Outcome Comparison between Percutaneous Vertebroplasty and Conservative Treatment in Acute Painful Osteoporotic Vertebral Compression Fracture

STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective comparative study. OBJECTIVES: To compare the outcome of percutaneous vertebroplasty (VP) and conservative treatment for the treatment of acute painful osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (VCF). SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: Vertebroplasty is a common procedure for the treatment of acute painful osteoporotic VCF. However, controversy still exists regarding clinical outcomes of the procedure compared with more conservative treatment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A consecutive group of patients, undergoing VP and conservative treatment at our hospital, between July 2005 and October 2008, were reviewed retrospectively. All patients were reviewed with at least 1 year of follow up. A total of 58 patients underwent 59 VP procedures under local anesthesia at post injury 2 weeks; a total of 31 underwent conservative treatment. These two groups were compared by the kyphotic angle and loss of vertebral body height at immediate post-injury, post-injury 6weeks and 1y ear, radiologically. And they were compared by the visual analog scale(VAS) score and ambulatory status at the same time, clinically. RESULTS: At the time of immediate post-injury, six weeks after post-injury, one year after injury, height loss was 29.73%, 19.81%, 22.59% in the VP group, respectively, and 31.20%, 36.80%, 40.60% in the conservative treatment group, respectively. The Kyphotic angles were 13.44degrees, 9.10degrees, 11.31degrees in VP group, respectively, and 10.29degrees, 15.83degrees, 19.00degrees in the conservative treatment group, respectively. There was a statistically significant reduction of height loss and kyphotic angle in VP group at post-injury of 6 weeks and 1 year(p0.05). CONCLUSIONS: VP prevents further collapse and kyphosis relieves pain quickly and allows early ambulation, but in post-injury 1 year follow up, there was no significant difference in clinical outcomes. Proper treatment should be done with respect to patient's age, general condition, economic status and complication.

Comparison of Short Segment and Long Segment Posterior Instrumentation of Thoracolumbar and Lumbar Bursting Fractures at Load Sharing Score 7 or Above

STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective comparative analysis of the short-segment and long-segment posterior fixation in thoracolumbar burst fractures that are 7 points or above in load-sharing score was performed. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the appropriate level of fixation by comparing the results of short-segment and long-segment posterior fixation. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: There is general consensus that short-segment fixation should be done in thoracolumbar burst fractures that are 6 points or less in load-sharing classification. There is some controversy regarding whether short-segment or long-segment fixation should be done in thoracolumbar burst fractures that are 7 points or above in load-sharing classification. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 1998 through 2008, 32 patients with thoracolumbar burst fractures above 7 points in load-sharing classification had been operated with short-segment (1 segment above and 1 segment below: 23 patients) or long-segment (2 segments above and 1 segment below: 9 patients) transpedicular screw fixation at the author's institution. They were divided by two groups (group I: short-segment fixation, group II: long-segment fixation). The mean age of patients was 49.2 years old and the mean follow-up period was 2.4 years (1-7 years). In preoperative and postoperative simple radiographs, the bony unions, breakages or loosening of implants were assessed, and the losses of correction angle and anterior vertebral body height were measured. RESULTS: In all cases, non-union or loosening of implants were not observed. There was 1 screw breakage in short-segment fixation group during the follow up period, but bony union was obtained at final follow-up. The mean score of load sharing classification was 7.3 in Group I and 7.1 in Group II, and there was no significant difference between two groups. (p>0.05) The mean anterior vertebral body height loss was 5.3% in Group I and 3.6% in Group II and the mean loss of correction angle were 4.72 in Group I and 3.38 in Group II. There was no significant difference between the two groups for both. (p>0.05) CONCLUSIONS: There was no significant difference in radiologic parameters between two groups. Short-segment fixation could be used successfully in selected cases of thoracolumbar burst fractures that are 7 points or above in load-sharing classification.

Pediculo-Iliac Screw Fixation in Vertically Unstable Posterior Pelvic Ring Injury / 대한정형외과학회잡지

Herein, we report 5 cases of vertically unstable posterior pelvic ring injuries treated by pediculoiliac fixation. We enrolled 5 patients (male 3, female 2) with vertically unstable posterior pelvic ring injuries treated by pediculo-iliac fixation. Prior to and following the surgery, radiologic results were compared using Matta and Saucedo's method and the clinical results before and after surgery were compared using the Postel score. The outcomes of radiological evaluation were anatomic reduction in 3 cases and nearly anatomic in 1. The mean postel score at last follow up was very good in 4 cases and poor in 1 case. Lumbosacral pediculo-iliac screw fixation enables early ambulation and it is considered a useful method.

