Volar, Splitting, and Collapsed Type of Die-Punch Fracture Treated by Volar Locking Plate (VLP): A Retrospective Study.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the results of different types of die-punch fractures treated by volar locking plate (VLP). METHODS: Between January 2013 and February 2018, a total of 71 patients with die-punch fracture of distal radius were treated by VLP and their medical records were retrospectively reviewed. Of them, 18 were classified as volar type, 24 as splitting type, and 28 as collapsed type of fracture, based on the preoperative radiographs and CT scans. The minimum follow-up period was 12 months. Radiological parameters, wrist function, range of motion (ROM), and complications were evaluated and compared. Pearson chi-square test was used to assess the difference of gender distribution, injury side, dominance, mechanism, type and classification of fracture, and postoperative complications, when necessary (P < 0.05), followed by pairwise comparisons using partitions of chi-square test. Two-tailed P value <0.05 was considered as statistically significant. For pairwise comparisons, adjustment of statistical level as P < 0.017 (0.05/3) was used. SPSS 21.0 was used to perform all the analyses. RESULTS: The mean follow-up time was 14.5 months, and at the mean of postoperative 8 weeks all patients obtained bony union, without delayed or non-union. The grip strength was 26.6 ± 7.9 kg for patients in volar fracture group, 27.0 ± 9.4 kg in splitting group, and 26.2 ± 9.4 kg in collapsed group, without significant difference (P = 0.628).The disabilities of the arm, shoulder, and hand (DASH) (9.2 ± 10.0 for volar group, 8.8 ± 7.9 for splitting group, and 10.6 ± 8.7 for collapsed group) or Gartland-Werley score (5.1 ± 2.8 for volar group, 4.8 ± 3.2 for splitting group, and 6.4 ± 2.7 for collapsed group) either did not differ among the three groups (all P > 0.05). There was a poorer ROM in the group of collapsed fractures, but the difference was non-significant for any parameter (P > 0.05). As for radiographic parameters, we did not find any significant difference for volar tilt, radial inclination, radial height, and ulnar variance (all P > 0.05), except for articular step-off (P < 0.001). Pairwise comparisons showed a significantly greater step-off (1.2 mm vs 0.4 mm, 0.5 mm) and higher rate of total complications in group of collapsed fracture (39.3%), compared to either volar (10.5%) or splitting type (12.5%). CONCLUSIONS: The collapsed type of die-punch fracture posed a greater articular step-off and a higher rate of complications, especially secondary wrist osteoarthritis, which deserved more attention in clinical treatment.

Radiographic Restoration of Sagittal Spinopelvic Alignment After Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion in Degenerative Spondylolisthesis.

STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective study. OBJECTIVES: This study was aimed to analyze the changes in spinopelvic parameters after surgical correction of degenerative spondylolisthesis and to determine which deformity is most responsible for changes in sagittal spinopelvic alignment. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: The basic deformities of degenerative spondylolisthesis are forward slippage of the vertebral body, segmental kyphotic angle, and loss of disk height. Correction of those deformities during surgery will subsequently affect the spinopelvic parameters. A few studies have reported the changes of sagittal spinopelvic alignment after surgical treatment of isthmic spondylolisthesis. However, there appears to be relatively little information regarding degenerative spondylolisthesis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-three patients with L4-L5 degenerative spondylolisthesis were included. All patients underwent posterior lumbar interbody fusion and posterior instrumentation. Back pain, as the clinical outcome, was evaluated by visual analogue scale (VAS). The preoperative and postoperative spinopelvic parameters, including sacral slope (SS), pelvic tilt (PT), lumbar lordosis (LL), and L1 axis S1 distance were measured, and then the correlations between spinopelvic parameters and local deformity parameters such as slip degree, slip angle (SA), and height of the intervertebral disk were evaluated. RESULTS: After surgical correction of local deformity, all spinopelvic parameters changed subsequently: PT and L1 axis S1 distance had a decrease, SS and LL had an increase. VAS score decreased from 6.1±2.3 before surgery to 2.4±1.7 at the final follow-up assessment. Patients with VAS score changes ≥3 showed significantly higher SS and LL, and lower PT compared with those with VAS score changes <3. Among deformity parameters, restoration of the SA revealed significant correlation with improvement of LL (r=0.32, P=0.02), increase of SS (r=0.29, P=0.03), and decrease of PT (r=-0.29, P=0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Surgical correction of degenerative spondylolisthesis with posterior lumbar interbody fusion and posterior instrumentation resulted in relief of back pain, which may be associated with improvement of sagittal spinopelvic alignment. Surgeons should consider deformity parameters, especially the SA, in the surgical treatment of degenerative spondylolisthesis.

