Lumbar Transforaminal Injection of Steroids versus Platelet-Rich Plasma for Prolapse Lumbar Intervertebral Disc with Radiculopathy: A Randomized Double-Blind Controlled Pilot Study.

STUDY DESIGN: Double-blind randomized controlled pilot study. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare outcomes of steroids with autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) administered by lumbar transforaminal injection (LTI) in patients with lumbar radiculopathy. OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: Degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine is one of the most common conditions managed by spine surgeons in routine practice. Once conservative management fails, LTI is diagnostic and often therapeutic. Steroids are the gold standard drug used for LTI but have limitations and side effects. METHODS: In this single-center double-blind randomized controlled pilot study, 46 patients were recruited and randomized by the lottery method. The Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for leg pain, modified Oswestry Disability Index (mODI), and Short-Form 12 (SF-12) were assessed at 1 week, 3 weeks, 6 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year. RESULTS: Both groups were comparable in terms of demographics, preprocedure VAS scores, mODI, and SF-12 scores (p=0.52). At the 1-week follow-up, the steroid group had significantly better improvement than the PRP group (p=0.0001). At the 3-week follow-up, both groups showed comparable outcomes; however, the PRP group had better symptom improvement. At 6 weeks and 6 months, the PRP group had better outcomes (VAS, p<0.0001; ODI, p=0.02; SF-12, p=0.002). Moreover, 17 and 16 patients in the steroid and PRP groups underwent repeat LTI with steroids or surgery because of pain recurrence during follow-up. At 1 year, no difference in outcomes was observed. CONCLUSIONS: PRP may be a useful alternative to steroids for LTI in lumbar radiculopathy. Although improvement was delayed and 1-year outcomes were comparable, the 6-week and 6-month outcomes were better with PRP than with LTI. Multiple PRP injections may be beneficial because of its autologous nature. However, further studies with a larger number of participants, longer follow-up, and repeat LTIs are warranted to draw definite conclusions.

Predictive Algorithm for Surgery Recommendation in Thoracolumbar Burst Fractures Without Neurological Deficits.

STUDY DESIGN: Predictive algorithm via decision tree. OBJECTIVES: Artificial intelligence (AI) remain an emerging field and have not previously been used to guide therapeutic decision making in thoracolumbar burst fractures. Building such models may reduce the variability in treatment recommendations. The goal of this study was to build a mathematical prediction rule based upon radiographic variables to guide treatment decisions. METHODS: Twenty-two surgeons from the AO Knowledge Forum Trauma reviewed 183 cases from the Spine TL A3/A4 prospective study (classification, degree of certainty of posterior ligamentous complex (PLC) injury, use of M1 modifier, degree of comminution, treatment recommendation). Reviewers' regions were classified as Europe, North/South America and Asia. Classification and regression trees were used to create models that would predict the treatment recommendation based upon radiographic variables. We applied the decision tree model which accounts for the possibility of non-normal distributions of data. Cross-validation technique as used to validate the multivariable analyses. RESULTS: The accuracy of the model was excellent at 82.4%. Variables included in the algorithm were certainty of PLC injury (%), degree of comminution (%), the use of M1 modifier and geographical regions. The algorithm showed that if a patient has a certainty of PLC injury over 57.5%, then there is a 97.0% chance of receiving surgery. If certainty of PLC injury was low and comminution was above 37.5%, a patient had 74.2% chance of receiving surgery in Europe and Asia vs 22.7% chance in North/South America. Throughout the algorithm, the use of the M1 modifier increased the probability of receiving surgery by 21.4% on average. CONCLUSION: This study presents a predictive analytic algorithm to guide decision-making in the treatment of thoracolumbar burst fractures without neurological deficits. PLC injury assessment over 57.5% was highly predictive of receiving surgery (97.0%). A high degree of comminution resulted in a higher chance of receiving surgery in Europe or Asia vs North/South America. Future studies could include clinical and other variables to enhance predictive ability or use machine learning for outcomes prediction in thoracolumbar burst fractures.

