Surgical treatment of craniocervical instability: comparison of two constructs regarding clinical and radiological outcomes of 100 patients.

PURPOSE: There is an increased demand for surgical solutions to treat craniocervical instability. This retrospective study demonstrates the clinical and radiological outcomes of unstable craniocervical junction treated with occipitocervical fusion. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The mean age of 52 females and 48 males was 56.89 years. The clinical and radiological outcomes were assessed, including NDI, VAS, ASIA score, imaging, complications and bony fusion in two used constructs: a modern occipital plate-rod-screw system (n = 59) and previous bilateral contoured titanium reconstruction plates-screws (n = 41). RESULTS: Clinically and on imaging, patients presented with neck pain, myelopathy, radiculopathy, vascular symptoms and craniocervical instability. The mean follow-up was 6.47 years. A solid bony fusion was achieved in 93.81% of the patients. The NDI and the VAS improved significantly from 28.3 and 7.67 at the presentation to 16.2 and 3.47 at the final follow-up. The anterior and posterior atlantodental interval (AADI and PADI), the clivus canal angle (CCA), the occipitoaxial angle (OC2A) and the posterior occipitocervical angle (POCA) improved significantly. Six patients required early revision. CONCLUSION: Occipitocervical fusion can yield excellent results regarding clinical improvement and long-term stability with a high fusion rate. Simple reconstruction plates, though more demanding surgically, achieve similar results. Preserving a neutral patient's position for fixation avoids postoperative dysphagia and may help prevent adjacent segment disease development.

Cement discoplasty for managing lumbar spine pseudarthrosis in elderly patients: a less invasive alternative approach for failed posterior lumbar spine interbody fusion.

PURPOSE: A retrospective cohort study was performed to evaluate pseudoarthrosis treatment results by injection of cement in disc space of failed fusion in posterior lumbar interbody fusion in patients above 65 years. METHODS: Forty-five patients above 65 years with symptomatic pseudarthrosis after lumbar spine fusion were treated by cement injection in the affected disc space. RESULTS: There were 30 females and 15 males. The mean age at the operation was 74 ± 6.5 years (range 65-89). Discoplasty was performed after the primary fusion operations after a mean of 14 ± 1.3 months (range 12-24). The mean preoperative VAS was 7.5 (range 6-9), and ODI was 36 (range 30-45). Cement injection was done at one level in most of the cases (35 patients). In seven cases, two injection levels were done, and in three cases, three levels. Twenty-three patients had discoplasty only, while 22 had discoplasty and screws change, including 14 cases of extension of the instrumentation. The mean postoperative follow-up was 32 ± 6.5 months. The VAS improved to 3.5 (range 2-5) (p = 0.02) and ODI to 12.3 (range 5-35) (p = 0.001). Reoperation was indicated in two (4%) patients by screws loosening. Asymptomatic cement leakage occurred in the paravertebral space in seven cases (15.5%). CONCLUSION: Cement discoplasty offers a less invasive reliable surgical solution in elderly patients with symptomatic lumbar pseudarthrosis in the elderly patients. In cases with screw loosening, discoplasty should be combined with screw revision.

Evaluation of Spinal Fusion in Thoracic and Thoracolumbar Spine on Standard X-Rays: A New Grading System for Spinal Interbody Fusion.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective evaluation of prospectively collected data. OBJECTIVE: Analyzing time course and stages of interbody fusion of a uniformly operated cohort, defining a grading system and establishing diagnosis-dependent periods of bone healing. METHODS: Sequential lateral radiographs of 238 patients (313 levels) with interbody fusion operated thoracoscopically were analyzed. RESULTS: Evaluation of 1696 radiographs with a mean follow-up of 65.19 months and average numbers of 5.42 (2-18) images per level was performed. Diagnoses were Pyogenic Spondylitis (74), Fracture (96), Ankylosing Spondylitis (38) and Degenerative Disease (105). No case with Grade 2 deteriorated to Grade 5. On average, Grade 4 persisted for 113 days, Grade 3 for 197 days, Grade 2 for 286 days and Grade 1 for 316 days. The first 95% of levels ("Green Zone", ≤ Grade 2) fused at 1 year, the remaining 4% levels fused between 12 and 17 months ("Yellow Zone") and the last 1% ("Red Zone") fused after 510 days. CONCLUSION: Sequential lateral radiographs permit evaluation of interbody fusion. Grade 2 is the threshold point for fusion; once accomplished, failure is unlikely. If fusion (Grade 2,1 or 0) is not reached within 510 days, it should be regarded as failed. The 510-day-threshold could reduce the necessity of CT scanning for assessing fusion.

