Clinical and radiological outcomes of posterior cervical decompression and fusion for severe cervical compressive-extension injury: A case series.

BACKGROUND: Although severe cervical compressive-extension (CE) injuries are usually repaired using a combined anterior-posterior approach, the repair is possible using a posterior approach alone with reliable anchors. This study aimed to present the outcomes and imaging analysis results of posterior cervical decompression and fusion (PCDF) for severe CE injuries. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 16 patients who underwent PCDF surgery for severe CE injuries (>50% subluxation) between January 2012 and December 2018. All patients completed 1-year follow-up, and their mean age at the time of surgery was 63.5 years. American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale (AIS) grade, kyphotic angle of lower vertebra (KALV), and anterior defect area of lower vertebra (ADLV) were assessed preoperatively. RESULTS: Of 16 patients, nine patients improved at the final follow-up, and eight patients could walk with or without assistance. All patients achieved bone union postoperatively, but four patients showed progression of correction loss of ≥10°. Therefore, patients were divided into two groups: NL group with correction loss of <10°; L group with correction loss of ≥10°. All patients in L group showed KALV of ≥15°, while 10 of 12 patients in NL group showed KALV of <15°. Furthermore, all patients in L group showed ADLV of ≥50%, whereas all patients in NL group showed ADLV of <50%. CONCLUSIONS: PCDF is feasible and a favorable procedure for severe CE injuries that require early reduction and cervical spinal stabilization. However, in the cases of advanced destruction of the anterior vertebra, loss of correction after PCDF might occur postoperatively.

Safety of early posterior fusion surgery without endovascular embolization for asymptomatic vertebral artery occlusion associated with cervical spine trauma.

PURPOSE: Vertebral artery occlusion (VAO) is an increasingly recognized complication of cervical spine trauma. However, the management strategy of VAO remains heavily debated. Therefore, the aim of this retrospective study was to investigate the safety of early fusion surgery for traumatic VAO. METHODS: This study included a total of 241 patients (average age 64.7 years; 201 men) who underwent early surgical treatment for acute cervical spine injury between 2012 and 2019. The incidence of VAO, cerebral infarction rates, the recanalization rates, and cerebral thromboembolism after recanalization were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: VAO occurred in 22 patients (9.1%). Of the 22 patients with VAO, radiographic cerebral infarction was detected in 4 patients (21.1%) at initial evaluation, including 1 symptomatic medullar infarction (4.5%) and 3 asymptomatic cerebrum infarctions. A patient who experienced right medullar infarction showed no progression of the neurologic damage. Follow-up imaging revealed that the VAOs of 9 patients (40.9%) were recanalized, and the recanalization did not correlate with clinical adverse outcomes. The arteries of the remaining 13 (59.1%) patients remained occluded and clinically silent until the final follow-up (mean final follow-up 33.0 months). CONCLUSION: Despite the lack of a concurrent control group with preoperative antiplatelet therapy or endovascular embolization for VAO, our results showed low symptomatic stroke rate (4.5%), high recanalization rate (40.9%), and low mortality rate (0%). Therefore, we believe that the indication for early stabilization surgery as management strategy of asymptomatic VAO might be one of the safe and effective treatment options for prevention of symptomatic cerebral infarction.

Delayed lumbar plexus palsy due to giant psoas hematoma associated with vertebral compression fracture and direct oral anticoagulants: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (VCFs) are commonly observed in elderly people and can be treated by conservatively with minimal risk of complications in most cases. However, utilization of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) increases the risks of secondary hematoma even after insignificant trauma. The use of DOACs increased over the past decade because of their approval and recommendation for both stroke prevention in non-valvular atrial fibrillation and treatment of venous thromboembolism. It is well known that DOACs are safer anticoagulants than warfarin in terms of major and nonmajor bleeding; however, we noted an increase in the number of bleeding events associated with DOACs that required medical intervention. This report describes the first case of delayed lumbar plexus palsy due to DOAC-associated psoas hematoma after VCF to draw attention to potential risk of severe complication associated with this type of common and stable trauma. CASE PRESENTATION: An 83-year-old man presented with his left inguinal pain and inability to ambulate after falling from standing position and was prescribed DOACs for chronic atrial fibrillation. Computed tomography angiography revealed a giant psoas hematoma arising from the ruptured segmental artery running around fractured L4 vertebra. Because of motor weakness of his lower limbs and expansion of psoas hematoma revealed by contrast computed tomography on day 8 of his hospital stay, angiography aimed for transcatheter arterial embolization was tried, but could not demonstrate any major active extravasation; therefore spontaneous hemostasis was expected with heparin replacement. On day 23 of his stay, hematoma turned to decrease, but dysarthria and motor weakness due to left side cerebral infarction occurred. His pain improved and bone healing was achieved about 2 months later from his admission, however the paralysis of the left lower limb and aftereffects of cerebral infarction remained after 1 year. CONCLUSION: In patients using DOACs with multiple risk factors, close attention must be taken in vertebral injury even if the fracture itself is a stable-type such as VCF, because segmental artery injury may cause massive psoas hematoma followed by lumbar plexus palsy and other complications.

