Usefulness of titanium mesh cage for posterior C1-C2 fixation in patients with atlantoaxial instability.

The aim of this study was to investigate the usefulness of titanium mesh cage as an interlaminar spacer combined with nitinol shape memory loop fixation in patients with atlantoaxial instability.From April 2009 to March 2017, among the patients with atlantoaxial instability, a total of 30 patients were treated by nitinol shape memory loop fixation combined with titanium mesh cage as a spacer. We retrospectively reviewed 30 enrolled patients. Successful fusion was determined as improvement of symptoms and radiologic findings of bone fusion. We also reviewed surgical complications, instrumentation failure, bony fusion rate, and posterior atlantodental interval (PADI).After surgery, the symptoms of all patients significantly improved. Successful fusion was documented throughout the follow-up period. Evidence of solid bridging bone was found, and no instability was seen on flexion-extension radiographs and callus formation on 3D cervical spine computed tomography (CT) 6 months postoperatively in all cases. No surgical complications were observed. No cases of instrumentation failure were observed. The mean PADI also improved significantly to 22.45 ±â€Š1.11 mm 6 months postoperatively compared with the preoperative value of 18.37 ±â€Š1.16 mm (P < .05).We obtained a good fusion rate by using titanium mesh cage spacer with nitinol shape memory alloy loop in patients with atlantoaxial instability. This technique can help surgeons in avoiding vertebral artery injury and reducing bleeding and operation time. Therefore, we suggest that titanium mesh cage spacer combined with nitinol shape memory alloy loop can be a good substitute of autograft for C1-C2 fusion in treating atlantoaxial instabilities.

Increased Prevalence of Ossification of Posterior Longitudinal Ligament and Increased Bone Mineral Density in Patients with Ossification of Nuchal Ligament.

OBJECTIVE: There are also few studies demonstrating the relationship between ossification of nuchal ligament (ONL) and ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL). We compared the prevalence, location, and type of OPLL between patients with ONL and matched patients without ONL.We also compared the bone mineral densities (BMDs) between the 2 groups. METHODS: total of 124 cervical ONL patients were enrolled in this study. The control group of 124 patients was matched with 124 patients with ONL by age and sex on a 1:1 basis to minimize confounding factors. We reviewed the prevalence, location, and type of OPLL in both groups. RESULTS: The prevalence of OPLL was almost 2.5 times greater in patients with ONL than those without ONL. The mean value of BMD in patients with ONL was greater at the lumbar spine (L1-L4) than in patients without ONL. The mean T score of the lumbar spine was 0.25±1.68 in the patients with ONL and -0.73±1.64 in the patients without ONL. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of OPLL in patients with ONL was significantly higher than in patients without ONL. Because ONL is innocuous and may be seen more readily than OPLL on simple cervical radiographs, clinicians should consider the possibility of coexisting OPLL when ONL, especially extensive ONL, is detected in patients with neck pain, radiculopathy, or myelopathy, to facilitate proper treatment.

Cervical Intradural Disc Herniation Causing Progressive Quadriparesis After Spinal Manipulation Therapy: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Cervical intradural disc herniation (IDH) is an extremely rare condition, comprising only 0.27% of all disc herniations. Three percent of IDHs occur in the cervical, 5% in the thoracic, and over 92% in the lumbar spinal canal. There have been a total of 31 cervical IDHs reported in the literature. The pathogenesis and imaging characteristics of IDH are not fully understood. A preoperative diagnosis is key to facilitating prompt intradural exploration in patients with ambivalent findings, as well as in preventing reoperation. The purpose of reporting our case is to remind clinicians to consider the possibility of cervical IDH during spinal manipulation therapy in patient with chronic neck pain.The patient signed informed consent for publication of this case report and any accompanying image. The ethical approval of this study was waived by the ethics committee of Chonbuk National University Hospital, because this study was case report and the number of patients was <3.A 32-year-old man was transferred our emergency department with progressive quadriparesis. He had no history of trauma, but had received physical therapy with spinal manipulation for chronic neck pain over the course of a month. The day prior, he had noticed neck pain and tingling in the bilateral upper and lower extremities during the manipulation procedure. The following day, he presented with bilateral weakness of all 4 extremities, which rendered him unable to walk. Neurological examination demonstrated a positive Hoffmann sign and ankle clonus bilaterally, hypoesthesia below the C5 dermatome, 3/5 strength in the bilateral upper extremities, and 2/5 strength in the lower extremities. This motor weakness was progressive, and he further complained of voiding difficulty.Urgent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the cervical spine revealed large, central disc herniations at C4-C5 and C5-C6 that caused severe spinal cord compression and surrounding edema. We performed C4-C5-C6 anterior cervical discectomy and fusion.The patient's limb weakness improved rapidly within 1 day postoperatively, and he was discharged 4 weeks later. At his 12-month follow-up, the patient had recovered nearly full muscle power.We presented an extremely rare case of cervical IDH causing progressive quadriparesis after excessive spinal manipulation therapy. The presence of a "halo" and "Y-sign" were useful MRI markers for cervical IDH in this case.