Predictive factors relating to prognosis of anterior decompressive surgery for proximal-type cervical spondylotic amyotrophy.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Cervical spondylotic amyotrophy (CSA) is a relatively rare disorder. This study was conducted to elucidate the prognosis of proximal-type CSA after anterior decompressive surgery by evaluating clinical factors and imaging findings. METHODS: Anterior decompressive surgery was performed in 40 patients with proximal-type CSA between March 2000 and December 2011. Patients were classified into 2 categories based on axial T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings: "nerve root compression (NRC)", with nerve root compressed at the intervertebral foramen, and "spinal cord compression (SCC)" with spinal cord compressed at the medial or paramedial site of spinal canal. Manual muscle testing (MMT) was used to evaluate the surgical effect. Scapular, deltoid, and biceps brachii muscles of the affected side were tested and the sum scores were calculated. Clinical factors and imaging findings, such as age, duration of disease, preoperative MMT grade, number of affected levels and signal intensity changes of spinal cord, were collected to analyze prognostic factors. RESULTS: After anterior decompressive surgery, 30 patients (75%) showed an improvement. NRC was observed in 6 patients and SCC in the rest 34 patients based on MRI findings. All patients (100%) with NRC had an improvement, while only 24 patients (70.6%) with SCC improved. In patients with SCC, there was a significant difference in duration of disease between patients who had an improvement and those who had not (P< 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Anterior decompressive surgery is effective in the treatment of most patients with CSA. NRC on MRI may indicate a good surgical outcome. In patients with SCC, a long duration of disease is a risk factor for poor prognosis.

Incidence of subsequent vertebral body fractures after vertebroplasty.

The causal relationship between vertebroplasty and new-onset vertebral fractures remains unproved. We undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials to assess whether vertebroplasty increases the incidence of new vertebral fractures and adjacent vertebral fractures. A systematic literature search of PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane Library databases up to April 2013 was conducted. Eligible studies were randomized controlled trials of osteoporotic vertebral fracture patients receiving vertebroplasty. Risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated and heterogeneity was assessed with both the chi-squared test and the I(2) test. Four studies with a total of 454 patients met the inclusion criteria. All four studies described the incidence of new vertebral fractures and three studies described adjacent vertebral fractures. The pooled results revealed that vertebroplasty was not associated with a significant increase in the incidence of new vertebral fractures (RR 1.12, 95% CI 0.75-1.67; p=0.59) or adjacent vertebral fractures (RR 2.31, 95% CI 0.36-15.06; p=0.38). Based on available evidence, it cannot be concluded that vertebroplasty can significantly increase the postoperative rate of new vertebral fractures and adjacent vertebral fractures. However, due to some limitations, the results of this meta-analysis should be cautiously accepted, but further studies are needed.

Comparison of vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty in the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures with intravertebral clefts.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have compared the surgical outcomes of vertebroplasty (VP) and kyphoplasty (KP) in the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (VCFs) with intravertebral clefts. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted to review patients with a single-level osteoporotic VCF treated by VP or KP. Intravertebral clefts were assessed by preoperative computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance scans. All enrolled patients were followed up for 12 months. Clinical outcomes, radiological findings and complications were evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 53 patients were available for data analysis. Most of the fractures (75.5 %) occurred in the region of the thoracolumbar junction (T10-L2). Twenty-four patients received VP and 29 patients received KP. Patients in both group had significant pain relief after surgery (P < 0.01). Compared with VP group, there was a significant lower visual analogue scale (VAS) score in KP group at the 6- (P = 0.04) and 12-month follow-up (P = 0.02), but the decreased values of VAS score had no significant correlation with the magnitude of deformity correction. Restoration of vertebral body height and reduction in kyphotic angle were achieved in both groups, and the magnitude of correction was more significant in KP group (P < 0.01). Cement leakage rate in VP group (66.7 %) was higher than that in KP group (20.7 %), and there was a significant difference (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Intravertebral clefts occur primarily at the thoracolumbar junction and can be detected easily by CT and magnetic resonance imaging scans. Both VP and KP are effective in the treatment of clefts, but patients in KP group tend to have a better pain relief at the medium and long-term follow-up. However, the better pain relief effect of KP cannot be attributed to the higher magnitude of deformity correction.

Evaluation of conservative treatment and timing of surgical intervention for mild forms of cervical spondylotic myelopathy.

The optimal management approach for patients with mild forms of cervical spondylotic myelopathy (MCSM) has not been well established. The aim of the present study was to investigate the outcome of conservative treatment, identify prognostic factors and provide evidence for the timing of surgical intervention. A total of 90 patients with MCSM attending hospital between February 2007 and January 2009 were prospectively enrolled. Initially, all patients received conservative treatment and were followed up periodically. When a deterioration in myelopathy was clearly identified, surgical treatment was conducted. Clinical and radiological factors correlating with the deterioration were examined, and final clinical outcomes were evaluated using the Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score. At the end of January 2012, follow-ups of >3 years were completed. Seventy-eight patients were available for data analysis. Only 21 patients (26.9%) deteriorated and underwent surgery thereafter (group A), while the remaining 57 patients (73.1%) were treated conservatively throughout (group B). Statistical analysis revealed that segmental instability and cervical spinal stenosis were adverse factors for the prognosis of conservative treatment. Although the JOA scores of the patients in group A declined initially, following surgical intervention, no significant differences were identified in JOA scores between the two groups at the time of the final follow-up (P=0.46). In summary, conservative treatment is effective in MCSM patients. Patients with segmental instability and cervical spinal stenosis have a tendency to deteriorate, but conservative treatment remains the recommendation for the first action. If the myelopathy deteriorates during conservative treatment, timely surgical intervention is effective.