Predictors of poor outcomes after posterior decompression surgery in patients with degenerative cervical myelopathy.

Study Design: Retrospective multicenter study.

Objectives: To identify predictors associated with failure of neurological improvement after posterior decompression surgery for degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM).

Setting: 17 institutions in Japan.

Prospective Comparison of Posterior Decompression and ACDF for 1-2-Level Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy.

Study Design: Prospective multicenter cohort study.

Objective: To compare clinical outcomes between posterior decompression without fusion (PD) and anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) in patients with 1-2-level degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM).

Summary Of Background Data: While numerous studies have assessed surgical strategies for multilevel DCM, limited evidence is available for cases involving only one or two levels.

Delayed herniation of cauda equina root through occult dural tear following unilateral biportal endoscopic decompression: illustrative case.

Background: Incidental dural tears are a well-known but potentially serious complication of spinal surgery. The authors present a unique case of delayed cauda equina herniation through an occult dural tear without any evident CSF leakage, emphasizing diagnostic challenges and preventive measures specific to unilateral biportal endoscopy (UBE).

Observations: A 60-year-old man underwent UBE decompression for lumbar canal stenosis and experienced immediate symptom relief.

Impact of Frailty on Functional Improvement Following Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury: A Japanese Single-Center Experience.

: This is a retrospective case series study. The aim of this study was to investigate whether frailty contributes to functional recovery in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). A total of 121 patients with SCI (106 cervical SCI, 15 thoracic SCI) discharged from our center over the past three years were studied.

Surgical Outcomes of Adults with Spinal Caries from 1992 to 2019: A Single-Center Study-Risk Factors for the Progression of Kyphosis after Anterior Spinal Fixation Reveal Cases Needing Additional Posterior Instrumentation.

: This study aims to investigate the postoperative improvement of paralysis, fusion rate and risk factors for kyphosis progression in adults affected with spinal caries. : Overall, 134 patients with spinal caries from the thoracic to lumbar spine from 1992 to 2021 were included in this study. Data concerning the affected level (thoracic, thoracolumbar, lumbar, and lumbosacral), bone fusion rate, and progression of the postoperative local kyphosis angle were collected.

Surgical outcomes of anterior column reconstruction for spinal fractures caused by minor trauma-preoperative examination of the number of intervertebral bone bridges is key to obtaining good bone fusion.

Background: To achieve good bone fusion in anterior column reconstruction for vertebral fractures, not only bone mineral density (BMD) and bone metabolism markers but also lever arms due to bone bridging between vertebral bodies should be evaluated. However, until now, no lever arm index has been devised. Therefore, we believe that the maximum number of vertebral bodies that are bony and cross-linked with the contiguous adjacent vertebrae (maxVB) can be used as a measure for lever arms.

A shift of brain network hub after spinal cord injury.

Background: Spinal cord injury (SCI) causes severe sequelae and significant social loss, depending on the extent of the damage. Most previous studies have focused on the pathology of the spinal cord to develop treatments for SCI. However, it is now known that the brain, which is not directly damaged, also undergoes morphological changes after spinal cord injury, which could affect natural recovery and treatment.

Does the degree of preoperative gait disturbance remain after tumor resection in patients with intradural extramedullary spinal cord tumors?

Study Design: Retrospective comparative study.

Objective: This study aimed to determine whether the degree of preoperative gait disturbance remains following surgical resection in patients with intradural extramedullary spinal cord tumors (IDEMSCTs), and to investigate any factors that may influence poor improvement in postoperative gait disturbance.

Setting: The single institution in Japan.

Effects of Bone Cross-Link Bridging on Fracture Mechanism and Surgical Outcomes in Elderly Patients with Spine Fractures.

Study Design: This study adopted a cross-sectional study design.

Purpose: This study was designed to investigate the effects of bone cross-link bridging on fracture mechanism and surgical outcomes in vertebral fractures using the maximum number of vertebral bodies with bony bridges between adjacent vertebrae without interruption (maxVB).

Overview Of Literature: The complex interplay of bone density and bone bridging in the elderly can complicate vertebral fractures, necessitating a better understanding of fracture mechanics.

Incidence and predictive factors of shoulder imbalance after selective anterior spinal fusion surgery in Lenke type 5C adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

Background: No study has assessed the incidence or predictors of postoperative shoulder imbalance (PSI) in patients with Lenke type 5C adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) who underwent selective anterior spinal fusion (ASF). This study evaluated the incidence and predictors of shoulder imbalance after selective ASF for Lenke type 5C AIS.

Methods: In total, 62 patients with Lenke type 5C AIS (4 men and 58 women, mean age at surgery of 15.

Tuberculous spondylitis following intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guérin therapy for bladder cancer surgically treated through the anterior approach.

Intravesical BCG therapy is commonly used to treat superficial bladder cancer. Although various complications associated with this therapy have been reported, tuberculous spondylitis is uncommon. Here, we report a rare case of tuberculous spondylitis that occurred after intravesical BCG therapy for bladder cancer.

