The influence of sintering of osteoporotic vertebral fractures on the sagittal lumbar profile and degenerative changes.

Background: Osteoporosis, a skeletal disorder affecting nearly 20% of the global population, poses a significant health concern, with osteoporotic vertebral body fractures (VBF) representing a common clinical manifestation. The impact of osteoporotic sintering fractures in the thoracolumbar spine on the sagittal lumbar profile is incompletely understood and may lead to the onset of clinical symptoms in previously asymptomatic patients.

Methods: This retrospective single-center study analyzed data from patients presenting with osteoporotic spine fractures between 2017 and 2022.

[Doctor, when can I drive? Characterization of driving behavior of orthopedic and trauma surgery patients using a prospective questionnaire study].

Background: Individual mobility in road traffic is of high importance in Germany, both individually and socioeconomically; however, diseases and injuries of the musculoskeletal system in particular can lead to temporary impairments. The aim of this prospective patient survey was to record how patients assessed their driving capability during an injury and the associated immobilization and on what basis the decision on driving capability was made on the part of the patients.

Material And Methods: A systematic questionnaire was used to analyze a total of 100 patients with a diagnosis in orthopedics/trauma surgery and associated joint immobilization.

The Impact of the Lowest Instrumented Vertebra on the Correction of the Minor Curve During Selective Fusion in Patients With Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis.

Study Design: Retrospective single-center data analysis.

Objective: The aim of this investigation was to give advises for choosing the LIV in selective fusion to reach the best correction of the minor curve and sagittal profile.

Summary Of Background Data: Scoliotic curves can be classified as structural or nonstructural.

Impact of Different Operative Techniques for Patients With Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis on Frontal Curve Correction and Sagittal Balance.

Background: Surgical correction of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis from the posterior approach can be performed by the "all screws" technique; hybrid technique with screws and hooks; hybrid technique or with screws, hooks, and tapes; or selective fusion (SF) or nonselective fusion (NSF). The aim of the present investigation was to analyze the influence from different operative techniques on frontal curve correction and sagittal profile in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis on 55 consecutive patients with scoliosis who had been treated by posterior instrumented fusion.

Navigation versus fluoroscopy in minimalinvasive iliosacral screw placement.

Introduction: When needed operative treatment of sacral fractures is mostly performed with percutaneous iliosacral screw fixation. The advantage of navigation in insertion of pedicle screws already could be shown by former investigations. The aim of this investigation was now to analyze which influence iliosacral screw placement guided by navigation has on duration of surgery, radiation exposure and accuracy of screw placement compared to the technique guided by fluoroscopy.

Outcome of Targeted vs Empiric Antibiotic Therapy in the Treatment of Spondylodiscitis: A Retrospective Analysis of 201 Patients.

Background: Antibiotic treatment of spondylodiscitis is influenced by antibiotic stewardship; specifically, empirical antibiotic therapy is avoided in favor of-delayed-targeted antibiotic therapy after microbiological diagnosis. Only patients with neurological deficits or clinical signs of sepsis should be treated by empirical antibiotic therapy. However, the level of evidence for this treatment concept is weak.

May bending radiographs be replaced by magnetic resonance imaging in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis?

Purpose: There is no data that shows if it is possible to determine if a curve is structural or non-structural or to assess flexibility of an adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) instead of bending radiographs (BR). We investigated if the results of BR may be compared to those of MRI.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed prospectively collected data of patients with AIS in whom a selective spinal fusion was performed and in whom a MRI, BR and full-spine X-rays were obtained preoperatively.

Influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on causes for the development of carbon monoxide intoxications.

Introduction: Several causes can lead to carbon monoxide (CO) intoxication. A first-line treatment option for such intoxications is hyperbaric oxygenation (HBO2) therapy. The COVID-19 pandemic has been changing everyday life in Germany since March 2020, mainly caused by statutory provisions.

Surgical Site Infection After Posterior Stabilization of the Spine - When do we Have to Remove the Implants?

Study Design: Retrospective data analysis.

Objection: The primary objective of this investigation was to analyze if treatment of Postoperative surgical site infections (PSSI) after posterior stabilization of the spine (PS) without radiological signs of screw loosening (RSL) shows a sufficient success rate without implant removal and if there was any difference between early and late PSSI.

Summary Of Background Data: PSSI after PS are usually treated by implant removal and reinstrumentation if loosening of one of more screws is detected.

