Evolution of bone mineral density after percutaneous kyphoplasty in fresh osteoporotic vertebral body fractures and adjacent vertebrae along with sagittal spine alignment.

Study Design: Prospective controlled cohort study of 27 adult osteoporotic patients who underwent kyphoplasty for fresh osteoporotic spinal fractures.

Objectives: To define the evolution of vertebral bone mineral density (BMD) at kyphoplasty and adjacent levels along with sagittal spinal alignment to contribute to the etiology of adjacent vertebral fractures after augmentation.

Summary Of Background Data: Osteoporotic compression fractures can be effectively treated with methylmethacrylate vertebral augmentation.

Evolution of anterior chest wall blood supply in female adolescents with progressive right-convex thoracic idiopathic scoliosis.

Breast asymmetry was believed to be related to the asymmetry of anterior chest wall blood supply and subsequently to etiology of idiopathic thoracic scoliosis in female adolescents. Recent investigations on the anterior chest wall blood supply with colour Doppler ultrasonography in such individuals did not show anatomic and hemodynamic abnormalities. The present study investigated the evolution of anterior chest wall blood supply in these individuals over a 2-year period.

Asymmetric evolution of anterior chest wall blood supply in female adolescents with progressive right-convex thoracic idiopathic scoliosis.

Breast asymmetry was believed to be related to asymmetry of anterior chest wall blood supply and subsequently to aetiology of idiopathic thoracic scoliosis in female adolescents. Recent investigations on the anterior chest wall blood supply with Colour Doppler Ultrasonography (CDU) in such individuals did not show anatomical and hemodynamic abnormalities. The present study investigated the evolution of anterior chest wall blood supply in these individuals over a 2-year period.

Comparative multifactorial analysis of the effects of idiopathic adolescent scoliosis and Scheuermann kyphosis on the self-perceived health status of adolescents treated with brace.

Bracing is the most effective non-operative treatment for mild progressive spinal deformities in adolescence but it has shown a considerable impact on several aspects of adolescents' functioning. This cross-sectional study investigated the self-perceived health status of adolescents with the two most common deformities, treated with body orthosis. Seventy-nine adolescents with spinal deformities (idiopathic adolescent scoliosis, thoracic Scheuermann kyphosis) and 62 adolescents without spinal deformities were asked to complete the Quality of Life profile for Spine Deformities Instrument.

Anterior surgery with insertion of titanium mesh cage and posterior instrumented fusion performed sequentially on the same day under one anesthesia for septic spondylitis of thoracolumbar spine: is the use of titanium mesh cages safe?

Study Design: Retrospective study.

Objective: To evaluate the outcome on patients with pyogenic spondylitis of the thoracolumbar spine following combined anterior and posterior surgery.

Summary And Background Data: Several methods of surgical treatment of pyogenic spondylitis have been reported.

Combined anterior plus posterior stabilization versus posterior short-segment instrumentation and fusion for mid-lumbar (L2-L4) burst fractures.

Study Design: Prospective randomized study. OBJECTIVES.: To compare the results of the combined anterior-posterior surgery (Group A) with posterior "short-segment" transpedicular fixation (SSTF) (Group B) in mid-lumbar burst fractures.

One-stage combined surgery with mesh cages for treatment of septic spondylitis.

Unlabelled: There is a controversy regarding most effective operative method for treatment of pyogenic spondylitis and whether to use metallic implants on the site of infection. This retrospective study reports on the outcome of 17 patients with persistent cervical and lumbar pyogenic spondylitis who had one-stage combined surgery and fusion with use of a titanium mesh cage for intractable pain, kyphosis, and neurologic impairment. All patients tolerated the combined operation and were followed up on for 45 months.

Posterior transcanal lumbar interbody fusion for septic vertebral fracture pseudarthrosis and sitting imbalance.

Study Design: Case report.

Objective: To describe a new method to treat septic pseudarthrosis of the lumbar spine via a transcanal approach.

Summary Of Background Data: Septic pseudarthrosis of the spine after multiple unsuccessful anterior and posterior surgeries for vertebral fracture represents a challenge for spine surgeons.

Correlative radiological, self-assessment and clinical analysis of evolution in instrumented dorsal and lateral fusion for degenerative lumbar spine disease. Autograft versus coralline hydroxyapatite.

This prospective longitudinal randomized clinical and radiological study compared the evolution of instrumented posterolateral lumbar and lumbosacral fusion using either coralline hydroxyapatite (CH), or iliac bone graft (IBG) or both in three comparable groups, A, B and C, which included 19, 18 and 20 patients, respectively, who suffered from symptomatic degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis and underwent decompression and fusion. The patients were divided randomly according to the graft used and the side that it was applied. The spines of group A received autologous IBG bilaterally; group B, IBG on the left side and hydroxyapatite mixed with local bone and bone marrow on the right side; group C, hydroxyapatite mixed with local bone and bone marrow bilaterally.

Backpacks, back pain, sagittal spinal curves and trunk alignment in adolescents: a logistic and multinomial logistic analysis.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study using logistic and multinomial logistic analysis.

Objectives: To investigate the influence of backpack carrying on spinal profile shoulder and trunk.

Summary Of Background Data: No similar investigations.

Correlative analysis of reliability and validity of plain radiology, MOS short-form health survey and surgical examination in making decision for treatment of chronic low back pain patients.

The aim of this study was to determine inter- and intraobserver agreement between spine surgeons and orthopedic radiologists in recognizing distinct degenerative pathology on plain lumbosacral roentgenograms; to estimate the validity (sensitivity and specificity) to make a surgical decision by correlating Short form-36 Health Survey (SF-36) scores and roentgenographic degenerative pathology; and to determine the intra- and interobserver agreement between radiologists, surgeons, and authors in making a surgical decision for treatment on the basis of distinct roentgenographic pathology, SF-36 scores, clinical findings derived from physical examination, or combined. The authors followed three routes to objectively assess the reliability and validity of the surgical decision in chronic low back pain patients: First, 100 consecutive male patients who suffered from low back pain were examined by the authors physically, using imaging techniques (including plain roentgenograms, CT-scan, or/and MRI), and SF-36 survey. Two senior orthopedic radiologists and two senior spine surgeons were asked to read blinded a set of 100 roentgenograms of the lumbar spine in two sessions.

Correlative analysis of the results of surgical treatment of thoracolumbar injuries with long Texas Scottish rite hospital construct: is the use of pedicle screws versus hooks advantageous in the lumbar spine?

This is a prospective, randomized study to compare the efficacy of two similar "long-segment" Texas Scottish Rite Hospital instrumentations with the use of hooks in the thoracic spine and pedicle screws versus laminar hook claw in the lumbar spine for thoracolumbar A3, B, and C injuries. Forty consecutive patients with such thoracolumbar fractures (T11-L1) associated with spinal canal encroachment underwent early operative postural reduction and stabilization. The patients were randomly sampled into two groups: Twenty patients received hooks in "claw configuration" in both the thoracic and the lumbar spine (group A), and 20 patients received hooks in the thoracic vertebrae and pedicle screws in the lumbar vertebrae (group B).