Prevalencia de la osificación heterotópica tras artroplastia de disco cervical a los 5 años / Prevalence of heterotopic ossification after cervical disk arthroplasty at 5 years

INTRODUCCION En los últimos años, la artroplastia de disco cervical (ADC) se ha utilizado ampliamente en pacientes como alternativa a la disectomía y fusión cervical anterior (DFCA). Sin embargo, se han informado osificación heterotópica (OH) y fusion espontánea después de ADCs, y el desarrollo de OH puede dificultar el mantenimiento de movimiento después de la artroplastia. MATERIALES Y METODOS El procedimiento ADC con prótesis Activ C y M6-C se realizó en 127 pacientes. El tiempo medio de seguimiento fue de 58.4 meses, con un rango de 51 a 66 meses. RESULTADOS Las osificaciones de grado 1 estuvieron presentes en 11 niveles (8,6%). Un total de 45 (35,4%) segmentos eran de OH de grado 2. Las OHs que produjeron restricciones del rango de movimiento estuvieron presentes en 13 (10,2%) casos. A los 5 años de seguimiento, sólo había 9 (7,0%) pacientes con osificación de grado 4 en el grupo de prótesis de disco artificial M6-C. En el análisis de la supervivencia tras la ocurrencia de OH, la mediana de los pacientes fue de 28,3 5,6 meses. El grupo de prótesis de disco artificial Activ C tuvo una supervivencia estadísticamente más larga (49,5 7,8 meses) que el grupo de disco M6-C. CONCLUSIONES En este estudio, el 61,4% de los pacientes desarrollaron OH en un período de seguimiento medio de 58,4 meses. En el análisis de la supervivencia tras la ocurrencia de OH, la mediana de los pacientes fue de 28.3 5.6 meses. El grupo de prótesis de disco artificial Activ C tuvo una supervivencia estadísticamente más larga (49.5 7.8 meses) que el grupo de disco M6-C.

INTRODUCTION In recent years, cervical disk arthroplasty (CDA) has become widely used in patients as a substitute to anterior cervical diskectomy and fusion (ACDF). However, heterotopic ossification (HO) and spontaneous fusion after CDA have been reported, and maintenance of motion following arthroplasty can be hindered by the development of HO. MATERIALS AND METHODS The CDA procedure with Activ C and M6-C prostheses was performed on 127 patients. The mean follow-up time was of 58.4 months, ranging from 51 to 66 months. RESULTS Grade-1 ossifications were present in 11 (8.6%) levels. A total of 45 (35.4%) segments showed grade-2 HO. Cases of HO that led to restrictions in the range of motion were present in 13 (10.2%) patients. Fives year postoperatively, there were only 9 (7.0%) patients with grade-4 ossifications in the M6-C artificial disk prosthesis group. In the survival analysis after HO occurrence, the median survival of the patients was of 28.3 5.6 months. The Activ C artificial disk prosthesis group had a statistically longer survival (49.5 7.8 months) than the M6-C disk group. CONCLUSION In the present study, 61.4% of the patients developed HO at a mean follow-up period of 58.4 months. In the survival analysis after HO occurrence, the median survival of the patients was of 28.3 5.6 months. The Activ C artificial disk prosthesis group had a statistically longer survival (49.5 7.8 months) than the M6-C disk group.

Mid-Term to Long-Term Outcomes After Total Cervical Disk Arthroplasty Compared With Anterior Diskectomy and Fusion: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

STUDY DESIGN: This study was a meta-analysis of published randomized controlled trials (RCTs). OBJECTIVE: We investigated the mid-term to long-term outcomes of cervical disk arthroplasty (CDA) versus anterior cervical diskectomy and fusion (ACDF) for the surgical treatment of symptomatic cervical disk degenerative disease. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: ACDF has been widely performed for the surgical treatment of symptomatic cervical disk degenerative disease. However, the loss of motion at the operated level has been hypothesized to accelerate adjacent-level disk degeneration. CDA was designed to preserve motion segments and decrease the risk/rate of adjacent segment degeneration. However, it is still uncertain whether mid-term to long-term outcomes after CDA is more effective and safer than those observed after ACDF. METHODS: Two independent reviewers conducted a search of PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library databases for RCTs with a minimum of 48 months of follow-up. For dichotomous variables, the risk ratio and 95% confidence intervals were calculated. For continuous variables, the standardized mean difference and 95% confidence intervals were calculated. RESULTS: Eleven RCTs, finally, were included. The rate of neurological success in the CDA group was not significantly different from that in the ACDF group. The pooled results show that patients who underwent CDA had a significantly greater improvement in Neck Disability Index (NDI) and Short Form 36 Health Survey physical component (SF-36 HSPC) than did those who underwent ACDF. No significant difference was found when comparing the neck and arm pain scores between the CDA and ACDF groups. The overall rate of secondary surgical procedures was significantly lower in patients who underwent CDA than in those who underwent ACDF. We observed similar overall rates of adverse events and adjacent segment degeneration when comparing the CDA group with the ACDF group. CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis provides evidence suggesting that CDA was superior to ACDF in terms of NDI score, SF-36 HSPC score, and low rate of secondary surgical procedures. Furthermore, no significant differences existed between the CDA group and the ACDF group in the neck pain visual analog scale score, arm pain visual analog scale score, the rate of neurological success, adjacent segment degeneration, and adverse events. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 1.

