seating provided the balloons are inflated sequentially and not simultaneously and the cement is inserted slowly in a very doughy state. Close monitoring of cardiorespiratory factors is valuable. Its rare circulatory effects are unrelated to the number of levels or the cement type.
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Comparative Study
Comparison between continuous and discontinuous multiple vertebral compression fractures.
The majority of multiple vertebral fractures (MVFs) occur under high-energy conditions; however, some cases occurring under minor-energy conditions exist. Fractures in successive vertebrae (continuous type) and in skipped vertebrae (discontinuous type) can exist. ⋯ Discontinuous MVFs generally caused by mild outer force, and often occurred at the thoracolumbar junction. Continuous MVFs, frequently, were caused by high-energy trauma.
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Historically, metastatic spine tumor surgery has been palliative for pain control, to maintain neurologic and ambulatory function. The thought of curing cancer with limited metastatic disease by resecting the primary and the metastatic lesions is becoming more common. Multilevel spondylectomy for resection of metastatic disease has been reported in the literature, mostly at the thoracic or lumbar level with some success. Reconstruction of the lumbosacral junction after tumor resection is a difficult endeavor and several techniques have been utilized. Subcutaneous anterior pelvic fixation has been described for the treatment of unstable pelvic fractures. ⋯ The authors describe a novel percutaneous rod technique and construct for buttressing a posterior spinal construct to a subcutaneous anterior pelvic fixator after tumor resection of the lumbo-pelvic junction. They manage to salvage a difficult situation for which they should be commended. This technique may be useful in situations where instrumentation has to be preformed to the pelvis: i.e., in tumor reconstruction, fusions such as neuromuscular scoliotic disease to the pelvis, to augment a lumbo-pelvic construct when a nonunion occurs or in osteoporotic patients as a salvage procedure.
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Vertebral deformities often occur in patients who recall no trauma, and display no evident fracture on radiographs. We hypothesise that vertebral deformity can occur by a gradual creep mechanism which is accelerated following minor damage. "Creep" is continuous deformation under constant load. ⋯ Minor damage to an old vertebral body, even if it is barely discernible on radiographs, can accelerate creep to such an extent that it makes a substantial contribution to vertebral deformity.