Rheumatoid arthritis of the cervical spine.

Rheumatoid arthritis most often affects the cervical spine, resulting in clinical and radiographic findings. For most patients with rheumatoid arthritis the cervical involvement represents a relatively benign process, but, in a small percentage of these patients, a progressive instability pattern develops that may compromise neural or vascular structures. The rate of neural compromise because of cervical instability ranges from 11% to 58%. The clinical manifestation may be radiculopathy, myelopathy, quadriplegia, and, in extreme instances, sudden death.

One-stage anterior and posterior hemivertebral resection and arthrodesis for congenital scoliosis.

Seven children who had congenital scoliosis due to a single, fully segmented lumbar hemivertebra were treated with single-stage anterior and posterior vertebral resection and arthrodesis. The scoliosis averaged 47 degrees preoperatively, 14 degrees postoperatively, and 15 degrees (approximately 70 per cent correction) after an average follow-up of 45.6 months. Four patients had thoracolumbar kyphosis preoperatively, and it remained unchanged at the most recent follow-up examination. Postoperatively, a cast was worn for twelve to sixteen weeks, after which a brace was applied. There were no neurological deficits, infections, deaths, or pseudarthroses. The combined procedure was well tolerated and, in the limited period of follow-up, the congenital scoliosis did not progress.

Treatment of severe spondylolisthesis by anterior and posterior reduction and stabilization. A long-term follow-up study.

Twenty-two consecutive unselected patients who had severe spondylolisthesis were treated by a first-stage posterior decompression (Gill procedure) and a posterolateral arthrodesis, followed by halo-skeletal traction, and then by a second-stage anterior interbody arthrodesis, followed by immobilization in a cast. Nineteen patients had complete clinical and radiographic evaluation, with an average follow-up of five years (range, two to seven and one-half years). The slip angle averaged 71 degrees preoperatively, was corrected to an average of 31 degrees by reduction, and averaged 28 degrees at follow-up. The average preoperative percentage of slippage (98 per cent) did not change substantially. A pseudarthrosis developed in four patients, all of whom had a reoperation. The neurological deficits that had been present in ten patients preoperatively had completely resolved in all but one at follow-up. One patient had a cauda equina syndrome and two patients had a neuropathy of the root of the fifth lumbar nerve as a result of the reduction; complete recovery occurred in two patients and partial recovery, in one. Alignment in the sagittal plane was restored in seventeen patients, and the back pain and radicular symptoms were relieved in all patients except one who had had those symptoms preoperatively.

Management of neuromuscular spinal deformities with Luque segmental instrumentation.

Forty-six patients who had a neuromuscular spinal deformity were treated with arthrodesis and Luque segmental spinal instrumentation and were followed for an average of three years. Twenty-two patients had cerebral palsy and twenty-four had another neuromuscular disease. In thirty-nine patients, the arthrodesis was extended to the sacrum. Eleven patients who had severe scoliosis as well as pelvic obliquity and decompensation of the torso had a combined anterior and posterior arthrodesis; the other thirty-five patients had a one-stage posterior procedure. Preoperatively, the average scoliosis was 74 degrees; this was corrected to 39 degrees at follow-up. Final corrections were similar for scoliosis and were better for pelvic obliquity and decompensation of the torso in patients who had combined anterior and posterior arthrodesis. The results for scoliosis and pelvic obliquity in patients who had a spastic deformity were similar to the results in patients who had a flaccid deformity. Correction of decompensation of the torso was better in patients who had a spastic deformity. Postoperatively, a brace was used in half of the patients in each group; this did not appear to affect the amount of correction in either group, although the result may have been influenced by the selection process. The rate of complications was 48 per cent. Pseudarthrosis occurred in three patients (6.5 per cent). There were no major neurological deficits related to the correction or to the use of sublaminar wires. Three patients died, one in the immediate postoperative period and the other two at eighteen months and four years after the original procedure, due to causes unrelated to the operation.

Clinical value of routine preoperative magnetic resonance imaging in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. A prospective study of three hundred and twenty-seven patients.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of intraspinal pathology associated with scoliosis has been reported to be as high as 26% in some series, and, on the basis of this finding, preoperative magnetic resonance imaging is used in the screening of patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. However, this practice continues to be highly controversial. In order to better resolve this issue, we performed what we believe to be the largest prospective study to evaluate the need for preoperative magnetic resonance imaging in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis requiring arthrodesis of the spine. METHODS: A total of 327 consecutive patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis were evaluated between December 1991 and March 1999. All patients in the study presented with an adolescent idiopathic scoliosis curve pattern and had a complete physical and neurologic examination. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain and the spinal cord were performed as part of their preoperative work-up. RESULTS: Seven patients had an abnormality noted on magnetic resonance imaging. These abnormalities included a spinal cord syrinx in two patients (0.6%) and an Arnold-Chiari type-I malformation in four (1.2%). One patient had an abnormal fatty infiltration of the tenth thoracic vertebral body. No patient required neurosurgical intervention or additional work-up. All patients who underwent spinal arthrodesis with segmental instrumentation tolerated the surgery without any immediate or delayed neurologic sequelae. CONCLUSIONS: The fact that magnetic resonance imaging did not detect any important pathology in the large number of patients in this study strongly suggests that magnetic resonance imaging is not indicated prior to arthrodesis of the spine in patients with an adolescent idiopathic scoliosis curve pattern and a normal physical and neurologic examination.

