Fusion Length Requiring Spinopelvic Fixation in Lumbosacral Fusion with Anterior Column Support at L5-S1: Assessment of Fusion Status Using Computed Tomography.

Background: The lumbosacral (LS) junction has a higher nonunion rate than other lumbar segments, especially in long-level fusion. Nonunion at L5-S1 would result in low back pain, spinal imbalance, and poor surgical outcomes. Although anterior column support at L5-S1 has been recommended to prevent nonunion in long-level LS fusion, fusion length requiring additional spinopelvic fixation (SPF) in LS fusion with anterior column support at L5-S1 has not been evaluated thoroughly.

Comparison of Unilateral versus Bilateral Instrumented Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion in Lumbar Degenerative Diseases: A Minimum of 5-Year Follow-Up.

: There is a paucity of literature comparing unilateral instrumented transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (UITLIF) with bilateral instrumented TLIF (BITLIF) regarding radiological alignment, including the coronal balance, even though UITLIF might have asymmetric characteristics in the coronal plane. This retrospective study aimed to compare the clinical and long-term radiological outcomes of 1-level UITLIF and BITLIF in lumbar degenerative diseases (LDD) including lumbar spinal stenosis with or without spondylolisthesis (degenerative or spondylolytic). : Patients who underwent 1-level UITLIF with two rectangular polyetheretherketone (PEEK) cages or BITLIF between November 2009 and June 2016 by four surgeons with ≥5 years of follow-up at a single hospital were included.

Mid-Thoracic Vertebral Compression Fracture after Mini-Trampoline Exercise: A Case Series of Seven Patients.

: Home-based training exercise gained popularity during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic era. Mini-trampoline exercise (MTE) is a home-based exercise that utilizes rebound force generated from the trampoline net and the motion of the joints of the lower extremities. It is known to be beneficial for improving postural balance, stability, muscle strength and coordination, bone strength, and overall health.

Safe Optimal Tear Drop View for Spinopelvic Fixation Using a Three-Dimensional Reconstruction Model of the Pelvis.

Background: Spinopelvic fixation (SPF) has been a challenge for surgeons despite the advancements in instruments and surgical techniques. C-arm fluoroscopy-guided SPF is a widely used safe technique that utilizes the tear drop view. The tear drop view is an image of the corridor from the posterior superior iliac spine to the anterior inferior iliac spine (AIIS) of the pelvis.

Assessment and nonsurgical management of low back pain: a narrative review.

Low back pain (LBP) is a common condition that affects people of all ages and income levels worldwide. The etiology of LBP may be mechanical, neuropathic, systemic, referred visceral, or secondary to other causes. Despite numerous studies, the diagnosis and management of LBP remain challenging due to the complex biomechanics of the spine and confounding factors, such as trivial degenerative imaging findings irrelevant to symptoms and psychological and emotional factors.

Adult Spinal Deformity: A Comprehensive Review of Current Advances and Future Directions.

Owing to rapidly changing global demographics, adult spinal deformity (ASD) now accounts for a significant proportion of the Global Burden of Disease. Sagittal imbalance caused by age-related degenerative changes leads to back pain, neurological deficits, and deformity, which negatively affect the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of patients. Along with the recognized regional, global, and sagittal spinopelvic parameters, poor paraspinal muscle quality has recently been acknowledged as a key determinant of the clinical outcomes of ASD.

Novel Surgical Technique for Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: Minimally Invasive Scoliosis Surgery.

Despite advancements in instruments and surgical techniques for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) surgery, conventional open scoliosis surgery (COSS) is usually required to achieve satisfactory deformity correction using various distinct surgical techniques, such as rod derotation, direct vertebral rotation, facetectomies, osteotomies, and decortication of the laminae. However, COSS is accompanied by significant blood loss and requires a large midline skin incision. Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) has evolved enormously in various fields of spinal surgery, including degenerative spinal diseases.

How I do it: biportal endoscopic paraspinal approach for recurrent lumbar disc herniation following percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy.

Background: Although percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy (PELD) has been popularized as an alternative to microscopic lumbar discectomy, it has been reported to be associated with a re-herniation rate of 5-11%. Recurrent lumbar disc herniation (RLDH) might occur not only at the same level previously operated upon but also at the annular penetration site created during PELD procedures.

Method: Biportal endoscopic paraspinal approach (BE-Para) was used for revisional foraminal lumbar discectomy.

Anterior Thigh Pain Following Minimally Invasive Oblique Lateral Interbody Fusion: Multivariate Analysis from a Prospective Case Series.

Background: Oblique lateral interbody fusion (OLIF) involves the antepsoas approach and psoas major muscle (PMM) retraction to insert the interbody cage orthogonally. Therefore, OLIF is often associated with postoperative anterior thigh pain (ATP) on the approach side. However, there is limited evidence on the nature and risk factors of ATP following OLIF.

Radiographic Factors for Progression of Thoracolumbar Kyphosis in Achondroplasia Patients after Walking Age: A Generalized Estimating Equation Analysis.

