Active constraint control for the surgical robotic platform with concentric connector joints.

Robotic minimally invasive surgery (MIS) has changed numerous surgical techniques in the past few years and enhanced their results. Haptic feedback is integrated into robotic surgical systems to restore the surgeon's perception of forces in response to interaction with objects in the surgical environment. The ideal exact emulation of the robot's interaction with its physical environment in free space is a very challenging problem to solve completely.

Vertebral Augmentation for Painful Type 4 Osteoporotic Compression Fractures: A Comparative Study.

Background: Type 4 osteoporotic fracture (OF4), according to the classification system of the Spine Section of the German Society for Orthopaedics and Trauma (DGOU), is unstable and requires fixation as per the guidelines of the same group. We evaluated the use of stand-alone vertebral body augmentation (VBA) in pain control of OF4.

Methods: This is a single-centre, in two hospitals, comparative study to evaluate the effectiveness of percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) and kyphoplasty (KP) in pain control of OF4.

A Prospective Long-term Follow-up Study of the Posterior Dynamic Stabilizing System to Treat Back Pain Associated With Degenerative Disc Disease.

Study Design: Prospective cohort study.

Objective: To evaluate the long-term effectiveness of a posterior dynamic spine stabilization (PDS) System called PercuDyn system as a treatment for low back pain (LBP) in patients with degenerative disc disease who have failed conservative treatment.

Methods: Thirty-five patients (21 males, 14 females, mean age 36 years) with chronic LBP due to degenerative disc disease underwent percutaneous facet augmentation with the PercuDyn system.

Delayed periprosthetic collection after cervical disc arthroplasty.

Cervical disc arthroplasty is a treatment option for symptomatic cervical disc disease. There is a paucity of literature on long-term safety outcomes, durability, and device-related failure rates. The M6-C artificial cervical disc is a device with titanium alloy endplates and a complex polymeric centerpiece.

Reduction mammoplasty and back pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Purpose: There is anecdotal evidence that many patients who undergo reduction mammoplasty (RM) procedures, to relieve symptoms of large breasts, also report improvement in existing back pain. Given how important back pain is as a healthcare burden, the literature which explores the relationship between RM and back pain is sparse. Thus, we aimed to appraise whether such a correlation exists, through systematic review and meta-analysis.

A novel risk calculator to predict outcome after surgery for symptomatic spinal metastases; use of a large prospective patient database to personalise surgical management.

Aim: Surgery for spinal metastases can improve symptoms, but sometimes complications can negate the benefits. Operations may have different indications, complexities and risks, and the choice for an individual is a tailor-made personalised decision. Previous prognostic scoring systems are becoming out of date and inaccurate.

Prediction Accuracy of Common Prognostic Scoring Systems for Metastatic Spine Disease: Results of a Prospective International Multicentre Study of 1469 Patients.

Study Design: A prospective multicenter cohort study.

Objective: To assess the clinical accuracy of six commonly cited prognostic scoring systems for patients with spinal metastases.

Summary Of Background Data: There are presently several available methods for the estimation of prognosis in metastatic spinal disease, but none are universally accepted by surgeons for clinical use.

Loss of Local Tumor Control After Index Surgery for Spinal Metastases: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Background: As survival after treatment for symptomatic spinal metastases increases, the incidence of local tumor recurrence also may increase. However, data regarding incidence and timing of recurrence or duration of survival after second surgeries are not readily available and may help to inform clinicians when to perform second surgeries.

Objective: To identify features associated with loss of local control (LLC) at a previously treated or new spinal level.

Metastatic Spine Tumor Epidemiology: Comparison of Trends in Surgery Across Two Decades and Three Continents.

Background: Indications for surgery for symptomatic spinal metastases have become better defined in recent years, and suitable outcome measures have been established against a changing backdrop of patient characteristics, tumor behavior, and oncologic treatments. Nonetheless, variations still exist in the local management of patients with spinal metastases. In this study, we aimed to review global trends and habits in the surgical treatment of symptomatic spinal metastases, and to examine how these have changed over the last 25 years.

Characteristics of Patients Who Survived < 3 Months or > 2 Years After Surgery for Spinal Metastases: Can We Avoid Inappropriate Patient Selection?

Purpose: Survival after metastatic cancer has improved at the cost of increased presentation with metastatic spinal disease. For patients with pathologic spinal fractures and/or spinal cord compression, surgical intervention may relieve pain and improve quality of life. Surgery is generally considered to be inappropriate if anticipated survival is < 3 months.

Intradural migration of cervical posterior fixation rods.

Background: Instrumented spinal fixations are an important tool in the management of traumatic conditions and delayed complications are rare.

Case Report: We present a case of open reduction and fixation of traumatic C5/6 facet fracture dislocation with late complication in the form of intradural hardware migration.

Conclusion: To our knowledge, this is the first report of an intradural rod migration distant to the initial surgery in a patient without posterior decompression.

A case of primary leptomeningeal gliomatosis confined to the spinal cord.

We report a case of primary leptomeningeal gliomatosis limited to the spinal cord occurring in a 52 years-old patient, who presented with back pain and leg weakness. MRI-scan of the craniospinal axis revealed an enhancing cervicothoracic lesion confined to the leptomeninges. A diagnostic biopsy was taken followed by a six level cervicothoracic laminoplasty with the aim of debulking of the dorsal portion of the tumour and relieving cord compression.