The Influence of Comminution and Posterior Ligamentous Complex Integrity on Treatment Decision Making in Thoracolumbar Burst Fractures Without Neurologic Deficit?

STUDY DESIGN: A prospective study. OBJECTIVE: to evaluate the impact of vertebral body comminution and Posterior Ligamentous Complex (PLC) integrity on the treatment recommendations of thoracolumbar fractures among an expert panel of 22 spine surgeons. METHODS: A review of 183 prospectively collected thoracolumbar burst fracture computed tomography (CT) scans by an expert panel of 22 trauma spine surgeons to assess vertebral body comminution and PLC integrity. This study is a sub-study of a prospective observational study of thoracolumbar burst fractures (Spine TL A3/A4). Each expert was asked to grade the degree of comminution and certainty about the PLC disruption from 0 to 100, with 0 representing the intact vertebral body or intact PLC and 100 representing complete comminution or complete PLC disruption, respectively. RESULTS: ≥45% comminution had a 74% chance of having surgery recommended, while <25% comminution had an 86.3% chance of non-surgical treatment. A comminution from 25 to 45% had a 57% chance of non-surgical management. ≥55% PLC injury certainity had a 97% chance of having surgery, and ≥45-55% PLC injury certainty had a 65%. <20% PLC injury had a 64% chance of having non-operative treatment. A 20 to 45% PLC injury certainity had a 56% chance of non-surgical management. There was fair inter-rater agreement on the degree of comminution (ICC .57 [95% CI 0.52-.63]) and the PLC integrity (ICC .42 [95% CI 0.37-.48]). CONCLUSION: The study concludes that vetebral comminution and PLC integrity are major dterminant in decision making of thoracolumbar fractures without neurological deficit. However, more objective, reliable, and accurate methods of assessment of these variables are warranted.

A 2-Year Outcomes and Complications of Various Techniques of Lumbar Discectomy: A Multicentric Prospective Study.

STUDY DESIGN: Prospective Study. OBJECTIVES: There are numerous techniques for performing lumbar discectomy, each with its own rationale and stated benefits. The authors set out to evaluate and compare the perioperative variables, results, and complications of each treatment in a group of patients provided by ten hospitals and operated on by experienced surgeons. METHODS: This prospective study comprised of 591 patients operated between February-2017 to February-2019. The procedures included open discectomy, microdiscectomy, tubular microdiscectomy, interlaminar endoscopic lumbar discectomy, transforaminal endoscopic lumbar discectomy and Destandau techniques with a follow-up of minimum 2 years. VAS (Visual Analogue Score) for back and leg pain, ODI (Oswestry Disability Index), duration of surgery, hospital stay, length of scar, operative blood loss and peri-operative complications were recorded in each group. RESULTS: Post-operatively, there was a significant improvement in the VAS score for back pain as well as leg pain, and ODI scores spanning all groups, with no significant distinction amongst them. When compared to open procedures (open discectomy and microdiscectomy), minimally invasive surgeries (tubular discectomy, interlaminar endoscopic lumbar discectomy, transforaminal endoscopic lumbar discectomy, and Destandau techniques) reported shorter operative time, duration of hospital stays, better cosmesis, and lower blood loss. Overall, the complication rate was reported to be 8.62%. Complication rates differed slightly across approaches. CONCLUSION: Minimally invasive surgeries have citable advantages over open approaches in terms of perioperative variables. However, all approaches are successful and provide comparable pain relief with similar functional outcomes at long term follow up.

Robotics and navigation in spine surgery: A narrative review.