The Clinical Significance of Ossification of Ligamentum Nuchae in Simple Lateral Radiograph : A Correlation with Cervical Ossification of Posterior Longitudinal Ligament.

OBJECTIVE: Ossification of the ligamentum nuchae (OLN) is usually asymptomatic and incidentally observed in cervical lateral radiographs. Previous literatures reported the correlation between OLN and cervical spondylosis. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the clinical significance of OLN with relation to cervical ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL). METHODS: We retrospectively compared the prevalence of OPLL in 105 patients with OLN and without OLN and compared the prevalence of OLN in 105 patients with OPLL and without OPLL. We also analyzed the relationship between the morphology of OLN and involved OPLL level. The OPLL level was classified as short (1-3) or long (4-6), and the morphologic subtype of OLN was categorized as round, rod, or segmented. RESULTS: The prevalence of OPLL was significantly higher in the patients with OLN (64.7%) than without OLN (16.1%) (p=0.0001). And the prevalence of OLN was also higher in the patients with OPLL (54.2%) than without OPLL (29.5%) (p=0.0002). In patients with round type OLN, 5 of 26 (19.2%) showed long level OPLL, while in patients with larger type (rod and segmented) OLN, 22 of 42 (52.3%) showed long level OPLL (p=0.01). CONCLUSION: There was significant relationship between OLN and OPLL prevalence. This correlation indicates that there might be common systemic causes as well as mechanical causes in the formation of OPLL and OLN. The incidentally detected OLN in cervical lateral radiograph, especially larger type, might be helpful to predict the possibility of cervical OPLL.

Clinical Impact of Sagittal Spinopelvic Parameters on Disc Degeneration in Young Adults.

The sagittal balance plays an important role in the determination of shear and compressive forces applied on the anterior (vertebral bodies and intervertebral discs) and posterior (facet joints) elements of the lumbar vertebral column. Many studies have also examined the effect of structural changes in the disc on the biomechanical characteristics of the spinal segment. Nevertheless, the relationship between sagittal balance and the degree of disc degeneration has not been extensively explored. Thus, here we investigated the relationships between various sagittal spinopelvic parameters and the degree of disc degeneration in young adults.A total of 278 young adult male patients were included in this study (age range: 18-24 years old). Multiple sagittal spinopelvic parameters, including pelvic incidence (PI), sacral slope (SS), pelvic tilt (PT), lumbar lordosis (LL), sacral inclination (SI), lumbosacral angle (LSA), and sacral table angle (STA), were measured from standing lateral lumbosacral radiographs. The degree of intervertebral disc degeneration was classified using a modified Pfirrmann scale. To assess the pain intensity of each patient, the visual analogue scale (VAS) score for low back pain (LBP) was obtained from all the patients. Finally, the relationships between these spinopelvic parameters and the degree of disc degeneration in young adults were analyzed. Also, we performed multiple logistic regression study.Out of all the spinopelvic parameters measured in this study, a low STA and a low SI were the only significant risk factors that were associated with disc degeneration in young adults. It means that patients with disc degeneration tend to have more severe sacral kyphosis and vertical sacrum.We found that patients with disc degeneration showed a lower SI and lower STA compared with patients without disc degeneration in young adults. Therefore, we suggest that the patients with disc degeneration tend to have more vertical sacrum, more sacral kyphosis, and more severe LBP, and that SI and STA measurements should be carefully considered to predict or prevent further disc degeneration and LBP.

Traumatic lumbar artery rupture after lumbar spinal fracture dislocation causing hypovolemic shock: An endovascular treatment.