Molecular Targeted Therapy for the Bone Loss Secondary to Pyogenic Spondylodiscitis Using Medications for Osteoporosis: A Literature Review.

Pyogenic spondylodiscitis can cause severe osteolytic and destructive lesions in the spine. Elderly or immunocompromised individuals are particularly susceptible to infectious diseases; specifically, infections in the spine can impair the ability of the spine to support the trunk, causing patients to be bedridden, which can also severely affect the physical condition of patients. Although treatments for osteoporosis have been well studied, treatments for bone loss secondary to infection remain to be elucidated because they have pathological manifestations that are similar to but distinct from those of osteoporosis. Recently, we encountered a patient with severely osteolytic pyogenic spondylodiscitis who was treated with romosozumab and exhibited enhanced bone formation. Romosozumab stimulated canonical Wnt/ß-catenin signaling, causing robust bone formation and the inhibition of bone resorption, which exceeded the bone loss secondary to infection. Bone loss due to infections involves the suppression of osteoblastogenesis by osteoblast apoptosis, which is induced by the nuclear factor-κB and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways, and osteoclastogenesis with the receptor activator of the nuclear factor-κB ligand-receptor combination and subsequent activation of the nuclear factor of activated T cells cytoplasmic 1 and c-Fos. In this study, we review and discuss the molecular mechanisms of bone loss secondary to infection and analyze the efficacy of the medications for osteoporosis, focusing on romosozumab, teriparatide, denosumab, and bisphosphonates, in treating this pathological condition.

Morphologic Changes in the Vertebral Artery Subsequent to Cervical Spine Degeneration and Aging: Analyses by Computed Tomography Angiography Using Multiplanar and 3-Dimensional Reconstructions.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the morphologic changes in the vertebral artery (VA) subsequent to cervical spine degeneration and aging and to investigate the risk factors for iatrogenic VA injury or occlusion. METHODS: Eighty-eight consecutive patients (176 bilateral VAs) were retrospectively analyzed using radiographs, computed tomography, and computed tomography angiography images. The Kellgren and Lawrence (KL) score and its modified subscores were used to grade the severity of degenerative changes in the cervical spine. VA tortuosity widths and diameters were measured between the C2 and C6 transverse foramens. The outcome measures were statistically analyzed for difference, correlation, and explanatory variable. The level with a high prevalence of VA stenosis was also evaluated. RESULTS: There were significant positive correlations between the KL score and VA tortuosity width, and between age and VA tortuosity width. Osteophyte formation in the facet joint was the predominant explanatory variable for medial deviation of the VA. Significant positive correlations were evident between the dominant VA diameter and KL score or age. VA stenosis occurred at C3/C4 (24.5%) with the highest prevalence and it was caused by uncovertebral joint osteophytes (52.0%) with the highest incidence. CONCLUSIONS: The present study provides important evidence for decisions of surgical strategy and for avoiding catastrophic VA injury or occlusion in cervical spine surgeries.

Olanexidine gluconate versus povidone-iodine for preventing surgical-site infection in orthopaedic surgery: A retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Olanexidine gluconate (OLG) is a newly developed skin antiseptic, which is effective against a broad range of bacteria, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the bactericidal efficacy and safety of OLG in orthopaedic surgery. METHODS: This retrospective study included a total of 1103 patients who underwent clean orthopaedic surgery. They were divided into two groups: 556 patients who were treated with OLG (OLG group), and 547 patients who were treated with povidone-iodine (PVP-I) (PVP-I group). The efficacy and the safety outcomes were measured as the rate of surgical-site infection (SSI) within 30 days after surgery and the rate of adverse skin reaction, respectively. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the OLG group and PVP-I group (1.80% vs. 2.38%; p = 0.50) based on the overall rate of SSI. Also, there was no significant difference in both superficial incisional infections (1.08% vs. 2.01%; p = 0.21) and deep incisional infections (0.72% vs. 0.37%; p = 0.35). The overall rate of adverse skin reaction was significantly higher in the OLG group than in the PVP-I group (2.16% vs. 0.73%; p = 0.047). CONCLUSIONS: This retrospective study demonstrated that OLG has an efficacy similar to PVP-I in preventing SSI in clean orthopaedic surgery. However, adverse skin reactions at the application site of OLG requires more attention.

Tibial spastic varus foot caused by os calcaneus secundarius: A case report.