Introduction: In recent decades, there has been a rising trend of spinal surgical interventional techniques, especially Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery (MIS), to improve the quality of life in an effective and safe manner. However, MIS techniques tend to be difficult to adapt and are associated with an increased risk of radiation exposure. This led to the development of 'computer-assisted surgery' in 1983, which integrated CT images into spinal procedures evolving into the present day robotic-assisted spine surgery. The authors aim to review the development of spine surgeries and provide an overview of the benefits offered. It includes all the comparative studies available to date. Methods: The manuscript has been prepared as per "SANRA-a scale for the quality assessment of narrative review articles". The authors searched Pubmed, Embase, and Scopus using the terms "(((((Robotics) OR (Navigation)) OR (computer assisted)) OR (3D navigation)) OR (Freehand)) OR (O-Arm)) AND (spine surgery)" and 68 articles were included for analysis excluding review articles, meta-analyses, or systematic literature. Results: The authors noted that 49 out of 68 studies showed increased precision of pedicle screw insertion, 10 out of 19 studies show decreased radiation exposure, 13 studies noted decreased operative time, 4 out of 8 studies showed reduced hospital stay and significant reduction in rates of infections, neurological deficits, the need for revision surgeries, and rates of radiological ASD, with computer-assisted techniques. Conclusion: Computer-assisted surgeries have better accuracy of pedicle screw insertion, decreased blood loss and operative time, reduced radiation exposure, improved functional outcomes, and lesser complications.

New Onset Sacroiliac Joint Pain After Transforaminal Interbody Fusion: What Are the Culprits?

STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective case-control study. OBJECTIVE: Only a few studies have studied the incidence of new-onset SI joint pain following lumbar spine fusion surgery. We aimed to explore the association between new-onset SI joint pain following Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion (TLIF) for degenerative spine disorders and changes in spinopelvic parameters. METHODS: A retrospective review of hospital records and imaging database of a tertiary care institute was done for patients who underwent TLIF from October 2018 to October 2019. The 354 patients who satisfied the eligibility criteria were divided into 2 groups(Group A, new-onset SI joint pain group, n = 34 and Group B, normal controls, n = 320). Symptomatic relief (>70% reduction in the VAS [Visual Analogue Scale] score) after 15 minutes of SI joint injection was considered diagnostic of SI joint pain. Clinical and radiological spinopelvic parameters were compared between the 2 groups. RESULTS: Patients with postoperative SI joint pain (Group A) had significantly less preoperative and postoperative lumbar lordosis (p < 0.001) compared to the other group. Most of the patients in Group A had a cephalad migration of the apex postoperatively (30/34 patients) whereas majority of patients in group B had either predominant caudal migration (44/320 patients) or no migration of the lumbar apex (272/320 patients). CONCLUSIONS: The preoperative and postoperative lumbar lordosis are significantly less and the postoperative pelvic tilt is significantly high in patients with new-onset SI joint pain compared to the control group. The cephalad migration of the lumbar apex is significantly associated with new-onset SI joint pain.

Ligamentum Flavum Buckling vs Hypertrophy in Cervical Myelopathy Using Dynamic Imaging: Are Instability and Loss of Disc Height the Culprits?

BACKGROUND: The literature has not distinguished between LF "hypertrophy" and "buckling" when addressing cervical spondylotic myelopathy. The identification of buckling on dynamic magnetic resonance imaging can determine the levels for decompression more accurately and modify the surgical plan accordingly. No studies have been performed in the cervical spine to analyze the factors affecting LF buckling. PURPOSE: Our objective was to investigate the factors affecting static ligamentum flavum (LF) "hypertrophy" and dynamic LF "buckling." STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of hospital records and imaging database from January 2014 to January 2020. The relation of age, disc height, and intervertebral instability to LF hypertrophy and buckling were assessed. RESULTS: Measurements were performed from C2-3 to C7-T1 in 169 patients who satisfied the eligibility criteria, making a total of 1014 levels. The samples were divided into 2 groups: 798 levels with buckling <1 mm (group A) and 216 levels with buckling >1 mm (group B). Of those, 161 levels satisfied the criteria for radiological instability (sagittal translation/rotation). No correlation was observed between age/disc height and buckling. Intervertebral instability showed significant association (P = 0.046) with buckling. No correlation was found between age/intervertebral instability and hypertrophy. CONCLUSION: LF buckling but not hypertrophy is related to intervertebral instability in the cervical spine. LF buckling in the cervical spine is not related to age or disc height in the cervical spine. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Intervertebral instability on dynamic x-ray imaging of the cervical spine can be a predictor of ligamentum flavum buckling and can be utilized for surgical planning.

