Spine

OBJECTIVE: Type II odontoid fractures may be managed operatively or nonoperatively. If managed with bracing, bony union may never occur despite stability. This phenomenon is termed fibrous union. The authors aimed to determine associations with stable fibrous union and compare the morbidity of patients managed operatively and nonoperatively. METHODS: The authors performed a retrospective review of their spine trauma database for adults with type II odontoid fractures between 2015 and 2019...

Originally founded in 1885, Gwanghyewon later became the Severance Hospital (named after philanthropist Louis Severance, who supported and funded the construction of a modern hospital) and Yonsei University College of Medicine. The Department of Neurosurgery at Severance Hospital was established in 1957, and its residency program began in 1961. Currently, the Department of Neurosurgery has 34 professors and 17 fellows; specialties include vascular, functional, pediatric, tumor, skull base, and spine neurosurgery...

OBJECTIVE: To provide data about surgical workflow, accuracy, complications, radiation exposure and learning curve effect in a retrospective analysis of a consecutive series of patients submitted to minimally invasive (MIS) TLIF with navigation coupled with an intraoperative mobile CT (iCT). METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of data from patients who underwent single or double-level MIS-TLIF in our institution; a mobile iCT combined with a navigation system was used as the sole intraoperative imaging method to place pedicular screws; decompression and interbody fusion were performed through a 22 mm tubular retractor...

BACKGROUND: Ossified posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) of the cervical spine can lead to spinal stenosis and become clinically symptomatic. The optimal approach in addressing OPLL is a debated topic and dependent on factors such as preoperative lordosis and levels affected. METHODS: In this study, we retrospectively identified patients undergoing operative management for OPLL. Demographics, operative details, radiographic parameters, outcome measurements, and complications were compared between the different approaches for OPLL treatment...

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Correction of adult spinal deformity (ASD) by long segment instrumented spinal fusion is an increasingly common surgical intervention. However, it is associated with high rates of complications and revision surgery, especially in the elderly patient population. The high construct stiffness of instrumented thoracolumbar spinal fusion has been postulated to lead to a higher incidence of proximal junctional kyphosis (PJK) and failure (PJF). Several cadaveric biomechanical studies have reported on surgical techniques to reduce the incidence of PJF/PJK...

INTRODUCTION: Children with early onset scoliosis (EOS) undergoing spine surgery often have significant respiratory disease. Preoperative risk assessments that predict an increased length of hospital stay (LOS) for this group have not been previously evaluated. METHODS: A voluntary protocol using preoperative lung function studies began among participants of a multicenter registry in 2016. Preoperative assessments were standardized to include spirometry, blood hemoglobin levels, serum bicarbonate, albumin and prealbumin; radiographic parameters of the spine, C-EOS classification and need for preoperative pulmonary assistance before initial growth friendly device insertion or "definitive" spine fusion...

Free-living parasite life stages may contribute substantially to ecosystem biomass and thus represent a significant source of energy flow when consumed by non-host organisms. However, ambient temperature and the predator's own infection status may modulate consumption rates towards parasite prey. We investigated the combined effects of temperature and predator infection status on the consumer functional response of three-spined sticklebacks towards the free-living cercariae stages of two common freshwater trematode parasites (Plagiorchis spp...

PURPOSE: Anterior vertebral body tethering (AVBT) is an emerging approach for idiopathic scoliosis. However, overcorrection and under-correction are common causes of revision surgery, and intraoperative tensioning of the cord is one key component to achieve appropriate curve correction. We sought to determine whether preoperative flexibility radiographs or intraoperative radiographs would predict correction at first erect imaging for scoliosis patients undergoing anterior vertebral body tethering (AVBT)...

Animal body coverings provide protection and allow for adaptation to environmental pressures such as heat, ultraviolet radiation, water loss, and mechanical forces. Here, using a comparative genomics analysis of 39 mammal species spanning three skin covering types (hairless, scaly and spiny), we found some genes (e.g., UVRAG, POLH, and XPC) involved in skin inflammation, skin innate immunity, and ultraviolet radiation damage repair were under selection in hairless ocean mammals (e.g., whales and manatees). These signatures might be associated with a high risk of skin diseases from pathogens and ultraviolet radiation...

PURPOSE: To utilize a global survey to elucidate spine surgeons' perspectives towards research and resident education within telemedicine. METHODS: A cross-sectional, anonymous email survey was circulated to the members of AO Spine, an international organization consisting of spine surgeons from around the world. Questions were selected and revised using a Delphi approach. A major portion of the final survey queried participants on experiences with telemedicine in training, the utility of telemedicine for research, and the efficacy of telemedicine as a teaching tool...