Incidence of ankylosing hyperostosis of the spine (Forestier's disease) at autopsy.

In a series of 75 spines studied at autopsy, the authors found 21 (28%) affected by ankylosing hyperostosis. The 21 cases included three in the cervical spine, 12 in the thoracic spine, and five in the lumbar spine. One case had both thoracic and lumbar spine disease. The average age was 65 years (range, 50-90 years). The mean weight was 85 kg, which was 20 kg more than the mean weight of the nonaffected subjects. Four cases had adult onset diabetes mellitus. No other endocrine or arthritic disease was noted either clinically or at autopsy. No abnormalities of calcium or phosphorus metabolism were found. The cause of death was unrelated to their spine disease, and clinical records were devoid of any major complaints referable to the spine.

The Cotrel-Dubousset system--results in spinal reconstruction. Early experience in 47 patients.

Forty-seven patients were treated with spinal fusion and Cotrel-Dubousset instrumentation and were followed for an average of 28 months. Spinal procedures included: 1) posterior spinal fusion for idiopathic scoliosis (26 patients); 2) posterior pseudarthrosis repair (5 patients); 3) combined anterior/posterior fusion to the sacrum (6 patients); and 4) combined anterior/posterior osteotomies (10 patients). Group 1: Partial derotational correction was achieved for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Group 2: Successful pseudarthrosis repair was achieved in four patients. Group 3: A solid arthrodesis was obtained in two patients, whereas the other three patients underwent revision of sacral screw fixation for pseudarthrosis. One patient died postoperatively. Group 4: Pain relief and a balanced correction was achieved in all patients. The Cotrel-Dubousset system appears to be a versatile system and provides a wide range of possibilities for a variety of spinal problems.

One-stage versus two-stage anterior and posterior spinal reconstruction in adults. Comparison of outcomes including nutritional status, complications rates, hospital costs, and other factors.

Twenty-four patients undergoing anterior and posterior spinal fusion were preoperatively assessed and at weekly intervals during their hospitalization for the following: serum albumin, transferrin, total lymphocyte count, skin anergy and anthropometric measurements. Eleven patients underwent staged anterior and posterior spinal reconstruction and 13 patients underwent similar procedures in a combined fashion. The groups were similar in age, sex, diagnosis, and number of levels fused. Results of these tests were kept as well as operative time, blood loss, transfusion requirements, wound healing problems, infection, length of hospital stay, patient satisfaction, and total cost. All 24 patients had normal preoperative nutritional parameters. Seven patients in the staged group and ten in the combined group became malnourished after surgery. No patient in the combined group developed infection or a wound healing problem. Wound infections developed in two of the seven patients in the staged group after their second procedure. The average number of units of blood transfused and the operating time were similar for both groups. The average length of hospital stay for the staged group was 20 days compared to 13 days for the combined group. Total hospital bills averaged 30% less in the combined group. All patients stated that they preferred to have the procedures done under the same anesthetic. The authors conclude that protein and calorie malnutrition develops to an appreciable extent in adults undergoing anterior and posterior spinal reconstructive procedures. It therefore increases the postoperative morbidity if staged surgical procedures are performed too close together as is currently done by many spine surgeons.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Evidence of lung injury during reconstructive surgery for adult spinal deformities with pulmonary artery pressure monitoring.

STUDY DESIGN: Observational analyses of 55 adult patients who underwent elective sequential anterior-posterior thoracolumbosacral surgical corrections for spinal deformities were used to evaluate the efficacy of pulmonary artery catheter monitoring. OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate that during complex reconstructive surgery for spinal deformities, pulmonary artery catheter monitoring identifies a subset of patients with pulmonary injury and is essential in their management. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Patients who undergo sequential anterior-posterior thoracolumbosacral surgical corrections for spinal deformities experience significant perioperative morbidity. Although the value of pulmonary artery catheter monitoring is controversial, its use in these procedures may help identify potential physiologic complications and improve surgical outcome. METHODS: All patients were monitored with a pulmonary artery catheter during surgery until at least postoperative day 1. Outcome measurements included blood loss, vertebral levels fused, operative time, postoperative respiratory complications, and days in intensive care. RESULTS: Eight (8/55; 14.5%) patients according to pulmonary artery catheter monitoring demonstrated elevated pulmonary vascular resistance and noncardiac pulmonary edema. These patients had longer operative procedures with greater blood loss and had more postoperative respiratory complications. They were treated appropriately in intensive care and discharged without further complications. CONCLUSION: Pulmonary artery catheter monitoring of patients who undergo complex spinal fusion facilitates the identification of patients with pulmonary injury and is essential in the management of these patients in the postoperative period. It may, also, be a marker for embolic injury to the lung.

Histomorphometric analysis of vertebral and iliac crest bone samples. A correlated study.

Iliac crest and corresponding second vertebral body specimens were obtained from 20 cadavers. Of these, ten underwent histopathologic evaluation and histomorphometry in a blind fashion followed by statistical evaluation of the results. In this study, the authors found the iliac crest biopsy specimens to be highly correlated and predictive of osteoid and resorptive parameters in the spine and less so for trabecular bone volume. Whereas the transileal bone biopsy is a useful tool in diagnosing and typing metabolic bone disease, its predictive value of bone volume at other sites in the skeleton requires further evaluation.