Results of Four-Level Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion Using Stand-Alone Interbody Titanium Cages.

STUDY DESIGN: This is a retrospective study with a minimum follow-up of 2 years. PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to assess the long-term outcomes after performing the four-level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) in the treatment of degenerative cervical spine disease using stand-alone titanium cages. OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: Over the last decades, a rapid increase in the use of stand-alone cages for ACDF has been observed. However, research on their application in the treatment of four-level diseases is insufficient. METHODS: In this study, 130 patients presenting with symptomatic cervical spondylosis who underwent four-level ACDF using standalone cages in our institution between 2008 and 2016 were assessed. Fifty-two patients were women and 78 men with a mean age of 60.5 years. Their clinical and radiological outcomes were assessed. The results of the Neck Disability Index (NDI) and Visual Analog Scale as well as bony fusion were evaluated, and the revisions were analyzed. All of the patients underwent the four-level microscopic ACDF using the same titanium rectangular cage. RESULTS: The mean follow-up was 47±11.4 months. A fusion of all four levels was achieved in 80.72% of the patients. In 25 patients (19.23%), an incomplete bony bridging was observed in at least one fusion level at the final follow-up. However, only two patients (1.5%) were symptomatic and underwent revision. The mean NDI improved significantly from 39.4±9.3 at presentation to 8.3±6.6 at the final follow-up. Cervical lordosis improved significantly from a mean of 5.5° preoperatively to a mean of 15° postoperatively. Cage sinking and loss of segment height during healing had a mean of 3 mm. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the application of four-level ACDF using titanium cages in a stand-alone technique has been proven to be a safe and effective treatment method for degenerative disease. In a large cohort, a high rate of good long-term clinical and radiological results was achieved.

Convolutional neural network-based automated segmentation and labeling of the lumbar spine X-ray.

PURPOSE: This study investigated the segmentation metrics of different segmentation networks trained on 730 manually annotated lateral lumbar spine X-rays to test the generalization ability and robustness which are the basis of clinical decision support algorithms. METHODS: Instance segmentation networks were compared to semantic segmentation networks based on different metrics. The study cohort comprised diseased spines and postoperative images with metallic implants. RESULTS: However, the pixel accuracies and intersection over union are similarly high for the best performing instance and semantic segmentation models; the observed vertebral recognition rates of the instance segmentation models statistically significantly outperform the semantic models' recognition rates. CONCLUSION: The results of the instance segmentation models on lumbar spine X-ray perform superior to semantic segmentation models in the recognition rates even by images of severe diseased spines by allowing the segmentation of overlapping vertebrae, in contrary to the semantic models where such differentiation cannot be performed due to the fused binary mask of the overlapping instances. These models can be incorporated into further clinical decision support pipelines.

Symptomatic Intracranial Hemorrhage after Dural Tear in Spinal Surgery-A Series of 10 Cases and Review of the Literature.

OBJECTIVE: Intracranial hemorrhage (IH) after spinal surgery is a rare but potentially life-threatening complication. Knowledge of predisposing factors and typical clinical signs is essential for early recognition, helping to prevent an unfavorable outcome. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed of patients with IH after spinal surgery treated in our institution between 2012 and 2018. The literature dealing with IH complicating spinal surgery was reviewed. RESULTS: Our investigation found 10 patients with IH (6 female and 4 male). To the best of our knowledge, this is the largest series reported so far. The assumable incidence of IH after spinal surgery in our population was 0.0657%. Durotomy was noticed in 6 patients, all of whom were treated according to a local standard protocol. In 4 patients, the dural tear was occult. Hemorrhage occurred mostly in the cerebellar compartment. Eight of 10 patients had long-standing arterial hypertension, which seems to be a risk factor (hazard ratio, 1.58). Five patients were treated conservatively, whereas 3 required a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) diversion procedure. In 2 patients, revision surgery with duraplasty was necessary. Seven patients were discharged with little to no neurologic symptoms, and 3 had significant deterioration. One patient died because of brainstem herniation. Review of the literature identified 54 articles with 72 patients with IH complicating spinal surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with intraoperative CSF loss should be kept under close supervision postoperatively. After opening of the dura, a watertight closure should be attempted. The use of subfascial suction drainage in cases of a dural tear as well as preexistent arterial hypertension seems to be a risk factor for the development of IH. Intracranial bleeding must be considered in every patient with unexplained neurologic deterioration after spinal surgery and should be ruled out by cranial imaging. To ensure early recognition and prevent an unfavorable outcome, a high index of suspicion is required, especially in revision spinal surgery. The treatment is specific to the extent and location of the IH, thus dictating the outcome. In most patients, conservative treatment led to a good outcome. CSF diversion measures may be necessary in patients with compression or obstruction of the fourth ventricle. Large hematomas with mass effect may require decompressive surgery.