Extraosseous Spread of Multiple Myeloma Mimicking Pancoast Tumor.

A 55-year-old man presented with upper backache for one month, inability to move both the lower limbs for two weeks and retention of urine for five days. Examination revealed spastic paraplegia and reduced breath sounds in the right upper zone. Initial imaging revealed a soft tissue lesion in the apex of the right lung, suggesting a Pancoast tumor. It also showed a lytic, expansile lesion of the T2 vertebra extending to the right second posterior rib on subsequent imaging. High serum calcium, M-spike in beta-gamma globulin region on serum electrophoresis, 50%-60% plasmacytoid cells on bone marrow aspiration, concertina collapse of the vertebral body, and pattern of neurological deficit pointed towards multiple myeloma. T2 corpectomy and mesh cage placement, C7-T4 posterior stabilization, and resection of the second rib were done. Histopathology confirmed multiple myeloma. Postoperatively, the patient was managed with radiotherapy and bortezomib. The patient had a good neurological recovery. Timely intervention is critical for disease control and leads to better recovery.

Incidence and Risk Factors for Neurological Deterioration in Posterior Corrective Surgeries for Severe Angular Kyphotic Deformities: A 10-Year Institutional Retrospective Study.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective case-control study. OBJECTIVE: Neurological deficit is one of the dreaded complications of kyphotic deformity correction procedures. There is inconsistency in the reports of neurological outcomes following such procedures and only a few studies have analyzed the risk factors for neurological deficits. We aimed to analyze the factors associated with neurological deterioration in severe kyphotic deformity correction surgeries. METHODS: We performed a retrospective study of 121 consecutive surgically treated severe kyphotic deformity cases (49 males, 56 females) at a single institute (May 1st 2008 to May 31st 2018) and analyzed the risk factors for neurological deterioration. The demographic, surgical and clinical details of the patients were obtained by reviewing the medical records. RESULTS: 105 included patients were divided into 2 groups: Group A (without neurological deficit) with 92 patients (42 males, 50 females) and Group B (with neurological deficit) with 13 patients (7 males, 6 females) (12.4%). Statistically significant difference between the 2 groups was observed in the preoperative sagittal Cobbs angle (p < 0.0001), operative time (p = 0.003) and the presence of myelopathic signs on neurological examination (p = 0.048) and location of the apex of deformity (p = 0.010) but not in other factors. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative Sagittal Cobbs angle, presence of signs of myelopathy, operative time and location of apex in the distal thoracic region were significantly higher in patients with neurological deterioration as compared to those without neurological deterioration during kyphotic deformity correction surgery. Distal thoracic curve was found to have 4 times more risk of neurological deterioration compared to others.

Functional Outcomes of Nerve Root Sparing Posterior Corpectomy in Lumbar Vertebral Burst Fractures.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective observational. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to document the safety and efficacy of lumbar corpectomy with reconstruction of anterior column through posterior-only approach in complete burst fractures. METHODS: In this retrospective study, we analyzed complete lumbar burst fractures treated with corpectomy through posterior only approach between 2014 and 2018. Clinical and intraoperative data including pre and post-operative neurology as per the ISNCSCI grade, VAS score, operative time, blood loss and radiological parameters, including pre and post-surgery kyphosis, height loss and canal compromise was assessed. RESULTS: A total of 45 patients, with a mean age of 38.89 and a TLICS score 5 or more were analyzed. Preoperative VAS was 7-10. Mean operating time was 219.56 ± 30.15 minutes. Mean blood loss was 1280 ± 224.21 ml. 23 patients underwent short segment fixation and 22 underwent long segment fixation. There was no deterioration in post-operative neurological status in any patient. At follow-up, the VAS score was in the range of 1-3. The difference in preoperative kyphosis and immediate post-operative deformity correction, preoperative loss of height in vertebra and immediate post-operative correction in height were significant (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The posterior-only approach is safe, efficient, and provides rigid posterior stabilization, 360° neural decompression, and anterior reconstruction without the need for the anterior approach and its possible approach-related morbidity. We achieved good results with an all posterior approach in 45 patients of lumbar burst fracture (LBF) which is the largest series of this nature.

