Impact of nutritional status in patients with metastatic spinal tumors who underwent palliative surgery.

Background: Preoperative nutritional status significantly affects postoperative outcomes in patients with metastatic spinal tumors. Understanding the relationship between nutritional status and survival rates can help optimize treatment strategies and improve patient outcomes.

Methods: This retrospective study was performed on 57 patients who underwent palliative surgery between May 2009 and April 2023.

Utility of a Navigated High-Speed Drill in Robotic-Assisted Screw Placement for Spine Surgery.

Purpose To elucidate the utility of a navigated high-speed drill used after the version upgrade in surgeries assisted by a spinal robotics system. Methods The subjects were 166 patients who underwent screw placement using a spinal robotics system between April 2021 to July 2023. A significant change during the study was the introduction of a navigated high-speed drill in 80 post-upgrade cases, aimed at improving drilling accuracy.

Comparison of Radiographic and Patient-Reported Outcomes After Surgery in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Between Robotics and Navigation: An Analysis Using Propensity Score Matching.

Purpose This study aimed to compare the radiographic and patient-reported outcomes after surgery in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) between robotics and navigation using propensity score matching. Methods This retrospective study involved 50 patients undergoing posterior spinal fusion for AIS between October 2016 and August 2022, utilizing navigation or robotic systems, analyzing them using propensity score matching. The evaluations included assessments using X-ray, Scoliosis Research Society 22-Item (SRS-22) Questionnaire, and CT, considering variables such as age, gender, BMI, and Lenke type.

Long-term changes in bone mineral density following adolescent idiopathic scoliosis surgery: a minimum 34-year follow-up.

Purpose: To investigate longitudinal changes in bone mineral density (BMD) in middle-aged female patients who underwent spinal fusion for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS).

Methods: The study subjects were 229 female patients who were diagnosed with AIS and underwent spinal fusion between 1968 and 1988. A two-step survey study was conducted on 19 female AIS patients.

Nutritional Status Is Associated With Survival Following Spinal Surgery in Patients With Metastatic Spinal Tumors.

Background Preoperative and postoperative nutritional statuses are reported to influence the outcomes and complications of multidisciplinary treatment, including patient survival. However, a causal relationship between nutritional status and survival following spinal surgery has not been demonstrated in patients with metastatic spinal tumors. The present study was, therefore, designed to evaluate the correlation between the nutritional status and survival following spinal surgery in patients with metastatic spinal tumors.

Learning curves for robotic-assisted spine surgery: an analysis of the time taken for screw insertion, robot setting, registration, and fluoroscopy.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to clarify the learning curve for robotic-assisted spine surgery. We analyzed the workflow in robotic-assisted spine surgery and investigated how much experience is required to become proficient in robotic-assisted spine surgery.

Methods: The data were obtained from consecutive 125 patients who underwent robotic-assisted screw placement soon after introducing a spine robotic system at a single center from April 2021 to January 2023.

Safety of robotic-assisted screw placement for spine surgery: Experience from the initial 125 cases.

Background: The present study aimed to evaluate the safety of robot-assisted screw placement in 125 cases after introducing a spinal robotics system and to identify the situations where deviation was likely to occur.

Methods: The subjects were 125 consecutive patients who underwent robotic-assisted screw placement using a spinal robotics system (Mazor X Stealth Edition, Medtronic) from April 2021 to January 2023. The 1048 screws placed with robotic assistance were evaluated.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Middle-Aged and Older Patients With Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Who Underwent Spinal Fusion: A Questionnaire-Based Survey.

Purpose To investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on middle-aged and older patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) who underwent spinal fusion. Methods The subjects were 252 AIS patients who underwent spinal fusion between 1968 and 1988. The surveys were performed before the COVID-19 pandemic (a primary survey in 2014) and during the pandemic (a secondary survey in 2022).

Health-Related Quality of Life of Patients With Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis at Least 40 Years After Surgery.

