A prospective randomised controlled trial evaluating prophylactic Floseal, a gelatin and thrombin-based haemostatic matrix, in postoperative drain output and blood transfusion in transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion surgery.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the prophylactic use of Floseal in reducing postoperative blood loss in patients undergoing Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion (TLIF). TLIF is a lumbar spine decompression and fusion procedure with potential for postoperative blood loss. Prophylactic application of Floseal, a gelatin and thrombin-based haemostatic matrix to the surgical wound before closure was shown to be effective in reducing postoperative drain output in anterior cervical discectomy and fusion. This study postulated that prophylactic use of Floseal before wound closure would reduce postoperative blood loss in patients who underwent TLIF. METHODS: Randomised controlled trial comparing prophylactic use of Floseal and control in patients undergoing single level or two-level TLIF. Primary outcomes included postoperative drain output within 24 h and postoperative transfusion rate. Secondary outcomes included days of drain placement, length of stay and haemoglobin level. RESULTS: A total of 50 patients was recruited. Twenty six patients were allocated to the Floseal group and 24 were allocated to the control group. There were no baseline characteristic differences between the groups. There were no statistically significant differences in primary outcomes which included postoperative drain output within 24 h and postoperative transfusion rate between patients who received prophylactic Floseal and control. There were no statistically significant differences in secondary outcomes which included haemoglobin level, days of drain placement and length of stay between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Prophylactic use of Floseal was not shown to reduce postoperative bleeding in single level or two-level TLIF.

Stand-Alone Cervical Cages in 2-Level Anterior Interbody Fusion in Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy: Results from a Minimum 2-Year Follow-up.

STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective review of patients who underwent 2-level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) with standalone polyetheretherketone (PEEK) cages for cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM). PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of stand-alone PEEK cage in 2-level cervical interbody fusion for CSM. OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: ACDF is a standard surgical procedure to treat degenerative disc disease. However, the use of additional anterior plating for 2-level ACDF remains controversial. METHODS: We reviewed outcomes of patients who underwent 2-level ACDF with stand-alone PEEK cages for CSM over a 7-year period (2007-2015) in a regional hospital. Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score, fusion rate, subsidence rate, cage migration, and cervical alignment by the C2-7 angle as well as the local segmental angle (LSA) of the cervical spine were assessed. RESULTS: In total, 31 patients (mean age, 59 years; range, 36-87 years) underwent 2-level ACDF with a cage-only construct procedure between 2007 and 2015. The minimum follow-up was 24 months; mean follow-up was 51 months. C3-5 fusion was performed in 45%, C4-6 fusion in 32%, and C5-7 fusion in 23%. Mean JOA score improved from 10.1±2.2 to 13.9±2.1 (p<0.01) at the 24-month follow-up. Fusion was achieved in all patients. Subsidence occurred in 22.5% of the cages but was not associated with differences in JOA scores, age, sex, or levels fused. Lordosis of the C2-7 angle and LSA increased after surgery, which were maintained for up to 1 year but subsequently disappeared after 2 years, yet the difference was not statistically significant. No cage migration was noted; two patients developed adjacent segment disease requiring posterior laminoplasty 3 years after ACDF. CONCLUSIONS: The use of a stand-alone PEEK cage in a 2-level cervical interbody fusion achieves satisfactory improvements in both clinical outcomes and fusion.

Tibial tuberosity-trochlear groove distance in Chinese patients with or without recurrent patellar dislocation.

PURPOSE: To compare the tibial tuberosity-trochlear groove (TTTG) distance in Chinese patients with or without recurrent patellar dislocation. METHODS: The TTTG distance of 14 knees in 5 men and 9 women aged 16 to 38 years with recurrent patellar dislocation were compared with that of 73 control knees using magnetic resonance imaging. RESULTS: The mean TTTG distance was significantly greater in patients with recurrent patellar dislocation than in controls (16.4 mm vs. 10.1 mm, p<0.001). Six (43%) knees with recurrent patellar dislocation had the TTTG distance greater than the cut-off threshold of 16.4 mm, compared to none in controls. CONCLUSION: The TTTG distance is related to height and is shorter in Chinese than Caucasian patients; the threshold for tibial tuberosity transfer should be lower in Chinese patients.