Surgical Outcomes of Transpedicular Decompression with or without Global Reconstruction in Thoracic/Thoracolumbar Pott's Spine: A 7-Year Institutional Retrospective Study.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective case-control study. PURPOSE: This study aimed to analyze the radiological and clinical outcomes of transpedicular decompression in spinal tuberculosis (or Pott's spine) with and without anterior reconstruction using polyetheretherketone (PEEK) or mesh cage. OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: The outcomes of transpedicular decompression with and without global reconstruction in Pott's spine are insufficiently investigated. Additionally, the use of PEEK cages in Pott's spine has remained unestablished. METHODS: Using the hospital records and imaging database obtained from January 2014 to January 2020, this study retrospectively analyzed patients who underwent surgery for Pott's spine and met the eligibility criteria. RESULTS: This study included 230 patients with a mean±standard deviation age of 47.7±18.1 years (109 males, 121 females). The Visual Analog Scale score, Oswestry Disability Index, and Cobb angle were significantly improved in these patients (p<0.001). Patients who underwent anterior reconstruction had a greater correction in Cobb angle postoperatively (p=0.042) but also had a greater blood loss (p=0.04). During the follow-up, they experienced a significant loss of correction compared with those who only underwent transpedicular decompression (p=0.026). Nevertheless, patients who underwent anterior reconstruction using mesh/PEEK cages showed no significance difference in the clinical or radiological outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Transpedicular decompression used in the surgical management of Pott's spine showed favorable clinical and radiological outcomes. The additional use of anterior reconstruction obtained equivalent clinical outcomes but resulted in excessive blood loss. Meanwhile, the use of mesh/PEEK cage for anterior reconstruction did not affect the clinical and radiological outcomes.

A 2-Year Outcomes and Complications of Various Techniques of Lumbar Discectomy: A Multicentric Retrospective Study.

OBJECTIVES: Various techniques of performing lumbar discectomy are prevalent, each having its rationale and claimed benefits. The authors ventured to assess the perioperative factors, outcomes, and complications of each procedure and compare among them with 946 patients contributed by 10 centers and operated by experienced surgeons. METHODS: This was a retrospective study of patients operated using open discectomy, microdiscectomy, microendoscopic discectomy, interlaminar endoscopic lumbar discectomy, transforaminal endoscopic lumbar discectomy, and Destandau techniques with a follow-up of minimum 2 years. The inclusion criteria were age >18 years, failed conservative treatment for 4-6 weeks, and the involvement of a single lumbar level. RESULTS: There was a significant improvement in the visual analog scale score of back, leg, and Oswestry Disability Index scores postoperatively across the board, with no significant difference between them. Minimally invasive procedures (microendoscopic discectomy, interlaminar endoscopic lumbar discectomy, transforaminal endoscopic lumbar discectomy, and Destandau techniques) had shorter operation time, hospital stay, better cosmesis, and decreased blood loss compared with open procedures (open discectomy and microdiscectomy). The overall complication rate was 10.1%. The most common complication was recurrence (6.86%), followed by reoperation (4.3%), cerebrospinal fluid leak (2.24%), wrong level surgery (0.74%), superficial infection (0.62%), and deep infection (0.37%). There were minor differences in incidence of complications between techniques. CONCLUSION: Although minimally invasive techniques have some advantages over the open techniques in the perioperative factors, all the techniques are effective and provide similar pain relief and functional outcomes at the end of 2 years. The various rates of individual complications provide a reference value for future studies.