Recently, we observed a case of lumbar artery injury after trauma, which was treated by endovascular embolization. A 67-year-old woman who was injured in a traffic accident was brought to the emergency room. She was conscious and her hemodynamic condition was stable, but she had paraplegia below L1 dermatome. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography scan of abdomen and pelvis revealed fracture dislocation of L3/4 along with retroperitoneal hematomas. However, there was no evidence of traumatic injury in both thoracic and abdominal cavity. At that time, her blood pressure suddenly decreased to 60/40 mmHg and her mental status deteriorated. Also, her hemoglobin level was 5.4 g/dl. While her hemodynamic condition stabilized with massive fluid resuscitation including blood transfusion, an angiography was immediately performed to look for and embolize site of retroperitoneal hemorrhage. On the angiographic images, there was an active extravasation from ruptured left 3rd lumbar artery, and we performed complete embolization with GELFOAM and coil. Lumbar artery injury after trauma is rare and endovascular treatment is useful in case of hemodynamic instability.

Cardiovascular dysfunction due to sympathetic hypoactivity after complete cervical spinal cord injury: a case report and literature review.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is one of the most devastating of all traumatic events; it may cause permanent dysfunction in several organ systems and lead to motor and sensory impairment. Cardiovascular dysfunction has been recognized to be the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the acute and chronic stages following SCI. Although cardiovascular dysfunction causes the deaths of many SCI patients, most clinicians are unfamiliar with the phenomenon. The purpose of reporting our case is to remind clinicians to consider the possibility of cardiovascular dysfunction in patients with complete SCI. The patient signed informed consent for publication of this case report and any accompanying image. The ethical approval of this study was waived by the ethics committee of the Chonbuk National University Hospital, Jeonju, Korea, because this study was a case report and the number of patients was <3. A 63-year-old man was transferred to our emergency room after a fall. He complained of weakness and numbness of the lower extremity. Radiologic evaluation revealed C7/T1 unilateral facet dislocation with spinal cord contusion. On neurologic examination, the patient exhibited a paraplegic state below the T4 dermatome because of complete SCI. His vital signs were stable, but respiration was shallow. We performed intraoperative manual reduction and anterior interbody fusion. On the second postoperative day, the patient experienced sudden cardiac arrest after he was shifted from a supine to a semilateral position. Upon position change, heart rate was decreased <40 beats/min and blood pressure could not be checked. We immediately started cardiac massage and administered atropine 0.5 mg and epinephrine 1 mg, and the patient was successfully resuscitated. Cardiac arrest recurred when we performed endotracheal suction or changed patient's position. Echocardiographic and Holter monitoring findings demonstrated normal heart function and sinus bradycardia, and there was no evidence of pulmonary thromboembolism. We concluded that cardiac arrest was induced by sympathetic hypoactivity following complete SCI. Two months later, this phenomenon had resolved, and 4 months after presentation, he was discharged reliant on a home ventilator. Through this report, we emphasize that a thorough understanding of cardiovascular dysfunction following SCI is important for establishing a diagnosis and optimizing clinical outcomes.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Analysis of Deep Cervical Flexors in Patients with Ossification of the Posterior Longitudinal Ligament and Clinical Implication.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to analyze the cross-sectional area (CSA) of deep cervical flexors as measured by magnetic resonance imaging in ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) patients with neck pain and, by implication, how this may relate to recruitment of the deep cervical flexors and sternocleidomastoid. DESIGN: A retrospective case-control study was conducted. All 72 subjects were imaged using plain radiography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging. RESULTS: There was a more limited cervical range of motion in the OPLL group than that in the control group. Cervical lordosis, T1 slope, and thoracic inlet angle values were significantly lower in the OPLL group than in the control group. Bilateral CSAs of the longus colli muscle and longus capitis muscle of the OPLL group were smaller than those of the control group. In addition, bilateral CSAs of the sternocleidomastoid of the OPLL subjects were greater than those of healthy subjects. CONCLUSIONS: The authors found that the OPLL patients with chronic neck pain had lesser lordotic cervical alignment, smaller deep cervical flexor CSAs, and larger sternocleidomastoid CSAs than the control group did. The authors' theory is that the sternocleidomastoids in these OPLL patients have compensatorily hypertrophied in response to presumably atrophied deep cervical flexors.

Comparative proteomic tissue analysis in patients with ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament.