Management of Symptomatic Cervical Spine Pseudarthrosis: A Suggested Algorithm for Surgical Planning.

BACKGROUND: The clinical outcome of anterior cervical decompression and fusion (ACDF) correlates with fusion rates. There is a debate about how patients with symptomatic pseudarthrosis should be managed. In this study, a treatment plan is developed based on the surgical results of 95 patients and the recent literature. METHODS: A retrospective study to evaluate the long-term results after surgical treatment of symptomatic pseudarthrosis after ACDF. Between 1994 and 2015, 95 patients underwent surgery due to symptomatic pseudarthrosis after ACDF. The diagnosis was confirmed with dynamic radiographs and computed tomography scans. The approach used was anterior in 62 (65.1%), posterior in 13 (13.7%), and combined anterior and posterior in 20 (21.2%) patients. The operative details and the radiological and clinical results were analyzed. RESULTS: The primary operation was fusion using cages in 70, bone graft and plate in 16, and bone graft only in 9 patients. The revision was performed after a mean of 27 months. After a mean follow-up of 52 months, the mean Visual Analog Scale improved from 7.5 to 2.3 (P = 0.001), and the mean Neck Disability index improved from 26.4 to 8.7 (P = 0.034). Fusion was achieved in all patients after a mean of 7.8 (SD 2.9) months. Reoperation was indicated in 4 patients, all of whom were in the anterior-only group, and was due to retropharyngeal hematoma in 1 patient and cage sinking with kyphosis in 3 patients. CONCLUSIONS: Solid arthrodesis significantly improves the symptoms of cervical pseudarthrosis patients. The presence of adjacent segment disease, implant migration, residual stenosis, and segmental kyphosis plays an important role in decision-making. A treatment recommendation plan has been suggested. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4.

Vertebral Body Replacement With an Anchored Expandable Titanium Cage in the Cervical Spine: A Clinical and Radiological Evaluation.

BACKGROUND: Expandable cervical cages have been used successfully to reconstruct the anterior spinal column. OBJECTIVE: To perform clinical and radiological evaluation of vertebral body replacement with an anchored expandable titanium cage in the cervical spine after single-level and 2-level corpectomies. METHODS: Between 2011 and 2017, 40 patients underwent a single-level (N = 32) or 2-level (N = 8) anterior corpectomy and fusion using an anchored expandable vertebral body replacement cage. Clinical and radiological data at admission, postoperatively, and at 3- and 12-mo follow-up were retrospectively analyzed. Clinical assessment was performed via standardized neurological evaluation, Odom score, and McCormick classification. Radiological assessment was performed via evaluation of sagittal profile, postoperative position, fusion, and subsidence rates. RESULTS: Mean last follow-up was 14.8 ± 7 mo. Overall clinical and myelopathy-related improvements were shown directly after operation and at last follow-up. A stable centralized positioning of cages was achieved in 37 patients (93%). A mild ventral (>1.5 mm) malplacement was noted in 3 patients (7%) without clinical consequences. Sagittal alignment and preoperative cervical kyphosis improved significantly (7.8° gain of lordosis) and remained stable. Mean preoperative height of operated segments increased by 10 mm postoperatively and remained stable. Fusion rate in non-neoplastic patients and subsidence rate at last follow-up comprised 87.5% and 17.8%. With exception of 1 patient suffering from severe osteoporosis and cage subsidence, no patient needed additional secondary stabilization. CONCLUSION: Anterior corpectomy and fusion by an expandable anchored titanium cage with anchor screws without additional instrumentation resulted in overall clinical improvement and radiological anterior column support, achieving significant and reliable restoration of the physiological sagittal cervical profile.