Study Design: Retrospective study.

Objective: The aim was to clarify the health-related quality of life (QOL) of patients who had adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) at a minimum of 40 years after surgery.

Summary Of Background Data: The postoperative health-related QOL of middle-aged patients with AIS has been reported to be good, but that of middle-aged and older patients with AIS has yet to be completely explored.

Accuracy and Screw Insertion Time of Robotic-Assisted Cortical Bone Trajectory Screw Placement for Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion: A Comparison of Early, Middle, and Late Phases.

Introduction The purpose of this study was to evaluate robotic-assisted cortical bone trajectory (CBT) screw placement. Early, middle, and late phases of robotic-assisted CBT screw placement were compared for accuracy and screw insertion time by comparing time and accuracy in every phase.  Methods A retrospective review was conducted on the initial 40 patients who underwent spinal fusion using CBT screws in one institution from September 2021 to September 2022 utilizing a spine surgery robot system (Mazor X Stealth Edition, Medtronic Inc.

Accuracy of computer-assisted pedicle screw placement for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: a comparison between robotics and navigation.

Purpose: To compare the accuracy of pedicle screw placement in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) between robotics and navigation and clarify the factors that cause screw deviation when robotics is used.

Methods: Fifty consecutive patients who underwent posterior spinal fusions with computer-assisted pedicle screw placement including robotics and navigation for AIS were included. A total of 741 pedicle screws (250: Robot group, 491: Navi group) were evaluated on postoperative CT images.

The Learning Curve of Robotic-Assisted Pedicle Screw Placements Using the Cumulative Sum Analysis: A Study of the First 50 Cases at a Single Center.

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to clarify how many cases surgeons need to experience to pass the learning phase of robotic-assisted spine surgery using the cumulative sum (CUSUM) analysis.

Methods: A retrospective review was conducted on the initial 50 consecutive patients who underwent robotic-assisted pedicle screw placements with open procedures using a spine robotic system (Mazor X Stealth Edition) at a single center from April 2021 to January 2022. There were 19 male and 31 female patients with a mean age of 58.

Diagnosis of Spinal Infection with Alpha-defensin Lateral Flow Test: A Preliminary Report.

Introduction: The alpha-defensin lateral flow test has been used in periprosthetic joint infection as a diagnostic support tool because of its simplicity and speed. However, the test has not been used to diagnose spinal infections. The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of the alpha-defensin lateral flow test for diagnosing spinal infections.

Robotics is useful for less-experienced surgeons in spinal deformity surgery.

Purpose: To verify whether robotics was useful for surgeons who had less experience with spinal deformity surgery.

Methods: A retrospective review was conducted of 70 consecutive patients who underwent robotic-assisted pedicle screw placements with open procedures using a spine robotic system (Mazor X Stealth Edition) at a single institution from April 2021 to April 2022. Gertzbein-Robbins grades were used to assess the deviation of the 599 pedicle screws in the postoperative CT images.

Accuracy of robotic-assisted pedicle screw placement comparing junior surgeons with expert surgeons: Can junior surgeons place pedicle screws as accurately as expert surgeons?

Background: The purpose of this study was to verify whether a spine robotic system was useful for junior surgeons.

Methods: Twenty-seven patients underwent posterior spinal fusion with open surgery using a spine robotic system (Mazor X Stealth Edition, Medtronic Inc., Dublin, Ireland) from April to August 2021.

Screw Insertion Time, Fluoroscopy Time, and Operation Time for Robotic-Assisted Lumbar Pedicle Screw Placement Compared With Freehand Technique.

Introduction The purpose of this study was to clarify the superiority of robotic-assisted lumbar pedicle screw placement in terms of screw insertion time, fluoroscopy time, and operation time. Methods The subjects were 46 patients who underwent a posterior lumbar interbody fusion with an open procedure for lumbar degenerative disease from April 2021 to February 2022. The robot group contained 29 cases of screw insertion using a spine robotic system (Mazor X Stealth Edition, Medtronic Inc.

