Mega-granuloma After Using the Universal Clamp for Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: What Is It and Can It Be Prevented?

Study Design: Clinical case series.

Objective: To characterize the postoperative course and histopathology of peri-implant tissue of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis patients who experienced postoperative development of an aseptic soft tissue reaction, with granulomas adjacent to the sublaminar polyethylene terephthalate strap-titanium clamp used in Zimmer's Universal Clamp (UC) spinal fixation system after spinal surgery.

Background Summary: The UC was designed for use with spinal deformity procedures in place of pedicle screws, hooks, or sublaminar wiring in fusion constructs.

Balloon Kyphoplasty for Refractory Vertebral Compression Fractures in a Growing Child With Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy With Five-Year Follow-Up: Case Report and Review of Literature.

Objective: Presentation of previously unreported results and 5-year follow-up of balloon kyphoplasty used to treat an 8-year-old patient with refractory vertebral compression fractures resulting from 3 years of corticosteroid treatment for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Summary Of Background Data: Long-term corticosteroid treatment in patients with DMD has been used to try and improve muscle strength, prolong ambulation, and lower the prevalence of scoliosis. However, these patients have an increased risk of osteoporosis and vertebral fractures.

An analysis of fusion cage migration in unilateral and bilateral fixation with transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion.

Purpose: To investigate if instrumentation (unilateral vs. bilateral fixation) has an effect on the rate of fusion cage migration.

Methods: This clinical study of transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion involved a prospective group of 116 patients who were randomly assigned to either unilateral (n = 57) or bilateral (n = 59) fixation.

Intraoperative decrease in amplitude of somatosensory-evoked potentials of the lower extremities with interbody fusion cage placement during lumbar fusion surgery.

Study Design: A retrospective analysis was performed.

Objective: To characterize neurophysiological data of patients who had a decrease in amplitude of somatosensory-evoked potentials (SSEP) of the lower extremities secondary to interbody fusion cage placement during lumbar fusion surgery with no alert of the electromyography (EMG).

Summary Of Background Data: The most consistently used and studied modalities of neurophysiological monitoring during spine surgery are SSEPs, motor-evoked potentials (MEPs), and EMG.

Cauda equina syndrome following decompression for spinal stenosis.

Cauda equina syndrome following decompression for spinal stenosis appears to occur more commonly than the literature suggests. A large series of spinal stenosis decompressions was reviewed. Based on these findings, a theory is put forth as to the cause of this complication.