Peroneal spastic flatfoot caused by tarsal coalition is well known; however, tibial spastic varus foot is a rare clinical entity also caused by tarsal coalition in most cases. The os calcaneus secundarius is a rare accessory bone between the anterior process of the calcaneus and the navicular bone. The case of a 29-year-old woman with tibial spastic varus foot caused by os calcaneus secundarius is presented. Operative excision of the os calcaneus secundarius completely resolved the varus deformity. This is the first case report involving tibial spastic varus foot caused by os calcaneus secundarius.

Factors Influencing Serum Homocysteine Levels in Postmenopausal Osteoporotic Females - Comparison to Urinary Collagen Crosslinks.

Purpose: The correlation between serum levels of homocysteine and bone mineral density remains controversial. The aim of this study was to identify the potential factors associated with the levels of serum total homocysteine (S-Hcy) and urinary N-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (U-NTX) in female osteoporotic patients. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study included 163 female osteoporotic patients, aged between 48 and 91 years, who had never been treated with anti-osteoporosis therapy. Background data including spine and hip bone mineral density, ongoing therapy for the metabolic disease, aortic calcification score as evaluated by lateral lumbar X-ray film, and recent fragility fracture history were obtained. S-Hcy, U-NTX levels, and creatinine clearance were measured. Results: Multiple linear regression analysis revealed a significant correlation between S-Hcy levels and aortic calcification score (p = 0.022), creatinine clearance (p = 0.004), and recent fracture history (within 1 year after fracture) (p = 0.028); conversely, U-NTX levels correlated significantly with total hip bone mineral density (p < 0.0001) and recent fracture history (p = 0.0007). Conclusions: S-Hcy levels had no correlation with bone mineral density, but were associated with the degree of aortic calcification, renal function, and fracture events. These confounding factors should be taken into consideration when the relationship between S-Hcy and bone mineral density is discussed.

Serum homocysteine levels are affected by renal function during a 3-year period of minodronate therapy in female osteoporotic patients.

Serum homocysteine is a possible marker to indicate bone quality. However, it is not clear whether changes are seen in serum homocysteine levels with long-term bisphosphonate therapy. We aimed to investigate the factors affecting serum homocysteine levels during a 3-year period of monthly minodronate therapy in osteoporotic women, and to examine if the serum homocysteine levels could reflect some aspects of bone metabolism. The study included 43 patients (age 72.3 ± 7.0 years) undergoing treatment for osteoporosis for the first time (New group) and 35 patients (age 74.4 ± 8.2 years) who switched from alendronate or risedronate to minodronate (Switch group). Minodronate (50 mg/every 4 weeks) was administered for 36 months. Lumbar, femoral neck, and total hip bone mineral densities (BMD), and serum homocysteine levels were monitored at baseline and after 9, 18, 27, and 36 months of treatment. Lumbar BMD increased significantly in both groups (New group 11.4%, Switch group 6.2%). However, femoral neck and total hip BMDs increased only in the New group (femoral neck 3.6%, total hip 4.1%). Serum homocysteine levels increased significantly at 18 and 27 months in all subjects. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that changes in homocysteine levels during 18, 27, and 36 months significantly correlated with changes in creatinine clearance during the same corresponding periods (18 months: B = - 0.472, p = 0.003; 27 months: B = - 0.375, p = 0.021; 36 months: B = - 0.445, p = 0.012). Thus, serum homocysteine levels possibly reflect renal function instead of bone metabolism during minodronate therapy.

Sex-Related Differences in the Developmental Morphology of the Atlas: A Computed Tomography Study.

STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective study. OBJECTIVE: To elucidate sex-related differences in the age at synchondroses closure, the normative size of the atlas, and the ossification patterns of the atlas in Japanese children. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: The atlas develops from three ossification centers during childhood. The anterior and posterior synchondroses, which are separate ossification centers, mimic fracture lines on computed tomography (CT). Sex-related differences of age dependent morphological changes of the atlas in a large sample size have not been reported. METHODS: This study analyzed data of 688 subjects (449 boys) between 0 and 18 years old who underwent CT examination of the head and/or neck between January 2010 and July 2016. The age at synchondroses closure, anteroposterior outer, inner, and spinal canal widths of the atlas, and variations of the ossification centers were examined. RESULTS: Anterior synchondroses closed by 10 years in boys and by 7 years in girls. Significant earlier closure of anterior synchondroses was observed in girls than in boys (P < 0.05 at 4 and 5 years old). Posterior synchondrosis closed by 6 years in boys and by 5 years in girls. The outer, inner, and spinal canal widths increased up to 10 to 15 years in both sexes, although all three parameters in girls peaked 3 years earlier than those in boys. All parameters in boys were significantly larger than those in girls, except in the 10- to 12-year-old age category. Two or more ossification centers in the anterior arch were observed in 18.3% subjects, and 6% had midline ossification centers in the posterior arch of the atlas. CONCLUSION: Distinct sex-related differences in the age at anterior synchondroses closure and the size of the atlas were observed in Japanese children. Knowledge of morphological features of the atlas could help distinguish fractures from synchondroses. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3.