Haematogenous Spondylodiscitis in Patients With Liver Cirrhosis: Case Series of 36 Patients.

STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective study of 36 liver cirrhosis patients presenting with spondylodiscitis. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to analyze the characteristics of spondylodiscitis in the presence of liver cirrhosis and furthermore, to evaluate the outcome of surgery in this specific group of patients. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: The incidence of haematogenous spondylodiscitis is increasing. The coexistence of liver cirrhosis makes the course of the disease more aggressive. METHODS: A total of 36 liver cirrhosis patients presented with haematogenous spondylodiscitis. The onset of infection, clinical course and outcomes of management were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: The associated comorbidities were cardiac in 17 patients, diabetes in 19, renal insufficiency in 16, and another focus for infection in nine cases. Neurological deficits were found in 24 patients (67%) and fever in 15 cases. Nine patients had septic manifestations. The lumbar spine was affected in 25 patients (69%). Noncontiguous spinal infection was found in nine patients (25%) and epidural abscess in 24 individuals. The preoperative C-reactive protein was elevated in all cases. The causative organism was most commonly Staphylococcus aureus (17 patients). A combined anteroposterior approach was necessary in 28 patients and a minimallly invasive surgery was performed in 30 cases. In-hospital mortality was 14% (5 patients). The neurological improvement rate was 82%. The postoperative antibiotic therapy was taken for more than 8 weeks in 22 patients. In 15 patients, a combination of antibiotics was necessary. CONCLUSION: Spinal infection in the presence of liver cirrhosis is challenging. The rate epidural abscess formation is relatively high. Early diagnosis remains the main cornerstone in the management and the indication for surgery should be carefully considered. Minimally invasive techniques should be used when possible to minimize complication rate, and higher amounts of intraoperative blood loss should be expected. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4.

Effects of Polymethylmethacrylate Cement Viscosity and Bone Porosity on Cement Leakage and New Vertebral Fractures After Percutaneous Vertebroplasty: A Prospective Study.

STUDY DESIGN: A prospective randomized study. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effect of bone cement viscosity as well as of bone porosity on cement leakage during vertebroplasty and to analyze the occurrence of new vertebral fractures after the procedure. METHODS: Between April 2012 and December 2013, 60 patients suffering from osteoporotic vertebral fractures underwent vertebroplasty. The patients were randomly assigned into 2 equal groups. High-viscosity cement was used in group A, while low-viscosity cement was used in group B. Patients were followed-up for a minimum of 2 years. RESULTS: Cement leakage occurred in 16 patients in group B (20 vertebral bodies) and in 6 patients in group A (9 vertebral bodies). The difference was statistically significant (χ2 = 2.3, P = .01). Lower T-scores were associated with significantly more cement leakage (t = 3.338, P = .002 in group A, and t = 4.329, P = .000 in group B). Patients with a T-score worse than -1.8 had a significantly higher risk of cement leakage if low-viscosity cement was used (χ2 = 3.25, P = .05). New vertebral fractures occurred in 14 (23%) patients, after a mean of 6.5 ± 5.5 months, 10 patients in group A and 4 in group B. The difference did not reach the statistical significance level (χ2 = 3.354, P = .067). Patients presenting with multiple fractures had a significantly more number of new vertebral fractures (χ2 = 7.464, P = .006). CONCLUSIONS: The clinical outcome of vertebroplasty was not influenced by cement viscosity. However, lower cement viscosity and higher degree of osteoporosis were found to be significant risk factors for cement leakage. Furthermore, the number of vertebral body fractures on presentation was a predictor for the occurrence of new fractures postoperatively.

Reoperation rate after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion using standalone cages in degenerative disease: a study of 2,078 cases.

