Clinical Spine Surgery最新文献

Study design: Prospective cross-sectional survey.

Objective: To identify timelines for when athletes may be considered safe to return to varying athletic activities after sustaining cervical spine fractures.

Background: While acute management and detection of cervical spine fractures have been areas of comprehensive investigation, insight into timelines for when athletes may return to different athletic activities after sustaining such fractures is limited.

Methods: A web-based survey was administered to members of the Association for Collaborative Spine Research that consisted of surgeon demographic information and questions asking when athletes (recreational vs elite) with one of 8 cervical fractures would be allowed to return to play noncontact, contact, and collision sports treated nonoperatively or operatively. The third part queried whether the decision to return to sports was influenced by the type of fixation or the presence of radiculopathy.

Results: Thirty-three responses were included for analysis. For all 8 cervical spine fractures treated nonoperatively and operatively, significantly longer times to return to sports for athletes playing contact or collision sports compared with recreational and elite athletes playing noncontact sports, respectively ( P < 0.05), were felt to be more appropriate. Comparing collision sports with contact sports for recreational and elite athletes, similar times for return to sports for nearly all fractures treated nonoperatively or operatively were noted. In the setting of associated radiculopathy, the most common responses for safe return to play were "when only motor deficits resolve completely" and "when both motor and sensory deficits resolve completely."

Conclusions: In this survey of spine surgeons from the Association for Collaborative Spine Research, reasonable timeframes for return to play for athletes with 8 different cervical spine fractures treated nonoperatively or operatively varied based on fracture subtype and level of sporting physicality.

Study design: Technical report.

Objective: This report aimed to describe a 3-step unilateral uniportal interlaminar circum-dural approach for entire spinal canal inspection and bilateral discectomy at L5/S1 level.

Summary of background data: Treatment of lumbar disc herniation with bilateral symptoms at L5/S1 level is complicated in full endoscopic surgeries. Unilateral interlaminar approaches have been used for bilateral discectomy at L5/S1 level through a uniportal ventral dural approach or a biportal dorsal dural approach. Despite the reporting of successful clinical outcomes, inspection and manipulation of the entire spinal canal via a unilateral approach remain challenging.

Methods: The 3-step inspection of the entire spinal canal includes the ipsilateral side, the midline, and the contralateral side. Two typical cases are provided to further demonstrate the technique. In case 1, bilateral symptoms were caused by bilateral multifocal herniations. In case 2, bilateral symptoms were caused by a huge midline herniation.

Results: The surgical purposes were achieved as intended in both of the 2 cases. The herniations were successfully removed and the pain was relieved immediately after surgery.

Conclusions: As indicated by the preliminary application, the present technique, integrating the advantages of both the ventral and the dorsal dural approaches, is probably an ideal choice for bilateral discectomy at L5/S1 level.

Study design: Retrospective Observational Study.

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the utility of ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence chatbot, in providing patient information for lumbar spinal fusion and lumbar laminectomy in comparison with the Google search engine.

Summary of background data: ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence chatbot with seemingly unlimited functionality, may present an alternative to a Google web search for patients seeking information about medical questions. With widespread misinformation and suboptimal quality of online health information, it is imperative to assess ChatGPT as a resource for this purpose.

Methods: The first 10 frequently asked questions (FAQs) related to the search terms "lumbar spinal fusion" and "lumbar laminectomy" were extracted from Google and ChatGPT. Responses to shared questions were compared regarding length and readability, using the Flesch Reading Ease score and Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level. Numerical FAQs from Google were replicated in ChatGPT.

Results: Two of 10 (20%) questions for both lumbar spinal fusion and lumbar laminectomy were asked similarly between ChatGPT and Google. Compared with Google, ChatGPT's responses were lengthier (340.0 vs. 159.3 words) and of lower readability (Flesch Reading Ease score: 34.0 vs. 58.2; Flesch-Kincaid grade level: 11.6 vs. 8.8). Subjectively, we evaluated these responses to be accurate and adequately nonspecific. Each response concluded with a recommendation to discuss further with a health care provider. Over half of the numerical questions from Google produced a varying or nonnumerical response in ChatGPT.

Conclusions: FAQs and responses regarding lumbar spinal fusion and lumbar laminectomy were highly variable between Google and ChatGPT. While ChatGPT may be able to produce relatively accurate responses in select questions, its role remains as a supplement or starting point to a consultation with a physician, not as a replacement, and should be taken with caution until its functionality can be validated.

Study design: Systematic review and meta-analysis of literature.

