Short-term X-ray results of posterior vertebral column resection in severe congenital kyphosis, scoliosis, and kyphoscoliosis.

Study Design: Retrospective case series.

Objective: To analyze the efficacy and safety of posterior vertebral column resection performed on a consecutive series of patients with severe congenital spinal deformity.

Summary Of Background Data: The treatment of severe congenital spinal deformities is a demanding and difficult surgical challenge.

The role of DTI in early detection of cervical spondylotic myelopathy: a preliminary study with 3-T MRI.

Introduction: The radiological diagnosis of cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) has to be made as soon as possible, since surgery performed in earlier stages during the course of CSM was reported to be more successful when compared with later stages. We hypothesized that diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) may detect CSM in earlier stages, before the appearance of signal increase in T2-weighted sequences.

Methods: A total of 16 patients with neurological signs and symptoms of CSM but without hyperintensity in spinal cord on T2-weighted sequences enrolled in the study.

Efficacy of prophylactic placement of inferior vena cava filter in patients undergoing spinal surgery.

Study Design: Retrospective case series.

Objective: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of prophylactic inferior vena cava filter (IVCF) to prevent pulmonary embolism (PE) in high risk patients undergoing major complex spinal surgery.

Summary Of Background Data: PE has been reported to be the major cause of death after spinal reconstructive surgery.

Insufficiency fractures after pelvic radiotherapy in patients with prostate cancer.

Purpose: To assess the incidence, predisposing factors, and clinical characteristics of insufficiency fractures (IF) in patients with prostate cancer, who received pelvic radiotherapy as part of their definitive treatment.

Methods And Materials: The charts of 134 prostate cancer patients, who were treated with pelvic radiotherapy between 1998 and 2007 were retrospectively reviewed. IF was diagnosed by bone scan and/or CT and/or MRI.

The role of routine magnetic resonance imaging in the preoperative evaluation of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

The routine use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis remains controversial, and current indications for MRI in idiopathic scoliosis vary from study to study. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the prevalence of neural axis malformations and the clinical relevance of routine MRI studies in the evaluation of patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis undergoing surgical intervention without any neurological findings. A total of 249 patients with a diagnosis of idiopathic scoliosis were treated surgically between the years 2002 and 2007.

Multiple-level cement vertebroplasty in patients with vertebral commpression fractures from osteodystrophy in chronic liver disease.

Multiple compression fractures of osteoporotic vertebrae are common in patients with a liver transplant or with chronic liver disease. The authors describe two such patients, treated with percutaneous cement vertebroplasty at 12 levels, respectively in 4 and in 2 sessions. No complications were seen after follow-up periods of 12 and 8 months respectively.

Pseudomeningocele in communication with the facet joint: demonstration by computerized tomography-arthrography.

Pseudomeningocele is an uncommon but well-known complication of lumbar spine operations. Although it is mostly asymptomatic and managed conservatively in most cases, it is claimed as a causative factor of failed back surgery syndrome and requires surgery in some cases. Usually, its diagnosis is confidently done with imaging modalities such as magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography and myelography.

Degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis: correlation with Oswestry Disability Index and MR imaging.

Because neither the degree of constriction of the spinal canal considered to be symptomatic for lumbar spinal stenosis nor the relationship between the clinical appearance and the degree of a radiologically verified constriction is clear, a correlation of patient's disability level and radiographic constriction of the lumbar spinal canal is of interest. The aim of this study was to establish a relationship between the degree of radiologically established anatomical stenosis and the severity of self-assessed Oswestry Disability Index in patients undergoing surgery for degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis. Sixty-three consecutive patients with degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis who were scheduled for elective surgery were enrolled in the study.

A 13-year-old textiloma (gossypiboma) after discectomy for lumbar disc herniation: a case report and review of the literature.

Background Context: A paraspinal retained surgical sponge (textiloma) is rare and mostly asymptomatic in chronic cases but can be confused with other soft-tissue masses. Therefore, it is important to be aware of patients with a paraspinal soft-tissue mass with unusual or atypical symptoms.

Purpose: A patient with asymptomatic chronic paraspinal textiloma who was operated on 13 years ago for lumbar disc herniation is presented.

Cervical radiculopathy caused by vertebral artery loop formation: multislice computed tomography angiography findings.

Vertebral artery tortuosity and loop formation are rare causes of cervical radiculopathy. The criterion standard for the detection of vertebral artery loop formation is digital subtraction angiography. Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging provide good accuracy in the evaluation of vertebral arteries.