Neurosurg Focus
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Multicenter Study Controlled Clinical Trial
Dynamic intraspinous spacer technology for posterior stabilization: case-control study on the safety, sagittal angulation, and pain outcome at 1-year follow-up evaluation.
To assess the safety and efficacy of the DIAM implant, the authors compared the mean 12-month outcomes in patients who underwent lumbar surgery with DIAM placement and in those who underwent lumbar surgery only. ⋯ After simple lumbar surgery, the placement of a DIAM interspinous process spacer did not alter disc height or sagittal alignment at the mean 12-month follow-up interval. No adverse local or systemic reaction to the DIAM was noted. No difference in VAS or MacNab outcome scores was noted between the groups treated with or without the DIAM implants, particularly when the DIAM was used to alleviate low-back pain.
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Multicenter Study Clinical Trial
Treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis with a total posterior arthroplasty prosthesis: implant description, surgical technique, and a prospective report on 29 patients.
Total disc replacement is an alternative to lumbar fusion, but patients with spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, and facet arthropathy are often excluded from this procedure because increased adjacent-segment motion can exacerbate dorsal spondylotic changes. In such cases of degenerative spondylolisthesis with stenosis, decompression and fusion remain the gold standard of treatment. To avoid attendant loss of motion at the treated segment, the TOPS system is a novel total posterior arthroplasty prosthesis that allows for an alternative dynamic, multiaxial, three-column stabilization and motion preservation. The purpose of this study is to report preliminary surgical data and clinical outcomes in patients treated with the TOPS lumbar total posterior arthroplasty system. ⋯ The TOPS total posterior arthroplasty system represents a novel, dynamic, posterior arthroplasty device that provides multiaxial stability in flexion, extension, rotation, and lateral bending after total facetectomy and neural decompression. The surgical data indicate that it can be safely applied via a traditional approach with low surgical morbidity and excellent 1-year functional and radiographic outcomes in patients with degenerative spondylolisthesis accompanied by stenosis and back pain.
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Whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) after resection of a single brain metastasis can cause long-term radiation toxicity. The authors evaluated the efficacy of resection and placement of 125I seeds (without concomitant WBRT) for newly diagnosed single brain metastases. ⋯ Permanent 125I brachytherapy applied at the initial operation without WBRT provided excellent local tumor control. Local control and patient survival rates were at least as good as those reported for resection combined with WBRT. Although the authors noted a higher incidence of distant metastases compared with that reported in other studies of initial WBRT, these metastases were generally well controlled with a combination of surgery, stereotactic radiosurgery, and, less often, WBRT. Twenty-four patients (92%) never required WBRT, thus avoiding potential long-term radiation-induced neurotoxicity.
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Image-guided resection of high-grade glioma: patient selection factors and outcome.
In patients with glioma, image-guided surgery helps to define the radiographic limits of the tumor to maximize safety and the extent of resection while minimizing damage to eloquent brain tissue. The authors hypothesize that image-guided resection (IGR) techniques are associated with improved outcomes in patients with malignant glioma. ⋯ Selection bias occurs regarding patients who receive IGR; these biases include younger age, presentation with seizure and normal level of consciousness, tumor diameter less than 4 cm, and non-GBM on histopathological studies. Outcome appears to be improved in patients who undergo IGRs of high-grade gliomas. It is unclear if these improved outcomes are due to the selection of a more favorable patient population or to the IGR techniques themselves. It is likely that the full potential of image guidance in glioma surgery will not be realized until it is applied to a wider range of patients.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Reduction of leg pain and lower-extremity weakness for 1 year with Oxiplex/SP gel following laminectomy, laminotomy, and discectomy.
Although good surgical technique is effective in reducing postoperative epidural fibrosis, compression or tethering of the nerve root may cause recurrent radicular pain and physical impairment. The implantation of a bioresorbable gel on the dura may further decrease the amount of scar formation after surgery and thus improve the patient's ability to perform activities of daily living (ADL). This study is a 12-month evaluation of the safety and effectiveness of Oxiplex/SP Gel (FzioMed, Inc., San Luis Obispo, CA) in the reduction of pain and radiculopathy after lumbar discectomy. ⋯ Oxiplex/SP Gel was easy to use and safe in patients who underwent unilateral discectomy. A greater benefit in clinical outcome measures was seen over the 12-month follow-up period in gel-treated patients.