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Over the last two decades, there has been a rapid increase in the use of cervical spine interbody fusion cages. Reoperation rate remains an important determinant of procedural efficacy and safety. PURPOSE: To evaluate the rate and reasons for reoperations in cervical spondylosis patients undergoing anterior decompression and fusion using stand-alone cervical interbody fusion cages. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective study of 2,078 consecutive cases of degenerative cervical spine disease undergoing fusion using stand-alone cages. PATIENT SAMPLE: Between January 2005 and December 2014, 2,078 patients underwent anterior cervical decompression and fusion using stand-alone cages in our institution. OUTCOME MEASURES: The reoperations were analyzed and classified into early (during the first 90 days postoperatively) and late (after 90 days) reoperations. The rate and the causes of reoperation in both groups were reported and the results were compared. METHODS: In 1,558 patients, a short segment fusion (≤2 levels) was performed, while the remaining 520 patients underwent a long segment fusion (≥3 levels). RESULTS: The overall incidence of reoperation was 5.63%. The rate of early reoperations was 2.07%, mostly due to postoperative hematoma, and the rate of late reoperations was 3.56%, mostly due to adjacent segment disease. Revision due to pseudarthrosis was performed in 0.58% of cases. The early reoperation rate was significantly higher in the group with a long segment fusion, while the late reoperation rate was significantly higher in patients undergoing a short segment fusion. CONCLUSION: Following anterior cervical decompression and fusion with a stand-alone cage, the overall incidence of symptomatic pseudarthrosis is low. Patients undergoing long segment fusion should be closely observed in the early postoperative period as they have a higher early complication rate. On the other hand, long segment fusions have a lower incidence of adjacent segment disease over the years.

What constitutes the fat signal detected by MRI in the spine of patients with ankylosing spondylitis? A prospective study based on biopsies obtained during planned spinal osteotomy to correct hyperkyphosis or spinal stenosis.

OBJECTIVE: Study the MRI signal of fatty lesions (FL) by immunohistological analysis of vertebral body biopsies of patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) compared with degenerative disc disease (DDD). METHODS: Biopsies obtained during planned surgery from vertebral edges where MRI signals of FL was detected were stained with H&E. Immunofluorescence (IF) staining was performed to quantify osteoblasts and osteoclasts. Bone marrow (BM) composition, grade of cellularity and quantification of cells were analysed on six randomly chosen high-power fields (HPF; 0.125 mm2) at 200-fold magnification per patient by two experienced researchers in a blinded manner. RESULTS: Biopsies of 21 patients with AS and 18 with DDD were analysed. Adipocytes were found in the BM of 19 patients with AS (90.5%) versus 5 with DDD (27.8%) (p<0.001), while inflammatory infiltrates were found in in the BM of 8 patients with AS (38.1%) versus 14 with DDD (77.8%) (p=0.035) and fibrosis in 6 patients with AS (28.6%) versus 4 with DDD (22.2%) (p=n .s.). The most frequently detected cells were adipocytes in AS (43.3%) versus DDD (16.1%, p=0.002) and inflammatory mononuclear cells in DDD (55%) versus AS (11.0%, p=0.001). Using IF staining, there was more osteoblastic than osteoclastic activity (6.9 vs 0.17 cells/HPF) in FL as compared with inflammatory BM (1.3 vs 7.4 cells/HPF), respectively. CONCLUSION: MRI FL correspond to presence of adipocytes, resulting to change of cellular homeostasis towards diminution of osteoclasts in the BM of patients with AS. The cross-talk between the different cell types and osteitis, fat and new bone formation needs further study.

Surgical treatment of type II odontoid fractures in elderly patients: a comparison of anterior odontoid screw fixation and posterior atlantoaxial fusion using the Magerl-Gallie technique.

PURPOSE: This single-centre retrospective study compared anterior odontoid screw fixation and posterior atlantoaxial fusion in the surgical treatment of type II B odontoid fractures according to Grauer in elderly patients. METHODS: Between 1994 and 2014, 133 consecutive patients above 60 years presenting with type II B odontoid fracture were treated surgically in our department. They were divided retrospectively into two groups. Group A included 47 patients in whom anterior odontoid screw fixation was performed. Group B with 86 patients underwent posterior atlantoaxial fusion. The clinical and radiological data were analysed. Any reoperation during the follow-up was recorded and evaluated. RESULTS: The mean age in group A (74.19 years) was significantly less than in group B (78.16 years). The mean operative time in group A (64.5 min) was significantly shorter than in group B (116 min). Again, the mean amount of blood loss in group A (79 ml) was significantly less than in group B (379 ml). The mean postoperative hospital stay was significantly shorter in group A (17.4 days) than in group B (30 days). The mean follow-up was 29.3 months in group A and 32 months in group B. The rate of pseudoarthrosis was significantly higher in group A (25.5%) than in group B (3.5%). Furthermore, the need for revision surgery was significantly increased in group A (23.4%) than in group B (10.47%). CONCLUSIONS: Odontoid screw fixation is a less invasive surgery for type II B odontoid fractures in elderly patients. However, posterior atlantoaxial fusion provides a superior surgical outcome regarding fracture healing and the need for surgical revisions. These slides can be retrieved under Electronic Supplementary Material.