Objective: The aim of the presented study is to assess whether the reduction of high-grade spondylolisthesis (HGS) through the correction of lumbosacral kyphosis leads to a decrease in the sagittal spinopelvic compensatory mechanisms.

Summary of background data: HGS is as an anterior translation of a vertebra, >50%. It is also characterized by a kyphotic deformity of the affected level. This combination of translation and kyphosis leads to compensatory mechanisms on the sagittal plane [pelvic retroversion, increased lumbar lordosis (LL), reduction in thoracic kyphosis (TK)].

Methods: A systematic search of electronic databases was conducted. Inclusion criteria were diagnosis of HGS (Meyerding >II, Slip% >50%), partial or complete reduction surgery (with a significant decrease in Slip%), and report of spinopelvic parameters (pelvic incidence, pelvic tilt, or sacral slope). Clinical and radiographic outcomes were extracted and summarized. Meta-analyses were performed to estimate the differences between preoperative and postoperative spinopelvic alignment measures. P <0.05 was considered significant.

Results: Eighteen studies were included. PT showed a statistically significant decrease of -2.1217 (95% CI: -3.4803 to -0.7630), while SS showed a significant increase of 4.8349 (95% CI: 2.7462-6.9236). Conversely, both LL and TK showed nonsignificant changes, -4.7043 (95% CI: -10.4535 to 1.0449) and 6.3881 (95% CI: -0.8344 to 13.6106), respectively. VAS significantly decreased by -3.1950 (95% CI: -4.9462 to -1.4439).

Conclusions: The meta-analysis showed mild, yet statistically significant, decrease of PT and an increase in SS after HGS reduction. Conversely, nonstatically significant decrease in LL and an increase in TK occurred. The clinical significance of these results remains questionable.

Level of evidence: Level IV.

Background: The association of Hounsfield units (HU) and junctional pathologies in adult cervical deformity (ACD) surgery has not been elucidated.

Objective: Assess if the bone mineral density of the LIV, as assessed by HUs, is prognostic for the risk of complications after ACD surgery.

Study design/setting: Retrospective cohort study.

Methods: HUs were measured on preoperative CT scans. Means comparison test assessed differences in HUs based on the occurrence of complications, linear regression assessed the correlation of HUs with risk factors, and multivariable logistic regression followed by a conditional inference tree derived a threshold for HUs based on the increased likelihood of developing a complication.

Results: In all, 107 ACD patients were included. Thirty-one patients (29.0%) developed a complication (18.7% perioperative), with 20.6% developing DJK and 11.2% developing DJF. There was a significant correlation between lower LIVs and lower HUs ( r =0.351, P =0.01), as well as age and HUs at the LIV. Age did not correlate with change in the DJK angle ( P >0.2). HUs were lower at the LIV for patients who developed a complication and an LIV threshold of 190 HUs was predictive of complications (OR: 4.2, [1.2-7.6]; P =0.009).

Conclusions: Low bone mineral density at the lowest instrumented vertebra, as assessed by a threshold lower than 190 Hounsfield units, may be a crucial risk factor for the development of complications after cervical deformity surgery. Preoperative CT scans should be routinely considered in at-risk patients to mitigate this modifiable risk factor during surgical planning.

Level of evidence: Level-III.

Study design: We performed a comprehensive cadaveric biomechanical study to compare the fixation strength of primary screws, screws augmented with bone allograft, and screws augmented with polymethylmethacrylate cement.

Objective: To evaluate a novel technique for screw augmentation using morselized cortico-cancellous bone allograft to fill the widened screw track of failed pedicle screws.

Background: To date, there are no known biological methods available for failed pedicle screw augmentation or fixation.

Materials and methods: Biomechanical tests were performed using 2 different testing modalities to quantify fixation strength including axial screw pullout and progressive cyclic displacement tests.

Results: Fifty vertebrae were instrumented with pedicle screws. Our study showed that bone allograft augmentation using the same diameter screw was noninferior to the fixation strength of the initial screw. In the axial pullout test, screws undergoing bone allograft repair failed at 25% lower loads compared with native screws, and screws augmented with cement showed approximately twice as much strength compared with native screws. In the cyclic displacement test, screws fixed with cement resisted loosening the best of all the groups tested. However, screws augmented with bone graft were found to have an equal strength to native screw purchase. our study did not find a correlation with bone mineral density as a predictor for failure in axial pullout or cyclic displacement tests.

Conclusion: Bone allograft augmentation for pedicle screw fixation was noninferior to the initial screw purchase in this biomechanical study. This bone allograft technique is a viable option for screw fixation in the revision setting when there is significant bone loss in the screw track.

Study design: Retrospective Cohort.

