[Comparative analysis of the results of anterior decompression-stabilization techniques in the treatment of degenerative stenosis of the cervical spine in elderly patients: a retrospective study.]

The purpose of the study was to compare the clinical and radiological efficacy of 2-level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) and 1-level anterior cervical corpectomy and fusion (ACCF) in the treatment of two-segment degenerative stenosis of the cervical spine in elderly patients. The retrospective study included 74 elderly patients (over 60 years old), two cohorts were identified: the 1st (n=38) - patients who underwent staged 2-level ACDF; the 2nd (n=36) - patients operated on using the technique of 1-level ACCF. For comparative analysis, we used general information about patients (gender, age, body mass index, physical status according to ASA), characteristics of surgical interventions (time of surgery, volume of blood loss), features of the postoperative period, clinical data, radiological outcomes, and the presence of complications. Analysis of the results was carried out in a minimum period of 36 months. As a result, it was found that 2-level ACDF in the treatment of two-segment degenerative stenosis of the cervical spine in older patients is associated with less blood loss and the level of local pain syndrome. At the same time, better clinical outcomes and fewer revision interventions after 1-level ACCF were recorded in the long-term postoperative period.

[Long-term results and predictors of postoperative outcomes in patients with cauda equina syndrome following degenerative lumbar spine disease]. / Otdalennye rezul'taty i faktory, vliyayushchie na iskhod khirurgicheskogo lecheniya sindroma konskogo khvosta, obuslovlennogo degenerativnym zabolevaniem poyasnichnogo otdela pozvonochnika.

Cauda equina syndrome (CES) associated with acute disc extrusion or spinal stenosis often requires emergency surgery. Analysis of the Pubmed, Medline and eLibrary databases revealed a few studies devoted to long-term postoperative outcomes in patients with CES caused by degenerative spine disease. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate long-term postoperative results and predictors of clinical and neurological outcomes in patients with CES caused by degenerative lumbar spine disease. MATERIAL AND METHODS. D: Ecompressive and decompressive-stabilizing procedures were performed in 211 patients with CES caused by degenerative lumbar spine disease between 2000 and 2020. Long-term clinical parameters were available in 174 patients with mean follow-up period of 7 years. Sixty-eight patients had unsatisfactory postoperative outcomes. We assessed postoperative clinical and neurological outcomes in patients with CES and predictors of these outcomes. RESULTS: We identified the following predictors of clinical and neurological outcomes using binary logistic regression model: period between clinical manifestation and surgery >48 hours, preoperative neurological impairment, spinal canal diameter, surgical procedure, dimension of herniated disc, ASA score and long-term postoperative analgesia with narcotic analgesics. CONCLUSION: Preoperative planning and possible correction of the above-mentioned risk factors will potentially improve postoperative outcomes in patients with CES caused by degenerative lumbar spine disease.

[Comparative analysis of the results of decompressive interventions in elderly patients with cauda equine syndrome caused by lumbar spinal stenosis.]

The aim of the study was to evaluate the results of surgical treatment and the effectiveness of clinical recovery in elderly patients with cauda equina syndrome (CES) caused by degenerative spinal canal stenosis after isolated open and minimally invasive decompression. A retrospective analysis of the results of surgical treatment of 50 patients over 60 years of age who underwent isolated open (n=21) and minimally invasive (n=29) decompressive interventions for CES caused by lumbar spinal stenosis was performed. For comparative analysis, we used the technical features of the intervention, the specificity of postoperative management of patients, clinical parameters, and the number of perioperative complications. As a result, the advantages of minimally invasive isolated decompression compared to open decompression due to a smaller volume of blood loss and duration of hospitalization, low need for postoperative pain relief, a minimum number of perioperative surgical complications, as well as the dynamics of neurological symptoms, better efficiency of clinical recovery of functional state indicators according to ODI and quality life according to SF-36 in the late postoperative period.

[Results of the study of functional recovery of professional athletes after minimally invasive lumbar fusion]. / Rezul'taty provedeniya minimal'no-invazivnogo poyasnichnogo spondilodeza u professional'nykh sportsmenov.