OBJECTIVE: The ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) involves the ligament that lines the posterior surface of the spinal vertebral bodies. Hormonal and metabolic factors as well as hereditary factors have been proposed to be involved in pathologic ligamentous OPLL. However, there are currently no definitive serological biomarkers for OPLL that might be used to achieve a more convenient and economic diagnosis. To find an easier and simpler diagnostic method and to identify pathogenic proteins associated with OPLL, we assessed PLL tissues from patients with OPLL for proteomic alterations. METHODS: OPLL tissues were collected from 12 patients with OPLL, and non-OPLL tissues were collected from 12 healthy subjects without OPLL. To minimize individual variations, we matched the sex and age of the patients in the healthy and OPLL groups. The two-dimensional electrophoresis patterns of tissue from 12 OPLL patients and 12 healthy subjects were compared. RESULTS: We found 25 proteins that were significantly and consistently different on the two-dimensional electrophoresis gels between the group of ossified PLL tissues from the patients with OPLL and the group of nonossified PLL tissues from the healthy subjects. Among them, 21 proteins were up-regulated in the patients with OPLL, whereas the remaining four proteins were down-regulated. CONCLUSIONS: The information obtained via this proteomic analysis will be very useful in understanding the pathophysiology of OPLL as well as in finding protein candidates to serve as new diagnostic biomarkers of OPLL.

Delayed Retroperitoneal Hemorrhage due to Lumbar Artery Pseudoaneurysm after Lumbar Posterolateral Fusion.

A 55-year-old female patient presented with lower back pain and neurogenic intermittent claudication and underwent L3-L4 posterolateral fusion. To prepare the bone fusion bed, the transverse process of L3 and L4 was decorticated with a drill. On the 9th post-operative day, the patient complained of a sudden onset of severe abdominal pain and distension. Abdominal computed tomography revealed retroperitoneal hematoma in the right psoas muscle and iatrogenic right L3 transverse process fracture. Lumbar spinal angiography showed the delayed hematoma due to rupture of the 2nd lumbar artery pseudoaneurysm and coil embolization was done at the ruptured lumbar artery pseudoaneusyrm. Since then, the patient's postoperative progress proceeded normally with recovery of the hemodynamic parameters.

The Comparison of Sagittal Spinopelvic Parameters between Young Adult Patients with L5 Spondylolysis and Age-Matched Control Group.

OBJECTIVE: To compare spinopelvic parameters in young adult patients with spondylolysis to those in age-matched patients without spondylolysis and investigate the clinical impact of sagittal spinopelvic parameters in patients with L5 spondylolysis. METHODS: From 2009 to 2012, a total of 198 young adult male patients with spondylolysis were identified. Eighty age-matched patients without spondylolysis were also selected. Standing lateral films that included both hip joints were obtained for each subject. Pelvic incidence (PI), sacral slope (SS), pelvic tilt, lumbar lordosis angle, sacral inclination, lumbosacral angle, and sacral table angle were measured in both groups. A comparative study of the spinopelvic parameters of these two groups was performed using SPSS 15.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). RESULTS: Among the aforementioned spinopelvic parameters, PI, SS and STA were significantly different between patients with spondylolysis and those without spondylolysis. PI and SS were higher in the spondylolysis group than in the control group, but STA was lower in the spondylolysis group than in the control group. CONCLUSION: PI and SS were higher in the spondylolysis group than in the control group, but STA was lower in the spondylolysis group than in the control group. Patients with spondylolysis have low STA at birth, which remains constant during growth; a low STA translates into high SS. As a result, PI is also increased in accordance with SS. Therefore, we suggest that STA is an important etiologic factor in young adult patients with L5 spondylolysis.

Proteomic evaluation to identify biomarkers for carpal tunnel syndrome: a comparative serum analysis.

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most common peripheral nerve entrapment, causing pain, impairment, and disability. To identify proteins of CTS comprehensively, a comparative serum analysis of CTS patients and normal control subjects was performed. The two-dimensional electrophoresis patterns of serum obtained from six CTS patients and six normal control subjects were compared. We found 10 proteins that were significantly altered in the serum of CTS patients, among which four were upregulated and six were downregulated. The upregulated spots were identified as Chain A, heat shock 70-kDa protein, 42-kDa ATPase N-terminal domain; glutathione-insulin transhydrogenase (216AA); cAMP-dependent protein kinase inhibitor alpha; and mutant ß-globin. The downregulated spots were identified as vitamin D-binding protein (VDBP), fibrinogen gamma chain, apolipoprotein A-IV (ApoA-IV), clusterin, heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein H1 (hnRNP H1), and one unidentified protein. The information obtained from this proteomic analysis will be very useful in understanding the pathophysiology of CTS and in finding suitable proteins that can serve as new diagnostic biomarkers of CTS.

