Long-term follow-up of the anterior lumbar interbody fusion procedure.

Purpose: To evaluate the long-term clinical results and the effectiveness of the anterior lumbar interbody fusion procedure.

Methods: Between 1999 and 2005, 60 ALIFs were performed in 59 patients. Mean age was 41.

Tumor grafts derived from sarcoma patients retain tumor morphology, viability, and invasion potential and indicate disease outcomes in the chick chorioallantoic membrane model.

The chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay was used to evaluate whether xenotransplanted sarcomas retain the histological characteristics and functional behavior of the original tumors. Metabolically active tumor tissue, identified by dynamic-contrast MRI, from 28 patients with a bone or soft-tissue tumors was applied to the CAM. Angiogenesis and graft and host behaviors were evaluated.

Are stand-alone cages sufficient for anterior lumbar interbody fusion?

Anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) has increased in popularity because it has advantages over posterior fusion. Because there is disagreement about the stability of stand-alone cage ALIF, some surgeons use various types of supplementary fixation, including anterior plates, pedicle screw systems and translaminar screws, to increase segmental stability. Many factors associated with both the cages and endplates influence the time of onset and extent of subsidence after use of stand-alone cage ALIF.

Comparison of vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty for complications.

Vertebroplasty (VP) and kyphoplasty (KP) have been proven equally effective in providing pain relief in patients with vertebral compression fractures (VCF). Both have been reported to have multiple complications which, though rare, are potentially devastating. This literature review focuses on comparing the incidence of various types of complication of VP and KP.

Complications of bone tumors after multimodal therapy.

Purpose: To define and compare the complications of bone tumors after resection, extracorporeal irradiation and re-implantation, with or without radiotherapy.

Materials And Methods: Eighty patients (40 males and 40 females, ages 4-77 years) with 61 malignant and 19 benign bone tumors were evaluated for local and distant complications after treatment. Two groups of patients were studied: (1) 53 patients had resection without (43 patients) or with external beam radiotherapy (RadRx) (10 patients) and (2) 27 patients underwent extracorporeal irradiation and re-implantation without (22 patients) or with RadRx (5 patients).

Radiographic analysis of extracorporeally irradiated autografts.

Objective: To analyse the long-term radiographic findings of intercalary, pure osteoarticular, and composite bone grafts in patients with primary bone sarcoma who were treated by reimplantation of the bone as an orthotopic autograft.

Materials And Methods: For this observational clinical study, 107 patients who presented with 108 malignant or locally aggressive benign bone tumours were treated by resection, extracorporeal irradiation (300 Gy), and reimplantation and fixation of the autograft. Bone healing features were evaluated with the International Society of Limb Salvage (ISOLS) graft evaluation method, which assesses fusion, resorption, fracture, graft shortening, fixation, subluxation, joint narrowing, and subchondral bone.

Extracorporeally irradiated autografts for the treatment of bone tumours: tips and tricks.

We retrospectively reviewed 107 patients with 108 malignant or locally aggressive bone tumours treated between 1978 and 2009 by extracorporeal irradiation with 300 Gy to eradicate the tumour, and reimplantation of the bone as an orthotopic autograft. Patient subgroups were defined according to resection type. We describe the local recurrence rate, the graft infection rate and the factors affecting graft healing and graft survival.

Osteosarcoma with extensive calcified pleural metastases at diagnosis.

We report the case of an 18 year old woman presenting with shortness of breath and pain in the left shoulder. Imaging of the lungs revealed pleural effusion and calcification of the left pleura. An osteosarcoma of the left humerus was the final diagnosis.

Post-treatment complications of soft tissue tumours.

Purpose: To identify local and distant complications of patients with soft tissue tumours and evaluate their relationships to types of therapy.

Methods And Materials: Fifty-one patients (29 males and 22 females, ages 14-80 years) with 34 malignant and 17 benign soft tissue tumours were evaluated for local and distant complications after resection or amputation only (26 patients) or after the addition of radiotherapy (25 patients: 17 patients had external beam therapy, 7 patients had external beam therapy and brachytherapy, and one patient had extracorporeal irradiation and reimplantation). Duration of follow-up averaged 3.

CD33+ CD14- phenotype is characteristic of multinuclear osteoclast-like cells in giant cell tumor of bone.

Giant cell tumor of bone (GCTB) is a benign bone tumor with a shown clinical behavior of local recurrences and rare distant metastases. GCTB is composed of uniformly distributed osteoclastic giant cells, thought to originate from the fusion of monocyte-macrophage lineage cells, in a background consisting of mononuclear rounded cells and spindle-shaped cells. Several reports showed the specific expression of markers, such as CD14 on the mononuclear rounded cell population, however, lacking osteoclastic giant cells.

Telomere biology in giant cell tumour of bone.

Giant cell tumour of bone (GCTB) is a benign bone tumour known for the unpredictable clinical behaviour of recurrences and, in rare instances, distant metastases. It consists of uniformly distributed osteoclastic giant cells in a background of mononuclear rounded and spindle-shaped cells. Cytogenetically, telomeric associations are the most common chromosomal aberrations, which, however, are normally almost exclusively found in high-grade malignancies.

Can autologous thrombin with a rest fraction of ethanol be used safely for activation of concentrated autologous platelets applied on nerves?

The use of concentrated platelet-rich plasma (cPRP) as a source of growth factors is reported to be beneficial for an enhanced osteogenesis in spine surgery. Today both bovine and autologous thrombin is used for activating the platelets and thus releasing the growth factors. In order to prevent transmission of organisms and the development of antibodies, autologous thrombin seems to be the logical choice.