Intradural extramedullary peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumor (pPNET) with t(11;22) is a rare clinical finding in the pediatric population with few published cases in the literature. The authors report 3 cases of intradural primary pPNET and discuss the clinical presentation, treatment, and survival of the patients. Clinicians should be vigilant in considering pPNET in the differential diagnosis of extradural masses. The authors also compare the clinical course and outcome of therapy with primary PNET of the central nervous system and Ewing sarcoma family of tumors...

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of comorbidities on physical function and quality of life (QoL) of patients at 3-months after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). DESIGN: Data from 140 patients who underwent a primary unilateral TKA were examined retrospectively. Comorbidities were osteoporosis, presarcopenia, degenerative spine disease, diabetes, and hypertension. All patients completed the following: range of motion (ROM), stair climbing test (SCT), 6-minute walk test (6MWT), timed up-and-go test (TUG), peak torque (PT) of the knee extensor and flexor, instrumental gait analysis, Western Ontario McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) and EuroQoL five dimensions (EQ-5D) questionnaire...

Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) is a disorder of unknown cause, in which new bone forms in soft tissues attached to the skeleton. Originally described in humans, in whom it is quite common, it is usually asymptomatic. New bone may completely bridge across joints, especially in the spine. However, it can be difficult to distinguish from diseases such as spondyloarthritis and spondylosis. With safer and increased use of radiography in diagnosis, the unfamiliar skeletal changes of asymptomatic DISH may now be coincidentally revealed during investigation of other disorders and result in misdiagnosis and unnecessary treatment...

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of the interpeduncular angle (IPA) as a new indicator of intracranial hypotension in fetuses with open spinal dysraphism (SD). METHODS: Two groups of fetuses undergoing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination were identified. The study group included fetuses with open SD (n=21), while the control group included fetuses with a normal brain and spine (n=43). Two observers retrospectively evaluated axial T2-weighted images of the brain and the IPA was identified and measured...

Although lactation is associated with transient bone loss and body weight changes, the unchanged TBS could highlight a limited effectiveness in detecting dynamic bone properties in the first year postpartum. PURPOSE: To evaluate trabecular bone score (TBS) and bone mineral density (BMD) in postpartum women. METHODS: This was a 12-month prospective cohort study with 40 lactating postpartum women and 44 non-pregnant women. The inclusion criteria were as follows: aged between 18 and 35 years old, an uncomplicated term (≥37 weeks) pregnancy with a single fetus, and no intention of becoming pregnant within 12 months...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

BACKGROUND: The purposes of the study were first to determine the incidence rate of medical unfitness for work at sea among French seafarers, second to identify the conditions (diseases or accidents) causing such incapacity so as to set up prevention measures where possible and third to ascertain whether there were any overrepresentations of diseases according to category of unfit seafarers (fishers, merchant seafarers, shellfish farmers and professional sailors). METHODS: An exhaustive, observational, descriptive, retrospective epidemiological and nosological study was carried out based on the medical coding of files stored in the Aesculapius® national database, which registers all medical data regarding seafarers presenting at the French seafarers' health services...

BACKGROUND AND STUDY OBJECTIVE:  One risk of established decompression techniques for lumbar spinal stenosis is the resection of facet joints, especially if they are steeply configured, promoting destabilization. Minimally invasive bilateral crossover decompression aims to preserve the facet joints and thus stability of the spine. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the feasibility and early results of this technique. METHODS:  This retrospective case series includes 10 consecutive patients with lumbar stenosis and steep-angle (<35 degrees) facet joints who were treated with minimally invasive bilateral crossover decompression...

PURPOSE: A system for long-length intraoperative imaging is reported based on longitudinal motion of an O-arm gantry featuring a multi-slot collimator. We assess the utility of long-length tomosynthesis and the geometric accuracy of 3D image registration for surgical guidance and evaluation of long spinal constructs. METHODS: A multi-slot collimator with tilted apertures was integrated into an O-arm system for long-length imaging. The multi-slot projective geometry leads to slight view disparity in both long-length projection images (referred to as "line scans") and tomosynthesis "slot reconstructions" produced using a weighted-backprojection method...

Beauty parlor stroke syndrome is characterized by the development of various neurological symptoms during cervical hyperextension, followed by inadequate blood flow through the posterior circulation of the brain. However, there are few reports of beauty parlor stroke syndrome wherein the cause of the posterior circulatory inadequacy has been directly identified. Here we report a case where we could directly detect the origin of the posterior circulatory inadequacy. A 76-year-old Japanese man with hypertension presented with presyncope following cervical retroflexion...