Spinous Process Splitting Laminectomy for Lumbar Spinal Stenosis: 2D Operative Video.

Degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis involves an acquired reduction in the spinal canal diameter due to osteoarthritic changes on the disk, facet joints, and ligaments and may result in spinal cord or cauda equina compression.1 This process may lead to pain radiating to the legs, neurogenic claudication, and neurologic deficit. First-line treatment includes conservative care such as physical therapy, spinal injections, and lifestyle changes. If this strategy is insufficient to achieve symptom relief, surgical management is recommended.1,2 Surgery generally encompasses a decompression procedure through a posterior approach. There are several techniques to accomplish this in the context of severe bilateral stenosis including standard open laminectomy, unilateral laminectomy with bilateral decompression, and a tubular approach with bilateral decompression (e.g., "over-the-top technique").2 Among these, the spinous process splitting laminectomy has emerged as a strategy that allows decompressing the spinal canal through a familiar anatomy to the surgeon while respecting paravertebral muscles.3,4 This technique involves exposure of the laminae by cutting through the spinous process and then separating both halves and muscles attached at the sides. The main advantage is that the insertion of these paravertebral soft tissues is preserved, the required retraction is reduced and postoperative pain is decreased.4 Moreover, the learning curve to achieve a successful decompression employing the splitting laminectomy is substantially shorter than with other minimally invasive approaches, such as tubular. This video aims to show the steps to perform this technique (Video 1). We report the case of a 74-year-old male who presented with left sciatica and neurogenic claudication. The images showed multilevel degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis, with severe bilateral compression at L4-5, without signs of instability. Surgical alternatives were discussed with the patient, and it was decided to perform an L4-5 spinous process splitting laminectomy. The patient had a good evolution with an unremarkable postoperative course.

Influence of the misdef algorithm on the therapeutic decision for vertebral deformity in the adult / Influência do algoritmo misdef na decisão terapêutica de deformidade vertebral em adultos / Influencia del algoritmo misdef en la decisión terapéutica de deformidad vertebral en adultos

ABSTRACT Objective The therapeutic decision in cases of adult spinal deformity takes numerous factors into account with a consequent variability in treatment options. The objective is to compare the impact of the MISDEF (minimally invasive spine deformity) algorithm on therapeutic decisions in cases of adult spinal deformity. Methods Prospective radiographic analysis of 40 cases of adult deformity. The cases were sent, in two steps, to 20 Latin American surgeons who had to choose among six treatment options with and without the use of the MISDEF. Results For the conducts of decompression, decompression and short fusion, decompression and fusion with interbody device, and osteotomy with extension of fusion to the thoracic spine, no significant differences were found when comparing decisions made with and without MISDEF. For osteotomy, we observed a tendency for the number of surgeons choosing this conduct to increase when the decision is made with MISDEF. We observed that the number of surgeons who decided on conservative treatment decreased with the use of MISDEF (p <0.001). In cases with sagittal vertical axis <6 cm or pelvic tilt <25 ° or PI-LL (pelvic incidence minus lumbar lordosis) <10 ° or coronal curve <20 °, there was a decrease in the conservative treatment option and an increase in osteotomy with proximal extension of the fusion with the use of MISDEF. Conclusions There is a tendency to increase indications of osteotomy and decrease the conservative treatment option when making a decision with MISDEF. The use of the algorithm showed no significant impact on the therapeutic decision in severe cases of adult deformity. Level of Evidence II; Prospective comparative radiographic analysis.

RESUMO Objetivo A decisão terapêutica em casos de deformidade vertebral em adultos considera inúmeros fatores com consequente variabilidade na opção de tratamento. O objetivo consiste em comparar o impacto do algoritmo MISDEF (minimally invasive spine deformity) na decisão terapêutica em casos de deformidade vertebral em adultos. Métodos Análise radiográfica prospectiva de 40 casos de deformidade em adultos. Os casos foram enviados, em duas etapas, para 20 cirurgiões da América Latina que deveriam escolher entre seis opções de tratamento sem e com a utilização do MISDEF. Resultados Para as condutas descompressão, descompressão e fusão curta, descompressão e fusão com dispositivo intersomático e osteotomia com extensão para coluna torácica não foram encontradas diferenças significativas quando comparadas às decisões sem e com MISDEF. Para osteotomia, observa-se uma tendência de que o número de cirurgiões que escolhe essa conduta aumenta quando a decisão é feita com MISDEF. Observou-se que o número de cirurgiões que decide por tratamento conservador diminui com a utilização do MISDEF (p<0,001). Em casos com eixo vertical sagital <6 cm ou inclinação pélvica <25° ou IP-LL (incidência pélvica menos lordose lombar) <10° ou curva coronal <20°, houve diminuição da opção por tratamento conservador e aumento da indicação de osteotomia com extensão proximal da fusão com o uso do MISDEF. Conclusões Há uma tendência em aumentar as indicações de osteotomia e diminuir a opção por tratamento conservador na tomada de decisão com MISDEF. A utilização do algoritmo não demonstrou impacto expressivo na decisão terapêutica em casos graves de deformidade em adultos. Nível de evidência II; Análise radiográfica prospectiva comparativa.