Proximal Junctional Kyphosis after Pediatric Angular Kyphotic Deformity Correction: Are we Missing Something?

PURPOSE: Corrective maneuvers in an angular kyphotic deformity have its own problems including early complications such as neurological deficit and late complications such as proximal junctional kyphosis (PJK) and proximal junctional failure (PJF). This article discusses the probable mechanisms, leading to PJK in pediatric severe angular kyphotic deformities and preventive strategies for the same. We will also assess natural course of untreated PJK and its devastating consequences. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three patients, two 13-year males presented with progressive, painless thoracolumbar kyphoscoliotic deformity, with segmental kyphosis 100° and 140° and scoliosis of 33° and 78°, respectively, and one 14-year-old female presented with angular kyphotic deformity of 60° with apex at D11-12 level. RESULTS: Posterior vertebral column resection with segmental deformity correction with good coronal and sagittal balance was done. In the follow-up, PJF was seen. Second surgery was done with the extension of instrumentation to D4 along with deformity correction in both the male patients. The female patient did not opt for a revision surgery, and we are following the natural history of this case. CONCLUSION: In severe thoracolumbar angular kyphotic deformities with normal or negative sagittal balance, it might be a safer option to select the sagittal stable vertebra as upper instrumented vertebra based on the C2 plumb line on the preoperative standing lateral radiographs. However, a study with a larger sample size is needed to validate our hypothesis.

Cervical sagittal alignment in Lenke 1 adolescent idiopathic scoliosis and assessment of its alteration with surgery: a retrospective, multi-centric study.

PURPOSE: To document baseline cervical sagittal characteristics in Lenke 1 adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) patients and assess the alteration in these parameters with surgery. METHODS: Pre-operative and 2-year postoperative radiographs of 82 Lenke 1 AIS patients recruited from five hospitals were analysed. Selected radiographic parameters capturing regional and global sagittal alignment were measured. Comparison was made between groups based on baseline thoracic kyphosis (TK: TK < 20°, TK ≥ 20°). Pre-operative and postoperative values were compared-the change in each radiographic parameter was correlated with the degree of sagittal and coronal correction. RESULTS: At baseline, TK was 29.8° ± 16°, cervical lordosis (CL) was - 1° ± 14°, lumbar lordosis (LL) was - 57.1° ± 21°, C2-C7 sagittal vertical axis (SVA) was 16 ± 14 mm and C7-S1 SVA was - 15 ± 28 mm; 44% of patients had cervical kyphosis. Patients with thoracic hypokyphosis had a significantly lower LL and more kyphotic cervical spine compared to those with thoracic normohyperkyphosis. The effect of surgery on TK depended on pre-operative thoracic sagittal alignment-TK increased in patients with thoracic hypokyphosis, but decreased in patients with thoracic normohyperkyphosis. Neither CL nor C2-C7 SVA changed significantly with surgery; 46% of patients still had cervical kyphosis postoperatively. CONCLUSION: There is a high incidence of cervical kyphosis at baseline in AIS patients-more so in those with pre-operative thoracic hypokyphosis. Unlike TK, CL is not significantly altered with surgery-improvement in CL correlates weakly with sagittal correction of the structural curve.

Severe Form of Bacterial Meningitis After Spine Surgery: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Meningitis after spine surgery is a rare complication. In this report, we aim to discuss the case of a male patient who developed this rare condition after undergoing cervical spine surgery with devastating outcomes. We also engage in a review of the relevant literature. A 17-year-old boy presented with post-traumatic cervical kyphotic deformity with signs of cord compression. He was operated in three stages, all conducted in a single sitting. There was an incidental cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak, which was primarily repaired. On the fourth postoperative day, the patient developed altered sensorium and seizures. Evaluations for clinical signs of meningitis such as neck rigidity and Kernig's sign were inconclusive. CSF analysis confirmed the diagnosis of meningitis. Thereafter, the patient developed hydrocephalus and intractable infection, for which multiple procedures were done. Finally, we succeeded in controlling the infection, but the patient developed a neurological deficit, which did not resolve even after 2.5 years of follow-up. The clinical signs and symptoms of meningitis after cervical spine surgery are not very clear or suggestive. A strong index of suspicion should be maintained for the early detection of this condition to prevent devastating complications that result from it.