A systematic review and meta-analysis comparing open versus endoscopic in situ decompression for the treatment of cubital tunnel syndrome.

To examine whether endoscopic in situ decompression (EISD) or open in situ decompression (OISD) would have superior outcomes with lower morbidity in patients with idiopathic cubital tunnel syndrome, we reviewed all studies compared both surgical techniques with regard to postoperative outcomes and complication profile in a systematic review design with meta-analysis. Two independent reviewers conducted a PRISMA-compliant search of PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library databases for relevant studies about clinical comparisons of OISD and EISD in cubital tunnel syndrome. We performed all meta-analyses with the Review Manager 5.3 software. For dichotomous variables, the risk ratio (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. For continuous variables, the mean difference (MD) and 95% CIs were calculated. The level of significance was set as p < 0.05. Finally, 8 articles with 582 patients finally were included in this meta-analysis. Pooled analysis showed that the difference in Bishop score, visual analogue scale score reduction, postoperative satisfaction, postoperative hematoma rate and secondary surgical procedures were not statistically significant between the EISD group and the OISD group (p > 0.05). However, pooled results showed that patients who underwent EISD had a greater improvement in the scar tenderness/elbow pain than did those who underwent OISD with statistical significance (p < 0.0001). This meta-analysis demonstrated that EISD and OISD for surgical treating cubital tunnel syndrome had equivalent efficacy regarding postoperative clinical recovery, whereas the incidences of adverse events of EISD were also same as those with the OISD technique.

Microvascular Anastomosis Training in Neurosurgery: A Review.

Cerebrovascular diseases are among the most widespread diseases in the world, which largely determine the structure of morbidity and mortality rates. Microvascular anastomosis techniques are important for revascularization surgeries on brachiocephalic and carotid arteries and complex cerebral aneurysms and even during resection of brain tumors that obstruct major cerebral arteries. Training in microvascular surgery became even more difficult with less case exposure and growth of the use of endovascular techniques. In this text we will briefly discuss the history of microvascular surgery, review current literature on simulation models with the emphasis on their merits and shortcomings, and describe the views and opinions on the future of the microvascular training in neurosurgery. In "dry" microsurgical training, various models created from artificial materials that simulate biological tissues are used. The next stage in training more experienced surgeons is to work with nonliving tissue models. Microvascular training using live models is considered to be the most relevant due to presence of the blood flow. Training on laboratory animals has high indicators of face and constructive validity. One of the future directions in the development of microsurgical techniques is the use of robotic systems. Robotic systems may play a role in teaching future generations of microsurgeons. Modern technologies allow access to highly accurate learning environments that are extremely similar to real environment. Additionally, assessment of microsurgical skills should become a fundamental part of the current evaluation of competence within a microneurosurgical training program. Such an assessment tool could be utilized to ensure a constant level of surgical competence within the recertification process. It is important that this evaluation be based on validated models.

Apparent diffusion coefficient maps in the assessment of surgical patients with lumbar spine degeneration.

PURPOSE: To assess the utility of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps for the assessment of patients with advanced degenerative lumbar spine disease and describe characteristic features of ADC maps in various degenerative lumbar spinal conditions. METHODS: T1-weighted, T2-weighted and diffusion weighted (DWI) MR images of 100 consecutive patients admitted to the spinal surgery service were assessed. ADC maps were generated from DWI images using Osyrix software. The ADC values and characteristic ADC maps were assessed in the regions of interest over the different pathological entities of the lumbar spine. RESULTS: The study included 452 lumbar vertebral segments available for analysis of ADCs. Characteristic ADC map features were identified for protrusion, extrusion and sequester types of lumbar disk herniations, spondylolisthesis, reactive Modic endplate changes, Pfirrmann grades of IVD degeneration, and compromised spinal nerves. Compromised nerve roots had significantly higher mean ADC values than adjacent (p < 0.001), contralateral (p < 0.001) or adjacent contralateral (p < 0.001) nerve roots. Compared to the normal bone marrow, Modic I changes showed higher ADC values (p = 0.01) and Modic 2 changes showed lower ADC values (p = 0.02) respectively. ADC values correlated with the Pfirrmann grading, however differed from herniated and non-herniated disks of the matched Pfirrmann 3 and 4 grades. CONCLUSION: Quantitative and qualitative evaluation of ADC mapping may provide additional useful information regarding the fluid dynamics of the degenerated spine and may complement standard MRI imaging protocol for the comprehensive assessment of surgical patients with lumbar spine pathology. ADC maps were advantageous in differentiating reactive bone marrow changes, and more precise assessment of the disk degeneration state. ADC mapping of compressed nerve roots showed promise but requires further investigation on a larger cohort of patients.