RESUMEN Objetivo La decisión terapéutica en casos de deformidad en adultos considera innumerables factores, con la consiguiente variabilidad en la opción de tratamiento. El objetivo consiste en comparar el impacto del algoritmo MISDEF (minimally invasive spine deformity) en la decisión terapéutica en casos de deformidad vertebral en adultos. Métodos Análisis radiográfico prospectivo de 40 casos de deformidad del adulto. Los casos fueron enviados, en dos etapas, a 20 cirujanos de América Latina que deberían elegir entre seis opciones de tratamiento sin y con uso del MISDEF. Resultados Para las conductas descompresión, descompresión y fusión corta, descompresión y fusión con dispositivo intersomático y osteotomía con extensión para columna torácica, no se encontraron diferencias significativas al comparar decisiones sin y con MISDEF. Para osteotomía, se observa una tendencia de que el número de cirujanos que elige esta conducta aumenta cuando la decisión es hecha con MISDEF. Se observó que el número de cirujanos que decide por tratamiento conservador disminuye con el uso del MISDEF (p <0,001). En casos con eje vertical sagital <6 cm o inclinación pélvica <25° o IP-LL (incidencia pélvica menos lordosis lumbar) <10° o curva coronal <20°, hubo disminución de la opción por tratamiento conservador y aumento de la indicación de osteotomía con extensión proximal de fusión con el uso del MISDEF. Conclusiones Hay una tendencia en aumentar las indicaciones de osteotomía y disminuir la opción por tratamiento conservador en la toma de decisión con MISDEF. El uso del algoritmo no mostró impacto expresivo en la decisión terapéutica en casos graves de deformidad en adultos . Nivel de evidencia II; Análisis radiográfico prospectivo comparativo.

Partial Sacrectomy for Resection of a Sacral Chordoma: 2-Dimensional Operative Video.

Sacral chordomas are infrequent tumors that arise from remnants of the notochord. They are most often found in the sacrum and skull-base.1,2 These lesions rarely metastasize and usually have an indolent and oligosymptomatic clinical course. Chordomas show low sensitivity to standard radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Operative resection with wide resection margins offers the best long-term prognosis, including longer survival and local control.1,3 However, achieving a complete resection with oncological margins may be difficult because of the anatomic complexity of the sacrococcygeal region.4 The main complications of sacral resection include infections, wound closure defects, and anorectal and urogenital dysfunction. The rate of these complications is significantly increased when the tumor involves the S2 level or above. We report the case of a 64-yr-old male who presented with progressive sacrococcygeal pain and a feeling of incomplete evacuation. A heterogeneous, osteolytic lesion was found at the sacrococcygeal region. Full body imaging tests were negative for other lesions. A computed tomography (CT) guided biopsy was made. We usually use the midline approach in case we have to include the needle path in the resection. The pathology confirmed a sacrococcygeal, low-grade chordoma. We decided to perform an en bloc resection. A posterior, partial sacrectomy was planned distal to the S4 level.

[Spino-pelvic sagittal parameters in an asymptomatic population in Argentina]. / Parámetros sagitales espino-pélvicos en una población asintomática Argentina.

OBJECTIVES: To assess and describe spinal and pelvic sagittal parameters in a series of 100 Argentinian volunteers. METHODS: Lateral full-spine X-rays were obtained prospectively from 100 volunteers (30 males and 70 females), average age 34.1 years. All the volunteers were asymptomatic at the time of the study. Full-length left lateral spine radiographs (36'' cassette) were made using Kodak Elite CR equipment. The authors made determinations for the digital X-rays using Surgimap®, version 2.2.9.9.2. The following parameters were recorded: C7 SVA, C2-C7 CL, TK, LL, TPA, T1SPi, PI, PT, SS, L4-S1 angle, L1-L4 angle, PI-LL mismatch and CTPA. The data were analyzed using Medcalc 11.2 software. Descriptive statistics were calculated for each parameter according to its own measure score and distribution. Estimates of 95% reference and confidence intervals were calculated for each parameter. P = 0.05 was set as the threshold for statistical significance. Volunteers were classified using the Roussouly morphometric classification system. RESULTS: Respective means for the above-listed variables were: CL -10.04, TK 30.14, T1SPi -6.5, L1-L4 -12.45, L4-S1 -46.16, CTPA 2.5, TPA 4.65, PT 11.22, PI 48.04, LL -59. 10, PI-LL -11.11, C7 SVA mm -23.68. Plus/minus two standard deviations (SD) for the variables were: CL (-33.26, 13.12); TK (17.15, 43.30); T1SPi (-11.78, -1.25), L1-L4 (-25.55, 0.25), L4-S1 (-64.44, -27.55), CTPA (0.33, 4.80), TPA (-8.64, 18.22), PT (-1.99, 24.75), PI (25.23, 71.44), LL (-78.74, -39.89), PI-LL (-29.10, 7.04), and C7 SVA mm (-79.45, 32.08). CONCLUSIONS: In this prospective series of 100 adult volunteers, normal values for spinal and pelvic sagittal parameters were determined in Argentinian adults.