Korean Journal of Spine最新文献

Gas-containing (emphysematous) infections of the abdomen, pelvis, and extremities are well-known disease entities, which can potentially be life-threatening. They require aggressive medical and often surgical treatment. In the neurosurgical field, some cases of gas-containing brain abscess and subdural empyema have been reported. Sometimes they progress rapidly and even can cause fatal outcome. However, gas-containing spinal epidural abscess has been rarely reported and clinical course is unknown. We report on a case of rapidly progressive gas-containing lumbar spinal epidural abscess due to Enterococcus faecalis in a 72-year-old male patient with diabetes mellitus.

Klippel-Feil syndrome (KFS) is a congenital developmental disorder of cervical spine, showing short neck with restricted neck motion, low hairline, and high thoracic cage due to multilevel cervical fusion. Radiculopathy or myelopathy can be accompanied. There were 2 patients who were diagnosed as KFS with exhibited radiological and physical characteristics. Both patients had stenosis and cord compression at C1 level due to anterior displacement of C1 posterior arch secondary to kyphotic deformity of upper cervical spine, which has been usually indicative to craniocervical fixation. One patient was referred due to quadriparesis detected after surgery for aortic arch aneurysmal dilatation. The other patient was referred to us due to paraparesis and radiating pain in all extremities developed during gynecological examinations. Decompressive C1 laminectomy was done for one patient and additional suboccipital craniectomy for the other. No craniocervical fixation was done because there was no spinal instability. Motor power improved immediately after the operation in both patients. Motor functions and spinal stability were well preserved in both patients for 2 years. In KFS patients with myelopathy at the C1 level without C1-2 instability, a favorable outcome could be achieved by a simple decompression without spinal fixation.

Epithelioid sarcoma is a rare and highly malignant soft tissue neoplasm that most commonly occurs in the long bones. This uncommon tumor has a poor clinical outcome, and the modality of its treatment has not yet been fully established. The authors report an extremely rare presentation of epithelioid sarcoma in the cervical spine, along with its clinical progression, imaging, and pathology. The patient underwent three surgical procedures and adjuvant radiochemical management. He survived for 25 months with a good general condition and adapted well to his social activity. Systemic metastasis was not found, but the patient died of respiratory failure due to direct tracheal invasion of the tumor.

C5 palsy is a common complication after cervical decompressive surgery, which have 0 to 30% complication rate. A 61-year-old female patient with cervical spondylotic myelopathy showed bilateral C5 palsy following circumferential decompression and fusion. Unexpectedly, bilateral C5 palsy was noted in different time points on postoperative day 2 and 8, respectively. Steroid injection and physical therapy were performed, and her motor function is recovering. Surgeons should make an effort to prevent possible C5 palsy when performing cervical decompression surgery.

Spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma is an uncommon but disabling disease. This paper reports a case of spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma and treatment by surgical management. A 32-year-old male presented with a 30-minute history of sudden headache, back pain, chest pain, and progressive quadriplegia. Whole-spinal sagittal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed spinal epidural hematoma on the ventral portion of the spinal canal. Total laminectomy from T5 to T7 was performed, and hematoma located at the ventral portion of the spinal cord was evacuated. Epidural drainages were inserted in the upper and lower epidural spaces. The patient improved sufficiently to ambulate, and paresthesia was fully recovered. Spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma should be considered when patients present symptoms of spinal cord compression after sudden back pain or chest pain. To prevent permanent neurologic deficits, early and correct diagnosis with timely surgical management is necessary.

A 54-year-old female with neurofibromatosis type 1 presented with progressing truncal shift owing to spinal deformity. On plain radiograph, the Cobb angle was 54 degree in coronal plane. Radiological examinations showed severe dystrophic change with dysplastic pedicles, bony scalloping, neural foraminal widening from dural ectasia. The patient underwent deformity correction and reconstruction surgery from the T9 to the pelvis using multiple iliac screws and Wisconsin interspinous segmental instrumentation by wiring due to maximize fixation points. The postoperative course was uneventful. One-year follow-up radiographs showed a successful curve correction with solid fusion. We report a case of pedicle dysplasia and dystrophic change treated by posterior segmental spinal instrumentation and fusion with help of multiple iliac screws and modified Wisconsin interspinous segmental wiring.

Objective: The aim of this study was to predict the relationship between the symptomatic disc herniation level and the osteophyte level or decreased disc height in patients with cervical disc herniation.

Methods: Between January 2011 and December 2012, 69 patients with an osteophyte of the cervical spine underwent surgery at a single center due to soft cervical disc herniation. Data including soft disc herniation level, osteophyte level in the posterior vertebral margin, Cobb's angle, and symptom duration were retrospectively assessed. The patients were divided into three groups according to the relationship between the degenerative change level and the level of reported symptoms.

Results: Among the 69 patients, 48 (69.6%) showed a match between osteophyte level and soft disc herniation level. Disc herniation occurred at the adjacent segment to degenerative osteophyte level in 12 patients (17.4%) and at both the adjacent and the osteophyte level in nine (13.0%). There was no significant difference in Cobb's angle or duration among the three groups. Osteophyte type was not significant. The mean disc height of the prominent degenerative change level group was lower than the adjacent segment level, but this was not significant.

Conclusion: Soft cervical disc herniation usually occurs at the level an osteophyte forms. However, it may also occur at segments adjacent to that of the osteophyte level. Therefore, in patients with cervical disc herniation, although a prominent osteophyte alone may appear on plain radiography, we must suspect the presence of soft disc herniation at other levels.