Minimizing the need for high dependency unit support in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis surgery. Is enhanced recovery and the multidisciplinary team key?

Current trends in the surgical treatment of patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) involve the use of high dependency unit (HDU) in the postoperative period. The British Scoliosis Society also recommends the availability of HDU support in the postoperative period for these patients. However, this practice may lead to unexpected theatre cancellations due to lack of availability of HDU bed on the day of surgery.

A novel technique for the subfascial insertion of magnetically controlled growing rods - The Alder Hey technique.

Purpose: In this study, we would like to describe a novel technique for subfascial insertion of magnetically controlled growing rods using chest drain during surgery for early-onset scoliosis.

Materials And Methods: Posterior approach, surgical dissection to the spine is performed exposing the relevant anatomy to allow placement of pedicle screws always in the distal construct and pedicle screws or hooks in the proximal construct. To allow easy passage of the Magnetic Expansion Control (MAGEC) rod, as well as easy maneuvering of the rod in either the cranial to caudal direction, we use a chest drain of size 24 French diameter as a tunnel.

Is Osteogenic Differentiation of Human Nucleus Pulposus Cells a Possibility for Biological Spinal Fusion?

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether a simple, biologically robust method for inducing calcification of degenerate intervertebral discs (IVD) could be developed to provide an alternative treatment for patients requiring spinal fusion.

Design: Nucleus pulposus (NP) cells isolated from 14 human IVDs were cultured in monolayer and exposed to osteogenic medium, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (VitD), parathyroid hormone (PTH), and bone morphogenic proteins (BMPs) 2/7 to determine if they could become osteogenic. Similarly explant cultures of IVDs from 11 patients were cultured in osteogenic media with and without prior exposure to VitD and BMP-2.

The use of routine preoperative magnetic resonance imaging in identifying intraspinal anomalies in patients with idiopathic scoliosis: a 10-year review.

Purpose: This study sought to quantify the frequency of previously unidentified spinal cord anomalies identified by routine preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), in patients planned for surgical scoliosis correction.

Methods: Our study group comprised 206 patients with idiopathic scoliosis who underwent deformity correction from 1998 to 2008. Clinical records of all the patients were retrospectively reviewed to ascertain the proportion having a neural abnormality on preoperative MRI scan.