An extremely rare presentation of AV fistula: Massive destruction of multiple vertebral bodies with paraparesis.

BACKGROUND: Spinal ventral epidural arteriovenous fistulas (EDAVFs) are rare and underdiagnosed entities and usually present with benign symptoms such as radiculopathy. To the best of our knowledge, EDAVFs presenting with massive vertebral body destruction have not been reported in the literature. CASE DESCRIPTION: A young male presented with mid back pain for 1 year and weakness of both lower limbs for 3 months. He was clinicoradiologically diagnosed with spinal tuberculosis and started on antitubercular treatment elsewhere. Radiological investigations suggested destruction and collapse of T12 and L1 vertebrae. Prominent flow voids were seen in T9-L2 epidural space, likely prominent epidural vessels. The primary differential diagnoses were spinal tuberculosis and neoplastic etiologies. T9 to L3 surgical stabilization and anterior decompression by pediculectomy of left T12 and L was done. The surgeon encountered massive bleeding at the time of anterior decompression and a vascular etiology was suspected. Biopsy revealed negative results for infection or malignancy. DSA revealed ventral EDAVFs, and hence, transcatheter embolization was performed. He had excellent outcome on assessment at 21 months postoperative follow-up. CONCLUSION: Spinal epidural AVFs can rarely present with gross vertebral body destruction and paraparesis. Preoperative radiological assessment with suspicion of spinal epidural AVFs can help to avoid intraoperative difficulties and complications. Timely, management of spinal epidural AVFs can result in excellent outcomes.

Long-Term Functional Outcomes of Endoscopic Decompression with Destandau Technique for Lumbar Canal Stenosis.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study of patients with lumbar canal stenosis (LCS) operated using endoscopic unilateral laminotomy with bilateral decompression (ULBD). PURPOSE: This study aimed to provide a detailed description of the technique of endoscopic decompression in LCS along with a description of the surgical anatomy and its advantages. We also discuss the clinical outcomes in patients operated using this technique. OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: In 1999, the results with the use of microscopic ULBD were published. Microscopic/microendoscopic decompression using tubular retractor system showed good to excellent results in studies that compared such techniques with midline decompression. The first description of the use of endoscope in spine surgery was in 1988 when it was used for discectomy. With advancements and familiarity with the techniques, full endoscopic surgery has found application in LCS treatment. METHODS: The clinical records of 953 patients who were operated between 1998 and 2008 were analyzed in 2018. Along with patient characteristics, information about return to daily activities, complication rates, and functional outcomes using Prolo score was assessed. RESULTS: L4-L5 was the most common level for which surgery was performed. Two-level decompression was performed in 116 patients; 89.5% patients were able to return to their daily activities after 2 weeks. Functional outcomes as per the Prolo score were reported by patients as excellent, good, and poor in 89.85%, 1.59%, and 8.55%, respectively. Repeat surgery was required at same level in 16 patients and at a different level in 21 patients. Total 605 patients (63.49%) were symptom-free during the 70-month followup, while 344 complained of residual back pain, and four complained of persistent leg pain. CONCLUSIONS: ULBD using the Endospine system achieves adequate decompression in most cases and is a good alternative to open laminectomy, with the advantage of avoiding damage to the structural integrity of the spine and preserving soft tissue attachments.

Mini-open thoracoscopic-assisted spinal thoracotomy for traumatic injuries: A technical note.