Reduction Capacity and Factors Affecting Slip Reduction Using Cortical Bone Trajectory Technique in Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion for Degenerative Spondylolisthesis.

Introduction: Vertebral slip reduction has been recommended in arthrodesis for lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis (LDS) to achieve balanced spinal alignment and bone fusion. However, what determines the degree of slip reduction using cortical bone trajectory technique for lumbar pedicle screw insertion is yet to be determined. Thus, in this study, we aim to investigate the slip reduction capacity using cortical bone trajectory (CBT) technique and to identify factors affecting the slip reduction rate.

Normal pressure hydrocephalus due to an iatrogenic giant lumbar pseudomeningocele after posterior lumbar interbody fusion: illustrative case.

Background: Iatrogenic pseudomeningocele incidence after lumbar surgery is 0.068%-2%, and most lumbar pseudomeningoceles are smaller than 5 cm; however, in rare cases, "giant" pseudomeningoceles greater than 8 cm in size may develop. Normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) is another rare condition in which the ventricles expand despite the presence of normal intracranial pressure.

Clinical application of diffusion tensor tractography to postoperative C5 palsy.

Study Design: Diagnostic study.

Objective: Although C5 palsy is a well-known potential complication after cervical procedure, the exact pathophysiology remains uncertain. Diffusion tensor tractography (DTT) has recently been proposed as a useful tool to examine quantitatively and non-invasively the pathology of spinal cord disorders.

Radiological comparison of penetrating endplate trajectory versus anterior bicortical trajectory for sacral pedicle screw insertion in posterior lumbosacral interbody fusion.

Background: The bicortical or tricortical fixation technique with purchase into the anterior sacral wall or promontory has been recommended to achieve rigid sacral pedicle screw fixation, which carries the potential risk of neurovascular injuries. The penetrating endplate screw (PES) technique was proposed as an alternative screw trajectory to facilitate both strong fixation and safety. However, there has been no report on the practical significance of using the PES technique.

Selective Anterior Fusion Surgery Does Not Influence Global Spinal Sagittal Alignment in Lenke Type 5 Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Patients.

Study Design: Retrospective comparative study.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes in global spinal sagittal alignment (GSSA) following selective anterior spinal fusion (ASF) in patients with Lenke type 5 adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS).

Summary Of Background Data: Few studies have assessed the changes in postoperative GSSA, including cervical, thoracic, and lumbosacral sagittal alignment in AIS patients with major thoracolumbar/lumbar (TL/L) curve who underwent selective ASF.

Depth of vertebral screw insertion using a cortical bone trajectory technique in lumbar spinal fusion: radiological significance of a long cortical bone trajectory.

Objective: Contrary to original cortical bone trajectory (CBT), "long CBT" directed more anteriorly in the vertebral body has recently been recommended because of improved screw fixation and load sharing within the vertebra. However, to the authors' knowledge there has been no report on the clinical significance of the screw length and screw insertion depth used with the long CBT technique. The aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of the screw insertion depth in the vertebra on lumbar spinal fusion using the CBT technique.

Clinical Efficacies of the Minimal Retroperitoneal Approach for Infectious Spondylodiscitis: A Clinical Case Series.

Introduction: An anterior surgical approach for severe infectious spondylodiscitis in the lumbar region is optimal but not always atraumatic. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a minimal anterior-lateral retroperitoneal approach, also known as a surgical approach for oblique lumbar interbody fusion, for cases with severe infectious spondylodiscitis with osseous defects.

Methods: Twenty-four consecutive patients who underwent anterior debridement and spinal fusion with an autologous strut bone graft for infectious spondylodiscitis with osseous defects were reviewed retrospectively.

Impact of Tobacco Smoking on Outcomes After Posterior Decompression Surgery in Patients With Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy: A Retrospective Multicenter Study.

Study Design: This was a case-control study.

Objective: The objective of this study was to clarify the surgical outcomes after cervical posterior decompression in patients who smoked.

Summary Of Background Data: Smoking is associated with poor outcomes in the field of spinal surgery.

Quantitative analysis of intervertebral disc degeneration using Q-space imaging in a rat model.

The degree of intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration is qualitatively evaluated on T2-weighted imaging (T2WI). However, it is difficult to assess subtle changes in IVD degeneration using T2WI. Q-space imaging (QSI) is a quantitative diffusion-weighted imaging modality used to detect subtle changes in microenvironments.

Characteristic cerebral structural changes identified using voxel-based morphometry in patients with post-surgical chronic myelopathic pain.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study.

Objective: Patients who undergo intramedullary spinal surgery occasionally experience post-surgical chronic pain; however, the underlying mechanisms are not yet completely understood. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the cerebral structural changes in patients with post-surgical chronic myelopathic pain using voxel-based morphometry.

The characteristics of the patients with radiologically severe cervical ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament of the spine: A CT-based multicenter cross-sectional study.

Background: Ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament of the spine (OPLL) is characterized by heterotopic bone formation in the posterior longitudinal ligament of the spine. We know that the size and distribution of the ossified lesions in patients with OPLL are different in each case. However, the characteristics of the patients with radiologically severe cervical OPLL remain unknown.