Objective: To compare patient-reported outcomes and surgical outcomes after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) versus cervical laminoplasty for multilevel cervical spondylotic myelopathy.

Background: Treatment options for multilevel cervical spondylotic myelopathy include ACDF and cervical laminoplasty. Given that the literature has been mixed regarding the optimal approach, especially in patients without kyphosis, there is a need for additional studies investigating outcomes between ACDF and cervical laminoplasty.

Methods: A retrospective review was conducted of adult patients undergoing 3 or 4-level surgery. Patients with preoperative kyphosis based on C2-C7 Cobb angles were excluded. The electronic medical record and institutional databases were reviewed for baseline characteristics, surgical outcomes, and patient-reported outcomes.

Results: A total of 101 patients who underwent ACDF and 52 patients who underwent laminoplasty were included in the study. The laminoplasty cohort had a higher overall Charlson Comorbidity Index (3.10 ± 1.43 vs 2.39 ± 1.57, P = 0.011). Both groups had a comparable number of levels decompressed, C2-C7 lordosis, and diagnosis of myelopathy versus myeloradiculopathy. Patients who underwent laminoplasty had a longer length of stay (2.04 ± 1.15 vs 1.48 ± 0.70, P = 0.003) but readmission, complication, and revision rates were similar. Both groups had similar improvement in myelopathy scores (∆modified Japanese Orthopedic Association: 1.11 ± 3.09 vs 1.06 ± 3.37, P = 0.639). ACDF had greater improvement in Neck Disability Index (∆Neck Disability Index: -11.66 ± 19.2 vs -1.13 ± 11.2, P < 0.001), neck pain (∆Visual Analog Scale-neck: -2.69 ± 2.78 vs -0.83 ± 2.55, P = 0.003), and arm pain (∆Visual Analog Scale-arm: -2.47 ± 3.15 vs -0.48 ± 3.19, P = 0.010). These findings persisted in multivariate analysis except for Neck Disability Index.

Conclusion: ACDF and cervical laminoplasty appear equally efficacious at halting myelopathic progression. However, patients who underwent ACDF had greater improvements in arm pain at 1 year postoperatively. Longitudinal studies evaluating the efficacy of laminoplasty to mitigate adjacent segment disease are indicated to establish a robust risk-benefit assessment for these 2 procedures.

Level of evidence: III.

The abstract of a research paper functions to attract readers and highlight the clinical significance of a research project in a broadly appealing manner. Abstract structure is commonly dictated by the target journal, however, a basic style typically follows the "Introduction, Methods, Results and Discussion" structure of introduction, materials/methods, results, and discussion/conclusion. The abstract itself is commonly the initial accessible portion of a research paper, so writing in an engaging while informative manner is imperative for increasing manuscript views and citations. Overall, an abstract is a to-the-point synopsis of a research project that succinctly describes the entirety of your work.

Study design: Exploratory-descriptive study.

Objective: Evaluate the influence of observer variability on the measurements of both thoracic kyphosis (TK) and lumbar lordosis (LL) obtained with anatomic and functional spinal segmentation methods.

Background: Parametric analysis for spinal surgery planning typically relies on anatomic parameters. However, incorporating functional parameters that consider the vertebrae orientation is important to minimizing surgical calculation errors.

Methods: The authors developed parametric analysis software that integrates traditional and functional methodologies. The proposed method included functional thoracic kyphosis and functional lumbar lordosis calculated from the lines normal to the inflection points of the spine model. Using a synthetic lateral X-ray, the observer variability was computer-simulated generating 20 landmark sets that replicate the annotations of 20 observers. The analysis also included 10 clinical X-rays, annotated twice by 3 judges with a minimum 1-week interval. The spinal curvature angles were derived using the anatomic and functional methods. Statistical analysis were performed for comparison.

Results: For the synthetic X-ray, the proposed method presented significantly less variability: TK (<±2.5 degrees, P =0.00023) and LL (<±5 degrees, P =0.00012). For the clinical X-rays, the interobserver reliability analysis yielded higher intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) for functional TK (ICC>0.97) and functional LL (ICC>0.87) than for TK (ICC<0.91) and LL (ICC<0.89). Statistically significant differences were observed for both TK ( P =0.001) and LL ( P =0.030). Under the traditional method, observer variability led to measurement differences surpassing ±19 degrees, whereas differences with the proposed method were within ±10 degrees for both parameters.

Conclusion: The vertebral endplate is not the most suitable place to measure spinal sagittal curvatures. Small changes in landmark position significantly alter the measured Cobb angle. The proposed method offers a substantial advantage regarding the influence of observer variability, in addition to the more individualized analysis.