Early Recurrence of a Solid Variant of Aneurysmal Bone Cyst in a Young Child After Resection: Technique and Literature Review and Two-year Follow-up After Corpectomy.

Aneurysmal bone cysts (ABCs) are considered to be rare benign tumors that may affect long bones or the vertebral column. Their incidence varies and is reported to be 1.4% of all benign skeletal tumors. The solid-variant aneurysmal bone cyst (S-ABC) is even rarer and constitutes 3.5% to 7% of all vertebral ABCs. We report the case of an Enneking stage 3 S-ABC in a 5-year-old boy at C7 that showed rapid local recurrence after primary excision from posterior and dorsal stabilization requiring ventral corpectomy and posterior excision of the right lateral mass and right posterolateral fusion. Histologic examination disclosed an S-ABC. To our knowledge, this is the first case of S-ABC described in the literature that used both anterior and posterior approaches and complete corpectomy. Over a 2-year period, the patient showed no radiologic or clinical signs of local recurrence with excellent neurologic function. Solid-variant aneurysmal bone cysts are difficult to diagnose and treat, and careful clinical and radiologic assessment should be done to tailor an appropriate surgical plan to prevent recurrence and neurologic sequelae. To the best of our knowledge, there are to date no publications that studied the behavior of this subtype.

Percutaneous Posterior Transarticular Atlantoaxial Fixation for the Treatment of Odontoid Fractures in the Elderly: A Prospective Study.

STUDY DESIGN: A prospective study of 20 multimorbid patients older than 65 years undergoing minimally invasive surgical treatment for odontoid fracture. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the results of percutaneous transarticular atlantoaxial screw fixation as a new minimally invasive treatment modality in this high risk group of patients. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Odontoid fractures are a common injury pattern in the elderly. These fractures typically present significant challenges as geriatric patients often have multiple comorbidities that may adversely affect fracture management. Despite numerous publications on this subject, with a trend toward primary operative stabilization, the appropriate treatment for this frequent and potentially life threatening injury remains controversial. METHODS: Between January 2013 and December 2015, 20 consecutive patients underwent posterior percutaneous transarticular atlantoaxial screw fixation for odontoid fracture type II. The two main inclusion criteria were age 65 years or older and ASA score of III or IV. The screws were inserted percutaneously with the help of two fluoroscopy devices. Clinical and radiological examinations were regularly performed for a minimum of 18 months postoperatively. RESULTS: The mean age was 81 years, all of them with multiple comorbidities. Reduction of the fracture and screw insertion was possible in all cases. The mean operative time was 51.75 minutes and mean blood loss was 41.7 mL. Three patients died in the first 3 months after surgery. Healing of the fracture occurred in 15 patients (88.2%). Revision surgery was not necessary in any of the patients. Mean visual analogue scale (VAS) at the final follow-up was 2.4, and mean patient satisfaction score was 7.1. CONCLUSION: Percutaneous transarticular atlantoaxial fixation in elderly patients offers a good minimally invasive operative treatment in this multimorbid group of patients. This new technique with short operative time is well tolerated by the geriatric patients leading to a healing rate up to 88%. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4.

Adjacent Segment Disease After Cervical Spine Fusion: Evaluation of a 70 Patient Long-Term Follow-Up.

STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective study of 70 patients undergoing surgical treatment for adjacent segment disease (ASD) after anterior cervical decompression and fusion (ACDF). OBJECTIVE: To analyze the risk factors for the development of ASD in patients who underwent ACDF. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: ACDF has provided a high rate of clinical success for the cervical degenerative disc disease; nevertheless, adjacent segment degeneration has been reported as a complication at the adjacent level secondary to the rigid fixation. METHODS: Between January 2005 and December 2012, 70 consecutive patients underwent surgery for ASD after ACDF in our institution. In all patients thorough clinical and radiological examination was performed preoperatively, postoperatively, and at the final follow-up. The clinical data included the Neck Disability Index (NDI) and the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). The radiological evaluation included x-rays and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for all patients. The duration of follow up after the adjacent segment operation ranged from 3 to 10 years. RESULTS: Surgery for ASD was performed after a mean period of 32 months from the primary ACDF. ASD occurred after single level ACDF in 54% of cases, most commonly after C5/6 fusion (28%). Risk factors for ASD were found to be preexisting radiological signs of degeneration at the primary surgery (74%) and bad sagittal profile after the primary ACDF (90%). CONCLUSION: ASD occurred predominantly in the middle cervical region (C4-6); especially in patients with preexisting evidence of radiological degeneration in the adjacent segment at the time of primary cervical fusion, notably when this surgery failed to restore or maintain the cervical lordosis. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4.

Presentation and management of symptomatic central bone cement embolization.

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: With more cement augmentation procedures done, the occurrence of serious complications is also expected to rise. Symptomatic central cement embolization is a rare but very serious complication. Moreover, the pathophysiology and treatment of intrathoracic cement embolism remain controversial. PURPOSE: In this case series, we are trying to identify various presentations and suggest our emergent management scheme for symptomatic central cement embolization. PATIENT SAMPLE: Retrospective case series of nine patients with symptomatic central cement embolism identified after vertebroplasty with 24 months of follow-up. Level IV. OUTCOME MEASURES: The degree of dyspnea measured by the New York Heart Association (NYHA) score and/or death related to cement embolism induced cardio/respiratory failure at the final follow-up at 24 months. METHODS: The nine patients, eight females, and one male had a mean age of 70.25 years (range 65-78 years) and were operated between January 2004 and December 2014. They had percutaneous vertebroplasty for osteoporotic non-traumatic and malignant vertebral collapse of dorsal and lumbar vertebrae. Post-vertebroplasty dyspnea and stitching chest pain were striking in the nine patients. After exclusion of cardiac ischemia and medical pulmonary causes for dyspnea, we identified radiopaque lesions on the chest X-ray. Further echocardiography and high-resolution chest CT were performed for optimal localization. Emergent heart surgery was performed in two patients: interventional therapy was conducted in one patient, while the remaining six patients were conservatively treated by anticoagulation. The management decision was taken in the setting of an interdisciplinary meeting depending on localization, fragmentation, and clinical status. RESULTS: All patients of this series showed gradual improvement and an uneventful hospital stay. During our 24-month follow-up phase, eight patients showed no subsequent cardiological and/or respiratory symptoms (NYHA I). However, one mortality due to advanced malignancy occurred. Preoperative anemia was the only common intersecting preoperative parameter among these nine patients. CONCLUSIONS: After cement augmentation, close clinical monitoring is mandatory. A chest CT is pivotal in determining the interdisciplinary management approach in view of the availability of necessary expertise, facilities and the location of the cement emboli whether accessible by cardiac or vascular surgical means. The clinical presentation and its timing may vary and the patient may be seen subsequently by other health care providers obligating a wide-spread awareness for this serious entity among health care providers for this age group as spine surgeons, family and emergency room doctors, and institutional or home-care nurses. Most symptomatic central cement emboli may be treated conservatively.

Bone morphogenetic protein 7 and autologous bone graft in revision surgery for non-union after lumbar interbody fusion.