99mTc ciprofloxacin imaging for the diagnosis of infection in the postoperative spine.

Background: The non-invasive assessment of postoperative spinal infections can pose a substantial diagnostic challenge, especially in the presence of orthopaedic devices. In contrast to white blood cell scanning, which is of limited use in the spine, the low uptake of 99mTc ciprofloxacin into normal bone marrow, combined with its claimed bacterial specificity, makes it, theoretically, an ideal candidate for evaluating postoperative spinal infections.

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate 99mTc ciprofloxacin planar and single photon emission tomography (SPET) imaging in relation to microbiological diagnosis in the postoperative spine.

18-Fluorine fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography for the diagnosis of infection in the postoperative spine.

Background: Using conventional imaging methods, including magnetic resonance imaging and labeled leukocyte scanning, the diagnosis of infection in the postoperative spine remains a diagnostic challenge. Recently, promising results have been reported using 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography for various infectious problems. This study aimed to investigate the value of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography in patients suspected of having spinal infection after previous surgery of the spine.

[Results of an inverted shoulder prosthesis after resection for tumor of the proximal humerus].

Purpose Of The Study: Treatment of primary bone tumors of the proximal humerus is a major challenge, both in terms of oncological cure and limitation of functional handicap. Extracorporal radiation and reimplantation have provided satisfactory results for the treatment of bone tumors and the inverted shoulder prosthesis has be found to be effective in treating rotator cuff deficiency. We therefore assessed patients treated with a combination of these two treatments in order to search for a better functional outcome.

Extracorporeally irradiated autografts in pelvic reconstruction after malignant tumour resection.

We treated 15 patients suffering from an extracompartmental malignant pelvic tumour by resecting the affected part of the bone, irradiating it extracorporeally with 300 Gy, and reimplanting it after having removed the bulk of the lesion. Adjuvant therapies were used according to the type and extension of the tumour. Follow-up was an average of 4 years 6 months.

Parosteal osteosarcoma of the humerus.

The authors report the case of a 50-year-old man who presented with nontraumatic swelling of the left upper arm. The diagnosis of parosteal osteosarcoma of the humerus was made after diagnostic workup. A long diaphyseal segment of the humerus containing the tumor was resected with a healthy margin of soft tissues and was irradiated extracorporeally with a single dose of 30 Gray.

Neurofibromatosis, gigantism, elephantiasis neuromatosa and recurrent massive subperiosteal hematoma: a new case report and review of 7 case reports from the literature.

The authors report the case of a 13-year-old patient with neurofibromatosis (NF-I), who suffered blunt trauma to the left tibia in 1993. The diagnosis of subperiosteal hematoma was made. Treatment consisted of temporary rest.

Recurrent massive subperiosteal hematoma in a patient with neurofibromatosis.

The authors report the case of a 13-year-old neurofibromatosis (NF-I) patient who suffered a blunt trauma in 1993. The diagnosis of subperiosteal hematoma was made. The pathogenesis of subperiosteal hematoma is discussed.

Technetium-99m-MDP scintigraphy and long-term follow-up of treated primary malignant bone tumors.

Unlabelled: Local malignant bone tumor excision followed by high-dose extracorporeal irradiation (300 Gy) and subsequent reimplantation is a unique technique for treatment of primary bone and cartilage tumors. The long-term scintigraphic findings of irradiated bone autografts in relation to clinical patient data were reviewed retrospectively.

Methods: Thirty-seven patients (12 women, 25 men; age range 13.

Examination of the back using the Bunnell scoliometer in a Belgian school population around puberty.

The present study was designed to determine whether quantified clinical measurement of the back would provide arguments supporting a biomechanical cause of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). Two hundred ninety-two healthy girls (9 to 16 years) and 191 healthy boys (11 to 18 years) were examined clinically with the use of the Bunnell scoliometer. The inter- and intraobserver measurement error was determined.

Intramedullary fixation of forearm fractures in adults.

The authors present a retrospective study of acute fractures of the diaphysis of the radius or ulna, or both, in adults treated by intramedullary nailing. Seventy diaphyseal fractures in 38 patients (30 men and 8 women) were treated by intramedullary fixation. The mean age of the patients was 31.

Thallium-201 accumulation in myositis ossificans and in juxta-articular ossification.

We present the findings on 201Tl and 99mTc-MDP scintigraphy in three patients suffering from heterotopic ossification (two patients presenting with myositis ossificans and one patient presenting with juxta-articular ossification in combination with myositis ossificans). Since resection of the lesions has to be delayed until stabilization, 99mTc-MDP is often used as a parameter of lesional activity, although it is not optimal. For this clinical problem, we evaluated 201Tl scintigraphy as a marker of metabolic activity.

Static, dynamic and first-pass MR imaging of musculoskeletal lesions using gadodiamide injection.

Forty-five patients with known or suspected musculoskeletal tumors were examined with static and dynamic MR imaging to evaluate the safety, tolerability and diagnostic utility of gadodiamide injection and to assess the diagnostic value of dynamic MR imaging and parametric "first-pass" (FP) images. The proportion of patients presenting more diagnostic information on the contrast-enhanced compared to the precontrast spin-echo examinations was determined. The dynamic enhancement characteristics were evaluated with time-intensity curves and parametric images of the FP enhancement rate.