Correlation of MRI-Evaluated Degenerative Disc Disease with Positivity on Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography Imaging in Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain.

Objective: Chronic low back pain, affecting up to 58% of the population, often stems from intervertebral disc degeneration. Although magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is commonly used for diagnostics, challenges arise in pinpointing pain sources due to frequent asymptomatic findings. Single-photon emission tomography (SPECT) integrated with computed tomography (CT) offers a promising approach, enhancing sensitivity and specificity.

Pediatric atlas anatomy and its implications for fracture treatment: an anatomical and radiological study.

Introduction And Objectives: The objective of the study was: (1) to describe changes in the shape of the atlas during growth, including gender and side differences; (2) to assess the dimension essential for identification of the optimal entry point; (3) to determine the age limit for a safe insertion of 3.5-mm screws into the lateral masses according to our own limiting parameters.

Materials And Methods: Dimensions of the atlas were measured on 200 CT scans of the craniocervical junction in individuals aged 0-18 years and on 34 anatomical specimens of the first cervical vertebra (aged 2.

Decompression alone versus decompression with instrumented fusion in the treatment of lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised trials.

Objective: To determine the efficacy of adding instrumented spinal fusion to decompression to treat degenerative spondylolisthesis (DS).

Design: Systematic review with meta-analysis.

Data Sources: MEDLINE, Embase, Emcare, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Scopus, ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global, ClinicalTrials.

Role of Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography Imaging in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Chronic Neck or Back Pain Caused by Spinal Degeneration: A Systematic Review.

Background: Chronic neck or back pain is a common clinical problem. The most likely cause is degenerative change, whereas other causes are relatively rare. There is increasing evidence on using hybrid single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) to identify the pain generator in spine degeneration.

Technical aspects of total spondylectomy of C2.

Background: Tumorous involvement of the second cervical vertebra is an infrequent, but severe disease. Primary tumors and solitary metastases can be addressed by a radical procedure, a complete removal of the whole compartment. The second cervical vertebra has a highly complex anatomy, and its operation requires considerable surgical skills.

Atlantoaxial rotatory dislocation: Surgical treatment in a pediatric patient cohort.

•Surgical correction of AARD is an appropriate method of treatment after failed non-operative therapy.•The technique of surgical reduction and C1-C2 fixation using Harms/Goel technique provides excellent clinical outcomes.•In case of traumatic AARD we recommend to consider temporary fixation.

High-grade high-dysplastic lumbosacral spondylolisthesis in children treated with complete reduction and single-level circumferential fusion: A prospective case series.

Introduction: Surgical treatment of high-grade developmental spondylolisthesis remains controversial with paucity of data reporting complete reduction of the deformity, especially in pediatric patients.

Research Question: To assess efficacy and safety of complete reduction and circumferential L5-S1 fusion in children with high-grade high-dysplastic spondylolisthesis. Emphasis was placed on fusion rates, correction of lumbosacral deformity and long-term clinical outcomes by means of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs).

Pediatric dens anatomy and its implications for fracture treatment: an anatomical and radiological study.

Purpose: Separation of C2 growth plates and dens fractures are the most common types of injuries to the axis (C2) in children. Operative treatment of these injuries with the use of direct osteosynthesis requires a profound knowledge of detailed anatomy and dimensions of the axis. The main issue addressed by the study was the age at which the size of the dens is adequate at all levels to accommodate two screws, and the size of the posterior dens angulation angle (PDAA) in a healthy child in individual age periods.

Hemicorporectomy - the ultimate solution of terminal pelvic sepsis.

Hemicorporectomy is the amputation of the lower body - pelvis and lower limbs. It requires transection of the spine and dural sac at the level of aortic bifurcation and inferior lower vein, and permanent urinary and stool derivation. Performance indications are tumour trauma and terminal pelvic osteomyelitis.

Usefulness of perioperative rotational thrombelastometry during scoliosis surgery in children.

Objective: Surgical correction of scoliosis in pediatric patients is associated with significant blood loss. Rotational thrombelastometry (ROTEM) might help to decrease the use of blood transfusion products by enabling an early point of care (POC) diagnosis of coagulopathy, thus helping to provide targeted therapy. The aim of this case-control study was to find out whether POC use of ROTEM during scoliosis surgery in children helps to reduce the need for blood transfusion products.

Quality of Life Following Prestige LP Cervical Disc Arthroplasty in a Prospective Multicountry Study.

Background: To describe routine surgical practice using Prestige LP Cervical Disc (Prestige disc) and patient outcomes for degenerative cervical disc disease in a multicenter 2-year prospective, observational study.

Methods: Patient demographics and intraoperative data were collected; quality of life (QoL) (EQ-5D, EQ-VAS, and neck disability index), average disc height, and adverse events were assessed pre- and postoperatively at 3, 6, 12, and 24 months.

Results: One hundred and ninety-four patients were enrolled (190 patients implanted; female: 67%; mean age: 44.