BACKGROUND: Potential adverse and unknown long-term effects as well as additional costs limit the use of BMPs (Bone morphogenetic proteins) in primary fusion procedures. However, the proven osteoinductive properties render BMPs attractive for the attempt to reach fusion of symptomatic non-unions. The aim of this study is to evaluate the fusion rate and potential disadvantages of eptotermin alfa (rhBMP-7) used with autologous bone graft in revision procedures for lumbar pseudoarthrosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: At our institution, rhBMP-7 has been used to improve fusion rates in revision surgery for symptomatic pseudoarthrosis during the past 10 years. Eighty-four fusion procedures using rhBMP-7 between 08/2003 and 07/2011 were revisions due to symptomatic lumbar pseudoarthrosis. The surgical approach was posterior in three and combined anterior-posterior in 71 patients. Of those, 74 patients had either reached fusion or had follow-up of at least 39.5 months (range 21-80 months) in the case of pseudoarthrosis. These 74 patients have been included in a retrospective follow-up study. RESULTS: In 60 patients (81.1 %) the rhBMP-7 procedure was successful. In 14 patients, pseudoarthrosis persisted or fusion was questionable. Of those patients 12 accounted for persisting L5-S1 non-union. Persisting non-unions were found in 26.7 % of the study after four or more segment instrumentations compared to the 16.9 % after mono-, bi-, or three-segment instrumentation, and in four of 14 patients with spondylodesis of three or more levels above a pseudoarthrotic lumbosacral junction. Adverse effects related to the use of eptotermin alfa were rare in this group with symptomatic ectopic bone formation in one patient. CONCLUSIONS: Using rhBMP-7 with autologous bone graft in revisions for lumbar pseudoarthrosis via an anterior approach is safe and can lead to fusion even under unfavorable biomechanical conditions. However, successful outcome depends on the individual constellation. Treatment of non-unions of the lumbosacral junction remains especially difficult in cases with solid fusions above those pseudoarthrotic levels. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4; retrospective follow-up study.

Adjacent segment infection after surgical treatment of spondylodiscitis.

BACKGROUND: This is the first case series to describe adjacent segment infection (ASI) after surgical treatment of spondylodiscitis (SD). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with SD, spondylitis who were surgically treated between 1994 and 2012 were included. Out of 1187 cases, 23 (1.94 %) returned to our institution (Zentralklinik Bad Berka) with ASI: 10 males, 13 females, with a mean age of 65.1 years and a mean follow-up of 69 months. RESULTS: ASI most commonly involved L3-4 (seven patients), T12-L1 (five) and L2-3 (four). The mean interval between operations of primary infection and ASI was 36.9 months. All cases needed surgical intervention, debridement, reconstruction and fusion with longer instrumentation, with culture and sensitivity-based postoperative antimicrobial therapy. At last follow-up, six patients (26.1 %) were mobilized in a wheelchair with a varying degree of paraplegia (three had pre-existing paralysis). Three patients died within 2 months after the ASI operation (13 %). Excellent outcomes were achieved in five patients, and good in eight. CONCLUSIONS: Adjacent segment infection after surgical treatment of spondylodiscitis is a rare complication (1.94 %). It is associated with multimorbidity and shows a high mortality rate and a high neurological affection rate. Possible explanations are: haematomas of repeated micro-fractures around screw loosening, haematogenous spread, direct inoculation or a combination of these factors. ASI may also lead to proximal junctional kyphosis, as found in this series. We suggest early surgical intervention with anterior debridement, reconstruction and fusion with posterior instrumentation, followed by antimicrobial therapy for 12 weeks. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV retrospective uncontrolled case series.

Atlantoaxial instability after a header in an amateur soccer player.

STUDY DESIGN: Case report and literature review. OBJECTIVE: To report a unique case of atlantoaxial instability after a header in a 37-year-old amateur soccer player and to discuss the injury pattern in relation to the impact of heading. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Although there is potential for cervical spine injuries, the rates in soccer are low compared with other contact or even noncontact sports. No cases of acute post-traumatic atlantoaxial instability after heading have ever been reported in a MEDLINE-listed article. METHODS: A 37-year-old male soccer player experienced acute upper neck pain and transient quadriplegia after heading a long-distance ball on 2 occasions during a match. Imaging revealed atlantoaxial instability. Persistent neurological symptoms on conservative treatment led to his referral to our department. The considerable instability required surgical intervention. RESULTS: Transarticular C1-C2 fixation and posterior fusion with structural iliac crest grafting were performed. The procedure immediately led to complete relief of the neurological symptoms. After an uneventful postoperative recovery, follow-up at 9 months revealed solid fusion. The patient remained symptom free. CONCLUSION: Heading the ball in soccer can potentially lead to atlantoaxial instability. Ligamentous damage can theoretically be caused by anteriorly directed and rotational overload. However, the causative mechanism remains unclear. Diagnostic workup should consider dynamic imaging in players with transient neurological symptoms after minor trauma to the cervical spine. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: N/A.