BACKGROUND: Mini-open thoracoscopic-assisted thoracotomy (MOTA) has been introduced to mitigate disadvantages of conventional open anterior or conventional posterior only thoracoscopic procedures. Here, we evaluated the results of utilizing the MOTA technique to perform anterior decompression/fusion for 22 traumatic thoracic fractures. METHODS: There were 22 patients with unstable thoracic burst fractures (TBF) who underwent surgery utilizing the MOTA thoracotomy technique. Multiple variables were studied including; the neurological status of the patient preoperatively/postoperatively, the level and type of fracture, associated injuries, operative time, estimated blood loss, chest tube drainage (intercostal drainage), length of hospital stay (LOS), and complication rate. RESULTS: In 22 patients (averaging 35.5 years of age), T9 and T12 vertebral fractures were most frequently encountered. There were 20 patients who had single level and 2 patients who had two-level fractures warranting corpectomies. Average operating time and blood loss for single-level corpectomy were 91.5 ± 14.5 min and 311 ml and 150 ± 18.6 min and 550 ml for two levels, respectively. Mean hospital stay was 5 days. About 95.45% of cases showed fusion at latest follow-up. Average preoperative kyphotic angle corrected from 34.2 ± 3.5° to 20.5 ± 1.0° postoperatively with an average correction of 41.1% and correction loss of 2.4%. CONCLUSION: We concluded that utilization of the MOTA technique was safe and effective for providing decompression/fusion of traumatic TBF.

Spinal osteoid osteoma: Surgical resection and review of literature.

BACKGROUND: Osteoid osteoma (OO) is a rare benign tumor of the spine that involves the posterior elements with 75% tumors involving the neural arch. The common presenting symptoms include back pain, deformity like scoliosis, and rarely radiculopathy. METHODS: From 2011 to 2017, we evaluated cases of OO managed by posterior surgical resection while also reviewing the appropriate literature. RESULTS: We assessed five patients (three males and two females) averaging 36.60 years of age diagnosed with spinal OOs. Two involved the lumbar posterior elements, two were thoracic, and one was in the C3 lateral mass. All patients underwent histopathological confirmation of OO. They were managed by posterior surgical resection with/without stabilization. No lesions recurred over the minimum follow-up period of 24 months. CONCLUSION: Surgical excision is the optimal treatment modality for treating spinal OOs. The five patients in this study demonstrated good functional outcomes without recurrences. Further, the literature confirms that the optimal approach to these tumors is complete surgical excision with/without radiofrequency ablation.

Ligamentum Flavum Cyst With Acute Onset Motor Deficit: A Literature Review and Case Series.

BACKGROUND: Ligamentum flavum cysts have been rarely described in the literature and are one of the rare causes of neural compression and canal stenosis. Very few cases of their association with neurologic deficits are reported to date, and association with acute onset weakness is even rarer. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: We report our experience with 3 cases of ligamentum flavum cyst that presented with acute onset weakness and also present a comprehensive literature review on lumbar ligamentum flavum cysts reported to date. All 3 patients had symptoms of severe neurogenic claudication and presented to us with acute onset of motor weakness in lower limbs. Ligamentum flavum cyst was located in the midline in 2 cases and laterally in 1 case. We performed excision of the cyst and decompression with fusion in 2 cases and decompression alone in 1 case. All 3 cases had significant improvement in their neurologic status postoperatively. Histopathological examination confirmed ligamentum flavum cyst in all 3 cases. We performed a PUBMED and EMBASE database search using the MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) terms "ligamentum flavum" and "cysts" for articles published to April 2019. We could identify 7 studies describing 20 cases of lumbar ligamentum flavum cysts with motor weakness in the literature. Only 1 case had been described with an acute onset of weakness. CONCLUSIONS: Ligamentum flavum cysts should remain in the differential diagnosis of a patient who has symptoms of lumbar canal stenosis and presents with acute onset of neurological deficits. Such patients have a good improvement with surgery.