Four-year results of a prospective single-arm study on 200 semi-constrained total cervical disc prostheses: clinical and radiographic outcome.

OBJECTIVE Recent studies have described encouraging outcomes after cervical total disc replacement (cTDR), but there are also critical debates regarding the long-term effects of heterotopic ossification (HO) and the prevalence of adjacent-level degeneration. The aim in this paper was to provide 4-year clinical and radiographic outcome results on the activ C disc prosthesis. METHODS A total of 200 subjects underwent single-level activ C (Aesculap AG) implantation between C-3 and C-7 for the treatment of symptomatic degenerative disc disease.

Incidence of vascular complications arising from anterior spinal surgery in the thoraco-lumbar spine.

Study Design: Modern biomaterials and instrumentation have popularised surgery of the thoraco-lumbar spine through an anterior route. The advantage of anterior surgery is that it allows for a direct decompression of the compromised spinal canal. However, the potential for devastating long-term sequelae as a result of complications is high.

The combination of mesenchymal stem cells and a bone scaffold in the treatment of vertebral body defects.

Purpose: Vertebral body defects represent one of the most common orthopedic challenges. In order to advance the transfer of stem cell therapies into orthopedic clinical practice, we performed this study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a composite bioartificial graft based on a hydroxyapatite bone scaffold (CEM-OSTETIC(®)) combined with human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in a rat model of vertebral body defects.

Methods: Under general isoflurane anesthesia, a defect in the body of the L2 vertebra was prepared and left to heal spontaneously (group 1), implanted with scaffold material alone (group 2), or implanted with a scaffold together with 0.

Total spondylectomy of C2: report of three cases and review of the literature.

Study Design: A report on 3 patients undergoing total spondylectomy of the C2 vertebra for tumor and the technique for C1-3 reconstruction.

Objective: To illustrate the feasibility of complete resection of the C2 vertebra with preservation of the vertebral arteries and cervical nerve roots.

Background: Total spondylectomy provides improved progression free survival in many patients with locally aggressive spinal tumors.

Implant complications, fusion, loss of lordosis, and outcome after anterior cervical plating with dynamic or rigid plates: two-year results of a multi-centric, randomized, controlled study.

Study Design: Prospective, controlled, randomized, multicenter study.

Objective: To analyze implant complications and speed.

Summary Of Background Data: Rigid plate designs, in which the screws are locked to the plate, are in common use and thought to provide more fixation than dynamic designs, in which the screws may glide when the graft is settling.

Total prepyloric transection of stomach and vertebral trauma: case report and review of the literature.

A rare injury of stomach associated with vertebral trauma in a 10-year-old girl, a victim of a traffic accident, is presented. Early X-ray and computerized tomography scan revealed no free abdominal air, only signs of pancreas contusion and fracture of the Th 12 and L 1 vertebral body were evident. Transection of stomach was revealed during endoscopy (an attempt to perform retrograde cholangio-pancreaticography) 20 h after the trauma.

Fusion and failure following anterior cervical plating with dynamic or rigid plates: 6-months results of a multi-centric, prospective, randomized, controlled study.

Anterior cervical plate fixation is an approved surgical technique for cervical spine stabilization in the presence of anterior cervical instability. Rigid plate design with screws rigidly locked to the plate is widely used and is thought to provide a better fixation for the treated spinal segment than a dynamic design in which the screws may slide when the graft is settling. Recent biomechanical studies showed that dynamic anterior plates provide a better graft loading possibly leading to accelerated spinal fusion with a lower incidence of implant complications.

Autologous bone marrow transplantation in patients with subacute and chronic spinal cord injury.

Stem cell transplants into spinal cord lesions may help to improve regeneration and spinal cord function. Clinical studies are necessary for transferring preclinical findings from animal experiments to humans. We investigated the transplantation of unmanipulated autologous bone marrow in patients with transversal spinal cord injury (SCI) with respect to safety, therapeutic time window, implantation strategy, method of administration, and functional improvement.

Atlantoaxial fixation using the polyaxial screw-rod system.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the first results of the atlantoaxial fixation using polyaxial screw-rod system. Twenty-eight patients followed-up 12-29 months (average 17.1 months) were included in this study.

Searching for active ribosomal genes in situ: light microscopy in light of the electron beam.

Light microscopy (LM) approaches are commonly used to attain a description of the cell structure. Even though LM, if compared to electron microscopy (EM), represents a very fast approach, its resolution is, in principle, much lower than in the case of EM. To improve the LM resolution, computational methods based on removal of the image blur are frequently implemented in cell biology studies.

Overexpression of v-myb oncogene or c-myb proto-oncogene in insect cells: characterization of newly induced nucleolus-like structures accumulating Myb protein.

The oncoprotein v-Myb induces myeloid leukemia and its cellular counterpart c-Myb is involved in the regulation of hematopoiesis. Although intensively studied, their precise subcellular localization is not known. In order to expand our knowledge in this respect, we used an artificial system overexpressing these proteins.