New Diagnostic Tool for Far Lateral Lumbar Disc Herniation : The Clinical Usefulness of 3-Tesla Magnetic Resonance Myelography Comparing with the Discography CT.

OBJECTIVE: To prospectively assess the diagnostic and clinical value of a new technique (3-tesla magnetic resonance myelography, 3T MRM) as compared to computed tomographic discography (disco-CT) in patients with far lateral disc herniation. METHODS: We evaluated 3T MRM and disco-CT of 25 patients, whom we suspected of suffering from far lateral disc herniation. Using an assessment scale, 4 observers examined independently both 3T MRM and disco-CT images. We analyzed observer agreement and the accentuation of each image. RESULTS: We found complete matching, and observer agreement, between high resolution images of 3T MRM and disco-CT for diagnosing far lateral disc herniation. CONCLUSION: We think noninvasive 3T MRM is an appropriate diagnostic tool for far lateral disc herniation as compared to disco-CT.

Intradural migration of a sequestrated lumbar disc fragment masquerading as a spinal intradural tumor.

Intervertebral intradural lumbar disc herniation (ILDH) is a quite rare pathology, and isolated intradural lumbar disc herniation is even more rare. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may not be able to reveal ILDHs, especially if MRI findings show an intact lumbar disc annulus and posterior longitudinal ligament. Here, we present an exceedingly rare case of an isolated IDLH that we initially misidentified as a spinal intradural tumor, in a 54-year-old man hospitalized with a 2-month history of back pain and right sciatica. Neurologic examination revealed a positive straight leg raise test on the right side, but he presented no other sensory, motor, or sphincter disturbances. A gadolinium-enhanced MRI revealed what we believed to be an intradural extramedullary tumor compressing the cauda equina leftward in the thecal sac, at the L2 vertebral level. The patient underwent total L2 laminectomy, and we extirpated the intradural mass under microscopic guidance. Histologic examination of the mass revealed a degenerated nucleus pulposus.

Posterior cervical fixation with a nitinol shape memory loop for primary surgical stabilization of atlantoaxial instability: a preliminary report.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate a new posterior atlantoaxial fixation technique using a nitinol shape memory loop as a simple method that avoids the risk of vertebral artery or nerve injury. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated 14 patients with atlantoaxial instability who had undergone posterior C1-2 fusion using a nitinol shape memory loop. The success of fusion was determined clinically and radiologically. We reviewed patients' neurologic outcomes, neck disability index (NDI), solid bone fusion on cervical spine films, changes in posterior atlantodental interval (PADI), and surgical complications. RESULTS: Solid bone fusion was documented radiologically in all cases, and PADI increased after surgery (p<0.05). All patients remained neurologically intact and showed improvement in NDI score (p<0.05). There were no surgical complications such as neural tissue or vertebral artery injury or instrument failure in the follow-up period. CONCLUSION: Posterior C1-2 fixation with a nitinol shape memory loop is a simple, less technically demanding method compared to the conventional technique and may avoid the instrument-related complications of posterior C1-2 screw and rod fixation. We introduce this technique as one of the treatment options for atlantoaxial instability.

Changes in Dermatomal Somatosensory Evoked Potentials according to Stimulation Intensity and Severity of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the change of latency of cervical dermatomal somatosensory evoked potential (DSEP) according to stimulation intensity (SI) and severity of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). METHODS: Stimulation sites were the C6, C7, and C8 dermatomal areas. Two stimulation intensities 1.5×sensory threshold (ST) and 2.5×ST were used on both normal and CTS patients. RESULTS: In moderate CTS, the latencies of C6 and C7 DSEP during 1.5×ST SI and those of C7 DSEP during 2.5×ST SI were significantly delayed compared with the values of normal subjects. Significant correlation between the latency of C7 DSEP of 2.5×ST stimulation and the median sensory nerve conduction velocity was observed. CONCLUSION: We suggest that these data can aid in the diagnosis of cervical sensory radiculopathy using low stimulation intensity and of those who have cervical sensory radiculopathy combined with CTS patients.

Moyamoya syndrome following growth hormone-secreting pituitary adenoma.