Tranexamic Acid Reduces Total Blood Loss and the Amount of Stored Preoperative Autologous Blood Donation Needed for Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Patients Undergoing Posterior Spinal Fusion.

Introduction There are few published studies on posterior spinal fusion (PSF) for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) that have reported that the stored amounts of autologous blood donation (ABD) needed for the procedure were estimated by taking into account total blood loss (TBL). The aim of this study was to clarify the following clinical questions: (1) Does the use of tranexamic acid (TXA) reduce the TBL during PSF for AIS? (2) What volume of ABD should be stored to avoid allogeneic blood transfusions? Methods This study investigated 44 female patients who underwent PSF for AIS. A total of 33 patients underwent PSF without TXA (non-TXA group) and 11 patients underwent PSF with TXA (TXA group).

Mobile Application for Scoliosis Screening Using a Standard 2D Digital Camera.

Several scoliosis detection systems, using three-dimensional (3D) cameras or sensors, have been developed in recent years. Because these systems require specific 3D digital cameras or sensors, and the equipment is expensive, they are rarely used in many countries and regions. The development of a scoliosis screening system that uses standard two-dimensional (2D) digital cameras that come with tablet personal computers (PCs) and smartphones will facilitate the efforts made to detect scoliosis patients on a global scale.

Optimization of the Revised Tokuhashi Scoring System: New Prognostic Criteria for Metastatic Spinal Tumor in Surgical Cases.

Introduction: The revised Tokuhashi scoring system has been used to predict survival in patients with metastatic spinal tumors. Because of the rapid progress of cancer therapy, the original criteria of the revised Tokuhashi scoring system became in recent years unsuitable. The study aim was to evaluate the validity of the revised Tokuhashi scoring system in patients who underwent spinal surgery and to establish new prognostic criteria.

Pulmonary Function Improves in Patients with Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis who Undergo Posterior Spinal Fusion Regardless of Thoracoplasty: A Mid-Term Follow-Up.

Introduction: The purpose of the present study was to determine, in a mid-term follow-up 5 years or more after surgery, the forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), and expiratory flow in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) who underwent posterior spinal fusion (PSF) with or without thoracoplasty.

Methods: The subjects were 134 patients with AIS who underwent PSF between 2004 and 2013. Forty-five patients agreed to participate in the study.

Anchor type at upper instrumented vertebra and postoperative shoulder imbalance in patients with Lenke type 1 adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

Purpose: To clarify the impact of anchor type at upper instrumented vertebra (UIV) on postoperative shoulder imbalance in patients with Lenke type 1 adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) who underwent posterior spinal fusion.

Methods: Subjects were 81 patients with Lenke type 1 AIS who underwent posterior spinal fusion between 2004 and 2013. Twenty-five patients agreed to participate in the study.

Increase in pancreatic enzymes following spinal alignment changes in the thoracolumbar junction: Potential for acute pancreatitis after kyphosis correction.

Background: Despite the identification of various risk factors for pancreatitis and hyperamylasemia following spinal surgery, no report has investigated the relationship between spinal alignment changes and elevated serum amylase levels. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between spinal alignment changes and hyperamylasemia after spinal fusion.

Methods: A total of 222 patients whose serum pancreatic amylase levels were measured before and after spinal surgery from December 2017 to May 2019 were included.

MRI evaluation of dural sac enlargement by interspinous process spacers in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis: Does it play a role in the long term?

Background: To investigate dural sac enlargements and spinal alignments in patients who underwent indirect decompression with interspinous spacers.

Methods: The subjects were 20 patients who underwent indirect decompression using an interspinous spacer (X-STOP) without laminectomy. Of these 20 patients, 1 patient underwent implant removal surgery 1 month after X-STOP surgery and two patients dropped out.