OBJECTIVE: To conduct a comprehensive clinical-neurological assessment and to study the results of functional recovery of professional athletes after minimally invasive lumbar interbody fusion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The retrospective study included 27 patients-professional athletes who were operated on using minimally invasive decompression and stabilization techniques in the period 2010 to 2019. Clinical-neurological effectiveness was assessed when returning to previous sports activity was 14 (9; 17) weeks and 4 (3; 5) years after surgery. RESULTS: The follow-up showed a significant improvement in clinical and neurological parameters: persistent elimination of radicular and muscular-skeletal symptoms, a decrease in the level of pain according to a visual analogue scale in the lumbar spine from 68 (61; 85) mm to 3 (2; 11) mm (p=0.002) and in the lower extremities from 84 (78; 91) mm to 1 (0; 3) mm (p=0.001), change in the physical component of health from 26.18 (23.58; 28.37) to 49.82 (49.03; 53.04) (p=0.002) and the psychological component of health from 27.87 (26.22; 29.29) to 52.18 (49.12; 55.66) (p=0.001), significant improvement in the perception of physical activity according to the Borg RPE Scale from 17 (16; 18) points to 9 (8; 9) (p<0.001). In one case (3.7%), the patient did not return to his previous sports career. CONCLUSION: The use of minimally invasive rigid stabilization in the overwhelming majority of professional athletes made it possible in the shortest possible time to achieve regression of neurological symptoms, reduce pain, improve the quality of life, restore the functional state and return to previous sports activities.

Accelerated Recovery Program for Patients with Polysegmental Degenerative Lumbar Spine Disease.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the accelerated recovery program for patients with polysegmental degenerative diseases of the lumbar spine. Materials and Methods: This prospective study included 53 patients who underwent two-level transforaminal interbody fusion in the LII-SI segments. Two groups were identified: in group 1 (n=24), operations were performed using the accelerated recovery program; in group 2 (n=29), open rigid stabilization was used under traditional intravenous anesthesia. The end-point parameters were the number of bed-days spent in the hospital after the operation, the number of perioperative surgical complications and adverse effects of anesthesia, and the number of re-hospitalizations within 90 days. We also recorded the time of patient activation, the level of pain around the operated zone (using a visual analogue scale), and the quality of life in the long-term postoperative period (median 18 months); the latter was assessed using the SF-36 questionnaire (physical and psychological components of health). Results: Patients under the accelerated recovery program were found to have a shorter duration of surgery and anesthesia, less blood loss, lower amounts of injected opioids, faster verticalization, and a reduced period of inpatient treatment (p<0.05 for all parameters). As compared to group 2, patients in group 1 had a lower level of pain in the surgery zone (p<0.05), better long-term indicators of the physical and psychological components of health (p<0.05), a lower number of anesthesia-associated adverse events (p<0.05), and a lower rate of postoperative complications (p<0.05). During the 90-day postoperative observation, four patients of group 2 (13.8%) were urgently referred to a medical institution for additional medical care. Conclusion: The accelerated recovery program for two-level interbody fusion showed its safety and high clinical efficiency in the treatment of patients with polysegmental degenerative diseases of the lumbar spine. The program can be used in any center for spine surgery where effective interaction between polyvalent medical and nursing teams is maintained.

[Results of minimally invasive lumbar fusion in professional athletes: a single-center retrospective study]. / Rezul'taty minimal'no invazivnogo poyasnichnogo spondilodeza u professional'nykh sportsmenov: odnotsentrovoe retrospektivnoe issledovanie.