Background: This study aimed to analyse the trends in changes of radiologic parameters according to age to predict factors affecting the progression of thoracolumbar kyphosis (TLK).

Methods: Records of patients with achondroplasia were retrospectively reviewed from July 2001 to December 2020. We measured imaging parameters (T10-L2 angle, sagittal Cobb angle, width, height, and number of wedge vertebrae, and apical vertebral translation [AVT]) of 81 patients with radiographically confirmed TLK.

Involvement of L5-S1 level as an independent risk factor for adverse outcomes after surgical treatment of lumbar pyogenic spondylitis: A multivariate analysis.

Purpose: To identify the independent risk factors for adverse outcomes and determine the effect of L5-S1 involvement on the outcome of surgical treatment of lumbar pyogenic spondylitis (PS).

Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed for all consecutive patients who underwent surgery for lumbar PS between November 2004 and June 2020 at a single institution. The patients were divided into two groups based on the outcomes: good and adverse (treatment failure, relapse, or death).

Can Indirect Decompression Reduce Adjacent Segment Degeneration and the Associated Reoperation Rate After Lumbar Interbody Fusion? A Systemic Review and Meta-analysis.

Objective: We sought to assess and compare the rate of adjacent segment degeneration (ASDeg), adjacent segment disease, and related reoperations between patients who underwent lumbar interbody fusion surgery using indirect or direct decompression.

Methods: On the basis of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, a systematic review and meta-analysis was performed to identify and analyze studies that compared the rate of ASDeg, adjacent segment disease, and related reoperations between indirect and direct decompression techniques. Indirect decompression included anterior lumbar interbody fusion, lateral lumbar interbody fusion, and oblique lateral interbody fusion, whereas direct decompression included posterior or transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion.

The Effect of Adding Biological Factors to the Decision-Making Process for Spinal Metastasis of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Molecular target therapies have markedly improved the survival of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients, especially those with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations. A positive EGFR mutation is even more critical when the chronicity of spinal metastasis is considered. However, most prognostic models that estimate the life expectancy of spinal metastasis patients do not include these biological factors.

Risk factors for postoperative ileus after oblique lateral interbody fusion: a multivariate analysis.

Background Context: Oblique lateral interbody fusion (OLIF)-has become a widely used, efficient surgical tool for various degenerative lumbar conditions. Postoperative ileus (POI) is a relatively common complication after anterior lumbar interbody fusion due to the manipulation of the intestine during the surgical approach. However, to our knowledge, little is known about POI following OLIF even though it also involves bowel manipulation during a surgical procedure.

Treatment Strategy for Metastatic Spinal Tumors: A Narrative Review.

Metastatic spinal tumors are common, and their rising incidence can be attributed to the expanding aging population and increased survival rates among cancer patients. The decision-making process in the treatment of spinal metastasis requires a multidisciplinary approach that includes medical and radiation oncology, surgery, and rehabilitation. Various decision-making systems have been proposed in the literature in order to estimate survival and suggest appropriate treatment options for patients experiencing spinal metastasis.

Real-world prescribing and switching patterns of non-calcium containing phosphate binders in dialysis patients in South Korea .

Objective: Non-calcium containing phosphate binders (non-CPBs) are useful for the treatment of hyperphosphatemia without a concern of hypercalcemia in patients undergoing dialysis. However, due to their relatively high cost, prescribing non-CPBs is restricted in South Korea. This study was conducted to investigate prescribing patterns, especially switching between CPBs and non-CPBs, in dialysis patients in a real-world setting.

Fabrication of Tapered Micropillars with High Aspect-Ratio Based on Deep X-ray Lithography.

In this study, a fabrication method of tapered microstructures with high aspect ratio was proposed by deep X-ray lithography. Tapered microstructures with several hundred micrometers and high aspect ratio are demanded owing to the high applicability in the fields of various microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) such as optical components and microfluidic channels. However, as the pattern and gap size were downsized to smaller micro-scale with higher aspect ratio over 5, microstructures were easily deformed or clustered together due to capillary force during the drying process.

Biomechanical advantages of robot-assisted pedicle screw fixation in posterior lumbar interbody fusion compared with freehand technique in a prospective randomized controlled trial-perspective for patient-specific finite element analysis.

Background Context: There have been conflicting results on the surgical outcome of lumbar fusion surgery using two different techniques: robot-assisted pedicle screw fixation and conventional freehand technique. In addition, there have been no studies about the biomechanical issues between both techniques.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the biomechanical properties in terms of stress at adjacent segments using robot-assisted pedicle screw insertion technique (robot-assisted, minimally invasive posterior lumbar interbody fusion, Rom-PLIF) and freehand technique (conventional, freehand, open approach, posterior lumbar interbody fusion, Cop-PLIF) for instrumented lumbar fusion surgery.

Spatially adaptive high-resolution image reconstruction of DCT-based compressed images.

The problem of recovering a high-resolution image from a sequence of low-resolution DCT-based compressed observations is considered in this paper. The introduction of compression complicates the recovery problem. We analyze the DCT quantization noise and propose to model it in the spatial domain as a colored Gaussian process.