Watertight Sealing Without Lumbar Drainage for Incidental Ventral Dural Defect in Transthoracic Spine Surgery: A Retrospective Review of 53 Cases.

Study Design: A retrospective review.

Objectives: To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of the triple layer closure technique to establish watertight sealing without diversion of lumbar drainage, in preventing persistent incidental subarachnoid-pleural fistula and other neurological complications related to excessive drainage of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) after dural defect in transthoracic ossified posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) surgery.

Summary Of Background Data: CSF leakage into the pleural cavity leads to unfavorable conditions for natural healing of incidental durotomy due to the negative pressure environment of the pleural space and lack of wound healing around the bony cavity near the decompressed spinal cord.

Usefulness of Noninvasive Positive-pressure Ventilation During Surgery of Flaccid Neuromuscular Scoliosis.

Study Design: This is a retrospective study.

Objective: To assess the effects of noninvasive positive-pressure ventilation (NIPPV) through evaluations of outcomes and incidences of postoperative pulmonary complications among patients with flaccid neuromuscular scoliosis for pulmonary support in the perioperative periods.

Background Data: There is no report on the effects of NIPPV on neuromuscular scoliosis patient during the perioperative periods.

Effective cervical decompression by the posterior cervical foraminotomy without discectomy.

Study Design: A retrospective review.

Objective: To compare the effectiveness of the posterior cervical foraminotomy (PCF) with and without discectomy for the treatment of cervical disk herniation.

Summary Of Background Data: Although PCF is effective and does not require a fusion procedure, it has certain disadvantages, including a narrow operating field, the need for cervical nerve root retraction, and the obstacle of epidural venous bleeding.

Surgical treatment of failed back surgery syndrome due to sagittal imbalance.

Study Design: Retrospective study of consecutive patient series.

Objective: To review the etiology of failed back surgery syndrome due to sagittal imbalance and radiographic and clinical results of surgical treatment of these patients who were treated with combined anterior and posterior arthrodesis.

Summary Of Background Data: Sagittal imbalance after spinal fusion surgery may be a major source of pain and disability.

Venovertebral vein: morphometric analysis and significance for the transabdominal spine surgeon.

Study Design: Prospective intraoperative findings review.

Objectives: To describe the surgical anatomy of the innominate vessel, venovertebral vein, and consider its significance for transabdominal surgery.

Background Data: It has not described in any anatomy textbook or reported papers.

Multislice CT fluoroscopy-assisted cervical transforaminal injection of steroids: technical note.

Study Design: A prospective study of 19 consecutive patients who underwent multislice computed tomography (CT)-guided cervical transforaminal steroid injection.

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility and the outcome of cervical transforaminal steroid injection guided by multislice CT fluoroscopy.

Summary Of Background Data: Cervical transforaminal steroid injection has been accepted as an effective therapeutic modality for radiculopathy that results from a cervical herniated disc or stenosis.

Recurrence after successful percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the risk factors for recurrence after successful percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy (PELD). Recently, PELD has become the most common surgical technique. However, there are only a few studies on the factors causing the reappearance of the symptoms.

Significance of the double- and single-layer signs in the ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament of the thoracic spine.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to elucidate the significance of the signs of dural ossification applied to the thoracic ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL), as originally described for cervical OPLL by Hida et al.

Methods: Twenty patients with thoracic OPLL who underwent anterior decompression were retrospectively studied through examination of preoperative computed tomographic scans and medical records. The types of OPLL, single- and double-layer signs, as well as actual dural penetration were evaluated.

Significance of the double-layer and single-layer signs in the ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament of the cervical spine.

Object: The purpose of this study was to elucidate the significance of the signs of dural penetration, which were previously described by Hida et al. This goal was accomplished by an analysis of preoperative computed tomography scans and a review of the medical records of patients who underwent removal of the ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) via the anterior approach.

Methods: Outcomes in 197 patients with cervical OPLL who underwent anterior decompression and fusion were studied retrospectively.

Percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy for adolescent lumbar disc herniation: surgical outcomes in 46 consecutive patients.

Background: The surgical outcome of percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy (PELD) for adolescent lumbar disc herniation has rarely been reported on. We performed this study to evaluate the surgical outcome of PELD for adolescent lumbar disc herniation.

Methods: We analyzed the surgical outcomes in 46 consecutive adolescent patients between 13 and 18 years of age (mean age, 16.

Transforaminal percutaneous endoscopic discectomy in the treatment of foraminal and extraforaminal lumbar disc herniations.

The objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of the endoscopic technique, as applied to patients with foraminal and extraforaminal disc herniations, and to report the outcome and complications. A retrospective analysis was performed of 35 consecutive cases of foraminal and extraforaminal lumbar disc herniation managed by posterolateral endoscopic discectomy. Pain was measured by means of the Visual Analog Score.

Minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion with ipsilateral pedicle screw and contralateral facet screw fixation.

Object: The purpose of this study was to introduce a minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) technique that involves ipsilateral pedicle screw (PS) and contralateral facet screw (FS) fixation.

Methods: Eight men and 15 women (mean age 59.5 years, range 48-68) underwent the aforementioned TLIF procedure for degenerative spondylolisthesis and uni- or bilateral radiculopathy.

Clinical analysis of percutaneous facet screw fixation after anterior lumbar interbody fusion.

Object: The authors performed a retrospective study to evaluate the results of percutaneous facet screw fixation (PFSF) after anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) in comparison with the gold standard, post-ALIF pedicle screw fixation (PSF).

Methods: Of 84 patients treated for degenerative spondylolisthesis or degenerative disc disease at the authors' institution, 44 underwent PFSF (Group 1) and 40 underwent PSF (Group 2 [control population]) after ALIF. Function was assessed using the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scoring system, and outcome was measured using the Macnab criteria.