Professional athletes have a high basic level of physical fitness and significant motivation for returning to previous rhythm of functional activity within the shortest period after trauma without deterioration of baseline level of sportsmanship. Despite the well-presented results of lumbar spine fusion in general population, these data among professional athletes are not well understood. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the results of minimally invasive lumbar fusion in professional athletes. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective study included 27 athletes (19 men and 8 women) aged 29 (26; 34) years after minimally invasive lumbar spine decompression and fusion via anterior, lateral and posterior approaches. Total lumbar lordosis, degenerative changes in adjacent segment, area of multifidus muscle, perioperative complications and timing of sports rehabilitation were analyzed within 3-5 (mean 4) years after surgery. RESULTS: We found an increase of total lumbar lordosis from 35.2° to 44.1° (p=0.02), no significant muscle atrophy (<30%) and degeneration of adjacent segment (p>0.05). There were 5 perioperative complications (18.5%). Mean period of sports rehabilitation was 14 (9; 17) weeks. One (3.7%) patient did not return to his previous sports career. CONCLUSION: Minimally invasive short-segment lumbar interbody fusion in professional athletes is characterized by low risk of fixation element failure, no significant degeneration of adjacent level and postoperative muscle atrophy. This procedure ensures early rehabilitation and returning to sports.

[Effectiveness of simultaneous and staged minimally invasive dorsal decompression-stabilization procedures in patients with lumbar spine degenerative diseases]. / Sravnenie effektivnosti ispol'zovaniya simul'tannykh i etapnykh minimal'no-invazivnykh dorsal'nykh dekompressivno-stabiliziruyushchikh vmeshatel'stv u patsientov s degenerativnymi zabolevaniyami poyasnichnogo otdela pozvonochnika.

Minimally invasive procedures reduce the trauma of spine surgery. However, they are associated with high complexity of manipulations, long learning curve, need for expensive equipment for intraoperative navigation and significant irradiation. Various options for surgical approaches are being developed to reduce irradiation of medical staff and patients, surgery time and the number of drugs administered for general anesthesia. Simultaneous surgical interventions (SiSI) is one of these options. OBJECTIVE: To compare the effectiveness of simultaneous and staged minimally invasive dorsal decompression-stabilization procedures in patients with lumbar spine degenerative diseases. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A prospective study included 67 patients (41 men and 26 women) aged 48 (34; 56) years who underwent a single-level minimally invasive spinal root decompression and transforaminal interbody fusion via Wiltse posterior-lateral approach. Two study groups were distinguished: group I (simultaneous surgical interventions, SiSI) (n=29), in which guide spokes and transpedicular screws were installed simultaneously by two surgeons within one x-ray session from two sides; group II (staged surgical interventions, StSI) (n=38), in which staged transpedicular stabilization was performed (decompression side followed by contralateral side). Mean follow-up was 14 months in group I and 20 months in group II. We considered intraoperative fluoroscopy and irradiation dose, duration of surgery and anesthesia with calculation of doses of opioid drugs, blood loss, time of activation, hospital-stay and perioperative morbidity. Clinical outcomes were studied in long-term postoperative period. RESULTS: Simultaneous approach ensured less time of intraoperative fluoroscopy (p=0.029) and irradiation dose (p=0.035), duration of surgery (p=0.01) and anesthesia (p=0.02), amount of opioid drugs during anesthesia (p=0.017). Blood loss, duration of activation and hospitals-stay were similar in both groups (p=0.35, p=0.12 and p=0.57, respectively). There was comparable improvement in VAS score of pain in the lumbar spine and lower extremities in both groups (p=0.63 and p=0.31, respectively). According to SF-36 questionnaire, there was no between-group difference in physical and psychological components (p=0.44 and p=0.72, respectively). There was significantly greater number of adverse effects of anesthesia in the StSI group (26.2% vs. 6.8%, p=0.003). At the same time, the number of surgical postoperative complications was similar in both groups (3.4% vs. 5.3%, p=0.62). CONCLUSION: Simultaneous minimally invasive dorsal decompression-stabilization procedures have some significant advantages over staged approach regarding intraoperative parameters and adverse effects of anesthesia in patients with lumbar spine degenerative diseases. Nevertheless, there were similar clinical data and small incidence of surgical perioperative complications.