We report a case of Moyamoya syndrome developing in association with growth hormone-secreting pituitary adenoma. A 31-year-old female presented with acromegalic features. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a 1 × 2 cm tumor in the sella turcica and MR angiography demonstrated unremarkable findings. Blood growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor I levels were elevated to 74.1 ng/ml and over 1 575 ng/ml, respectively. The diagnosis was growth hormone-secreting pituitary adenoma, and the tumor was removed through a transsphenoidal approach. Four years after surgery, she visited the outpatient department due to left side weakness for 2 months. Magnetic resonance images showed acute and old infarcted lesions in the basal ganglia and subcortical area and residual small pituitary adenoma in the sellar area. MR angiography demonstrated stenosis of the bilateral distal internal carotid arteries with basal collateral vessels. Conventional cerebral angiography showed complete obstruction in the right internal carotid artery and severe stenosis of the left internal carotid artery, middle cerebral artery, and anterior cerebral artery with basal collateral vessels. Her blood growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor I levels were 15.3 ng/ml and 1 055 ng/ml, respectively. We believe that excess systemic exposures of growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor I may participate in the development of Moyamoya syndrome.

Chronic pure radiculopathy in patient with organizing epidural hematoma around C8 nerve root.

Spontaneously occurring spinal epidural hematomas are uncommon clinical findings, and the chronic form is the rarest and its most frequent location is the lumbar spine. Pure radicular involvement is far less frequent than myelopathy. We report a case of progressive radiculopathy in a 52-year-old man with spontaneously occurring cervical epidural hematoma (SCEH). The patient had left hand weakness and numbness for 4 months. MRI scan showed small space-occupying lesion around left 8th cervical nerve root. After surgery we confirmed chronic organizing epidural hematoma. To the best of our knowledge, this is the second reported case in the worldwide literature of pure radiculopathy in a patient with chronic SCEH.

The clinical value of 3-T magnetic resonance myelography in far lateral disk herniation.

STUDY DESIGN: Prospective study of 30 patients suspected of suffering from far lateral lumbar disk herniation. OBJECTIVE: To assess the diagnostic and clinical value of a new technique 3-T magnetic resonance myelography (MRM) in patients with far lateral disk herniation. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: No studies have reported regarding the usefulness of MRM images in assessing far lateral disk nor correlated it with clinical outcomes. METHODS: We evaluated 3-T MRM of 30 patients, whom we suspected of suffering from far lateral disk herniation. Using an assessment scale, 5 observers independently examined the images. We analyzed observer agreement and the accentuation of each image. RESULTS: We found complete match and observer agreement for 3-T MRM for diagnosing far lateral disk herniation. Furthermore, 3-T MRM revealed the disease's severity on the basis of the nerve root exit zone angle differences. CONCLUSIONS: MRM is an appropriate diagnostic tool and reduces the chance of misdiagnosis in far lateral disk herniation. Furthermore, through the use of this technique, we can evaluate postoperative clinical outcomes.

Radiological and clinical results of laminectomy and posterior stabilization for severe thoracolumbar burst fracture : surgical technique for one-stage operation.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to show the possibility of neural canal enlargement and restoration of bony fragments through laminectomy and minimal facetectomy without pediculectomy or an anterior approach, and also to prove the adequacy of posterior stabilization of vertebral deformities after thoracolumbar bursting fracture. METHODS: From January 2003 to June 2009, we experienced 45 patients with thoracolumbar burst fractures. All patients enrolled were presented with either a neural canal compromise of more than 40% with a Benzel-Larson Grade of VI, or more than 30% compromise with less than a Benzel-Larson Grade of V. Most important characteristic of our surgical procedure was repositioning retropulsed bone fragments using custom-designed instruments via laminectomy and minimal facetectomy without removing the fractured bone fragments. Beneath the dural sac, these custom-designed instruments could push the retropulsed bone fragments within the neural canal after the decompression and bone fragment repositioning. RESULTS: The mean kyphotic deformities measured preoperatively and at follow-up within 12 months were 17.7 degrees (±6.4 degrees) and 9.6 degrees (±5.2 degrees), respectively. The mean midsagittal diameter improved from 8.8 mm (±2.8 mm) before surgery to 14.2 mm (±1.6 mm) at follow-up. The mean traumatic vertebral body height before surgery was 41.3% (±12.6%). At follow-up assessment within 12 months, this score showed a statistically significant increase to 68.3% (±12.8%). Neurological improvement occurred in all patients. CONCLUSION: Though controversy exists in the treatment of severe thoracolumbar burst fracture, we achieved effective radiological and clinical results in the cases of burst fractures causing severe canal compromise and spinal deformity by using this novel custom-designed instruments, via posterior approach alone.