Bovine-derived xenograft is a viable bone graft substitute in multilevel, instrumented, spinal fusion.

Objective: To evaluate radiological outcomes following the use of xenogeneic bone graft substitute (BGS) in patients undergoing multisegmental spinal fusion.

Summery Of Background Data: Data exists for single level and short segment fusions, there presently is a paucity of data on fusion rate after bone augmentation with BGS in multisegmental posterior spinal fusion (PSF). The leading concern is pseudarthrosis, which often leads to a loss of correction after PSF.

May bending radiographs be replaced by recumbent CT scans in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis?

Purpose: There is no data that show if it is possible to determine if a curve is structural or non-structural or to assess flexibility of an adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) by recumbent images like a CT scan (CTS) instead of bending radiographs (BR). We investigated if the results of BR may be compared to those of CTS.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed prospectively collected data of patients with AIS in whom a selective spinal fusion was performed and in whom a CTS, BR, and full spine x-rays were made preoperatively.

Evaluating Lumbar Intervertebral Disc Degeneration on a Compositional Level Using Chemical Exchange Saturation Transfer: Preliminary Results in Patients with Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis.

Lumbar intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration is characterized by structural and compositional changes. This study aimed to assess the glycosaminoglycan (GAG) content of IVDs of patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) and healthy controls using GAG chemical exchange saturation transfer (gagCEST) imaging. Ten AIS patients (mean age 18.

Effective dose of radiation per screw in surgery of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: matched pair analysis of 293 pedicle screws inserted using three different techniques.

Purpose: Reports on heterogenous groups of patients have indicated that pedicle screw insertion guided by navigation (PIN) leads to, for the patient, higher doses of radiation compared with pedicle screw insertion guided by fluoroscopy (PIF). This would be a major concern, especially in paediatric deformity correction.

Methods: After a power analysis (aiming at > 0.

The impact of non-toxic blue light (453 nm) on cellular antioxidative capacity, TGF-β1 signaling, and myofibrogenesis of human skin fibroblasts.

Studies have demonstrated that blue light induces biological effects, such as cell death, and inhibition of proliferation and differentiation. Since blue light at longer wavelength (>440 nm) exerts less injurious effects on cells than at shorter wavelengths, (400-440 nm), we have investigated the impact of non-toxic (LED) blue light at 453 nm wavelength on human skin fibroblasts (hsFBs). We found that besides its decreasing effects on the proliferation rate, repeated blue light irradiations (80 J/cm) also significantly reduced TGF-β1-induced myofibrogenesis as shown by diminished α-SMA and EDA-FN expression accompanied by reduced protein expression and phosphorylation of ERK 1/2, SMAD 2/3, and p38-key players of TGF-β1-induced myofibrogenesis.

MRI based analysis of grade of spinal canal stenosis and grade of compression of nerve root by lumbar disc herniation as tools to predict probability to need surgical treatment.

Background: Patients with a lumbar disc herniation (LDH) without high-grade neurological deficit (PWN) are usually treated non-operatively. If non-operative treatment is not successful, a postponed surgical treatment is performed. Postponed surgery is reported to show later improvement of pain and health-related quality of life and later return to work than early surgery.

Lumbar lordosis as tool to assess the level of pain in patients with low back pain after lumbar disc herniation.

Background: It is presently unknown if lumbar lordosis (LL) might be applied to monitor low back pain (LBP) in patients with lumbar disc herniation (LDH). There is presently only conflicting data that does not show a correlation of LL with LBP: Previous studies do either include chronic LBP or do not consider that each patient has an individual value of LL that cannot be compared to other patients.

Methods: Power analysis: At least 32 patients had to be enrolled in the study.

Signal Intensity of Lumbar Disc Herniations: Correlation With Age of Herniation for Extrusion, Protrusion, and Sequestration.

Background: There is presently insufficient data on small groups of patients, without focus on time since herniation occurred and without establishing a valid method of measurement for signal intensity (SI) of a lumbar disc herniation (LDH) in a standard magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). SI could be reported in relation to SI of nucleus pulposus of herniated intervertebral disc, nucleus pulposus of a healthy "control" intervertebral disc, cerebral spinal fluid, or anterior anulus fibrosus. It is not known which signal intensity ratio (SIR) shows the highest correlation with time since onset of pain and how SIR of different Combined Task Forces (CTF)-types of herniation develop over time.