[The effectiveness of local application of vancomycin powder in the prevention of surgical site infections in spine surgery: a meta-analysis]. / Effektivnost' lokal'nogo primeneniya poroshka vankomitsina v profilaktike infektsii oblasti khirurgicheskogo vmeshatel'stva v spinal'noi khirurgii: metaanaliz.

OBJECTIVE: To perform a meta-analysis of studies examining the effectiveness of the local application of vancomycin powder for the prophylaxis of surgical site infections (SSIs) in spine surgery. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective cohort studies and prospective randomized clinical trials were searched for in the Pubmed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library and eLibrary databases published from 2008 to December 2018. For the resulting variables, the odds ratio and 95% confidence interval were calculated using random and fixed effects models. Estimation of the degree of heterogeneity is estimated using the coefficient I2. Statistically significant differences were considered differences p<0.05. RESULTS: The meta-analysis included 28 clinical studies that included the results of the local application of vancomycin powder in 17,469 patients after performing various spinal surgical interventions. Two publications had a prospective, randomized, controlled study design. Topical application of vancomycin powder reduces the incidence of SSIs after spine surgery (p<0.0001). The use of vancomycin powder reduces the incidence of SSIs in patients operated on with stabilizing implants (p=0.004). On the other hand, the topical application of vancomycin powder did not affect the prevalence of SSIs in respondents who were operated on without the use of stabilizing implants (p=0.12) or due to deformities of the spine (p=0.06). CONCLUSION: Topical application of vancomycin powder is highly effective in preventing the development of SSIs in patients after spinal surgical interventions.

[Evaluation of the results of using the accelerated recovery program after performing two-level lumbar spinal fusion in patients of an older age group.]

The aim of the study was to evaluate the results of using the accelerated recovery program after performing two-level lumbar spinal fusion in patients of an older age group. The results of surgical treatment of 29 patients older than 65 years with multisegmental degenerative diseases of the lumbar region, who performed minimally invasive two-level rigid stabilization using the concept of «accelerated recovery program¼ (PAR), were retrospectively studied. We studied the technical features of surgical interventions, the specificity of the postoperative period, the number of adverse outcomes of anesthetic benefits and perioperative surgical complications, the frequency of repeated hospitalizations for 90 days. Clinical parameters were used to evaluate the effectiveness of PAR: the level of pain in the area of operation according to the visual analogue scale (VAS) during hospitalization, the quality of life of patients on the SF-36 questionnaire, and patient satisfaction with the result of treatment using the Macnab scale. As a result, it was established that the introduced PAR after performing two-level lumbar spinal fusion in patients of an older age group provides the minimum number of adverse consequences of anesthesiological aid and perioperative surgical complications, a significant restoration of the quality of life and high patient satisfaction with the treatment.

[Possibilities and advantages of minimally invasive dorsal decompressive-stabilizing interventions in the treatment of degenerative spondylolisthesis of the elderly patients.]

The purpose of the study was a comparative analysis of the clinical and radiographic efficacy of minimally invasive rigid stabilization techniques and the traditional open interbody fusion with transpedicular fixation in the treatment of degenerative spondylolisthesis in elderly patients. The study included 65 elderly patients (over 60 years old) divided into 2 groups: the 1st group (MIS-TLIF, n=31), who underwent minimally invasive transforaminal interbody fusion, unilateral open contralateral transcutaneous transpedicular stabilization; the 2nd group (O-TLIF, n=34), operated using rigid stabilization from the median approach. For the comparative analysis, gender characteristics (gender, age), constitutional features (height, weight, body mass index), ASA physical status, intraoperative parameters of interventions and specificity of postoperative management of patients, clinical data, radiographic outcomes, complications were used. Dynamic evaluation was performed at the time from 24 to 48 months after the operation (median 32 months). As a result, it has been established that the use of minimally invasive dorsal decompressive-stabilizing interventions allows achieving better clinical outcomes and fewer perioperative complications than open transforaminal interbody spondylodesis and transpedicular stabilization with similar radiographic results of fusion formation and reduction of abnormal vertebral displacement. Low traumatic surgery in the main study group makes it possible to use a technique for treating degenerative spondylolisthesis in elderly patients.

[Analysis of the results of total cervical disc arthroplasty using a M6-C prosthesis: a multicenter study]. / Analiz rezul'tatov primeneniia total'noi artroplastiki mezhpozvonkovogo diska sheinogo otdela pozvonochnika protezom M6-S: mul'titsentrovoe issledovanie.

Cervical spondylosis and intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration are the most common cause for compression of the spinal cord and/or its roots. Total IVD arthroplasty, as a modern alternative to surgical treatment of IVD degeneration, is gaining popularity in many neurosurgical clinics around the world. Aim - the study aim was to conduct a multicenter analysis of cervical spine arthroplasty with an IVD prosthesis M6-C ('Spinal Kinetics', USA). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 112 patients (77 males and 35 females). All patients underwent single-level discectomy with implantation of the artificial IVD prosthesis M6-C. The follow-up period was up to 36 months. Dynamic assessment of the prosthesis was based on clinical parameters (pain intensity in the cervical spine and upper extremities (visual analog scale - VAS); quality of life (Neck Disability Index - NDI)); and subjective satisfaction with the results of surgical treatment (Macnab scale) and instrumental data (range of motion in the operated spinal motion segment, degree of heterotopic ossification (McAfee-Suchomel classification), and time course of degenerative changes in the adjacent segments).

[Warfarin-associated epidural hematoma with spinal cord compression]. / Varfarinassotsiirovannaya epidural'naya gematoma s kompressiei spinnogo mozga.

Hemorrhages into the structures of the central nervous system are the most life threatening among warfarin-associated complications. There are extremely few reports about spontaneous spinal epidural hematomas (SEH) associated with warfarin, methods of their timely diagnosis, treatment approaches. The authors present the first in the domestic literature case-report of warfarin-associated spontaneous SEH and the literature review.

[Optimization of segmental lumbar spine instability treatment using minimally invasive spinal fusion technique].

UNLABELLED: Open transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) using transpedicular rods and interbody cage, which is used to treat segmental instability, is associated with a significant paravertebral muscle and ligament injury. A new rigid fusion method was introduced to improve the outcome of patients' treatment. OBJECTIVE: To conduct a comparative analysis of the effectiveness of minimally invasive fusion technique and TLIF to improve the treatment results in patients with symptomatic lumbar spine degeneration concomitant with moderate segmental instability of the lumbar spine. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study involved 90 patients, which were divided into 2 groups. Transforaminal interbody fusion with Pezo-T PEEK cage was performed after spinal canal reconstruction in both groups. In the first group (n=45), interbody fusion was augmented by 4-point transpedicular rod fixation (Konmet, Russia); in the second group (n=45), by Coflex-F rigid interspinous spacer. Patients were followed up and the results were assessed within 24 months after surgery. RESULTS: The intergroup comparison of pain level using the visual analogue scale, the need for analgesics, and quality of life according to Oswestry Disability Index score during the early postoperative period demonstrated significantly better outcomes in the second group of patients due to lesser operative trauma of the paravertebral soft tissue. Interbody fusion was observed within 20-36 months in 95% of group I patients and 94% of group II patients (p>0.05). Postoperative complications were observed in 17.8% of patients in group I and in 2.2% of cases in group II (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Stabilization by rigid interspinous spacer and transforaminal interbody cage provides better clinical outcomes and fewer postoperative complications as compared to the conventional TLIF technique with similar X-ray rate of bone block formation in patients with moderate segmental instability of the lumbar spine, thus optimizing the treatment of such patients.

[EPIDURAL HEMATOMA WITH SPINAL CHORD COMPRESSION ASSOCIATED WITH WARFARIN INTAKE].

The most serious life-threatening warfarin-associated complications is hemorrhage in CNS structures. Reports of spontaneous spinal epidural hematomas in patients using warfarin, methods of diagnostics and treatment are but few. We describe the first case of warfarin-associated spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma in this country and a literature review of this issue.