The Changes in Neural Foramen Shown on Computed Tomography Depending on the Changes in the Height of Intervertebral Disc after Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion (ACDF)

STUDY DESIGN: A prospective radiological assessment. OBJECTIVES: Changes in the height, area, and width--captured using computed tomography (CT)--of the neural foramen with respect to changes in the intervertebral disc height, after undergoing an anterior cervical disc removal and fusion procedure. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: The multiple authors of this study, by obtaining central canal and area of neural foramen by increasing the disc spacing height and area of the neural foramen, attempted to assess the height increase of disc spacing. It is necessary to consider the synergistic effects of decompression through dissection of the posterior longitudinal ligament (PLL). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The authors studied 17 patient cases that underwent one segment anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) for degenerative cervical disease from June 2006 to March 2007. All patient cases underwent autogenous iliac bone graft or cage insertion with plate fixation procedure. We measured the areas of the neural foramen, heights of the vertebra body above and below the removed intervertebral disc with CT before and after ACDF. Radiographic measurements were averaged. RESULTS: Among the 17 cases, the height of the cervical disc increased in 15 cases and decreased in 2 cases. The heights of the neural foramen increased in 19 cases and showed no changes in 13 cases. The areas of the neural foramen increased in 23 cases and decreased in 6 cases. The heights of vertebral body above and below the removed disc increased by 5.4% (p=0.734), and the heights of the neural foramen increased by 13.3% (p=0.002). The area of the neural foramen increased by 13.6% (p=0.192). The widths of the neural foramen increased by 2.3% (p=0.586). The intervertebral disc height, neural foramen height, and neural foramen area increased by 39.6%, 8.4%, and 17.9%, respectively, after a 2mm lengthening of bone transplant. The intervertebral disc height, neural foramen height, and neural foramen area increased by 59.8%, 22.9%, and 10.3%, respectively, after a 3mm lengthening of bone transplant. The height and area of neural foramen increased by 18.3% and 18.2%, respectively, after the PLL removal and dissection. CONCLUSIONS: The follow-up observations of the intervertebral disc height, neural foramen height, and neural foramen area showed increases after one segment ACDF in cervical disease cases, when compared to the preoperative radiographic findings. As the height of bone transplant increased, the intervertebral disc height, neural foramen height, and neural foramen area increased. The neural foramen height and neural foramen area significantly increased, when PLL was dissected.

Spontaneous Rupture of the Extensor Pollicis Longus Tendon in a Tailor

A spontaneous rupture of the extensor pollicis longus (EPL) tendon is associated with rheumatoid arthritis, fractures of the wrist, systemic or local steroids and repetitive, and excessive abnormal motion of the wrist joint. The authors encountered a case of a spontaneous rupture of the EPL tendon. The patient had no predisposing factors including trauma or steroid injection. Although the patient had a positive rheumatoid factor, he did not demonstrate other clinical or radiological findings of rheumatoid arthritis. During surgery, the EPL tendon was found to be ruptured at the extensor retinaculum (third compartment). Reconstruction of the extensor tendon using the palmaris longus tendon was performed. At the 18-month follow-up, the patient showed satisfactory extension of the thumb and 40degrees extension and flexion at the wrist.

Simulated Stiff-knee Gait in Healthy Adults

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of simulated stiff knee on the gait parameters. METHOD: Twenty healthy male adults were recruited. The temporospatial, kinematic & kinetic parameters and energy consumption were analyzed under three different conditions which were free gait, fixed knee flexion in neutral position and limited knee flexion to 30 degrees using knee orthosis. RESULTS: When knee flexion was fixed in neutral position, the cadence and walking speed significantly decreased, and the step time, step width, O2 cost significantly increased compared to free gait. When knee flexion was limited or fixed in neutral position, the kinematic and kinetic parameters in pelvis, hip, knee and ankle joints significantly changed compared with free gait. CONCLUSION: Simulated stiff-knee may affect not only knee joint but also pelvis, hip and ankle joints with increased energy consumption. These findings help us to understand the compensatory mechanism and energy conservation of stiff-knee gait.

Characteristics of Stair Ascent in Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the kinematic and kinetic characteristics of stair ascent in patients with knee osteoarthritis. METHOD: Twenty patients with knee osteoarthritis and twenty healthy controls were recruited. The kinematic and kinetic data were obtained through a three dimensional motion analyzer. The kinematic and kinetic data during stair ascent were compared between two groups. RESULTS: The total required time of stair ascent was significantly longer in the osteoarthritis group than that of the control group (p<0.05). In comparison with the control group, the angle of maximal pelvis anterior tilting, minimal and maximal hip flexion and minimal knee flexion were significantly increased (p<0.05). However, the angle of knee flexion and ankle dorsiflexion at initial contact were significantly decreased in the osteoarthritis group (p<0.05). The maximal moment and power of knee extension and ankle plantarflexion were significantly decreased in the osteoarthritis group (p<0.05). Sixteen patients (80.0%) in the osteoarthritis group showed flexion arc after initial contact. "W" sign was shown in 16 patients (80.0%). CONCLUSION: We found the unique kinematic and kinetic patterns during stair ascent in patients with knee osteoarthritis, and that knee osteoarthritis influence not only kinematic and kinetic patterns of knee but also those of hip and ankle.

Quantitative Assessment of Intention Tremor after Brain Injury Using Tri-axial Accelerometry

OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were to assess intention tremor severity caused by brain injury using tri-axial accelerometry and also to determine the reliability and the correlation with clinical measurements. METHOD: Twenty two patients with intention tremor caused by brain injury were included. The quantitative measurement of tremor was performed using tri-axial accelerometry during finger to nose test. The dominant frequency and amplitude of tremor were acquired using Fast Fourier transformation analysis. The severity of tremor was also clinically rated by clinical rating scale for tremor, hand writing test, figure drawing test, pouring water test. The correlation between clinical measurement and tri-axial accelerometry measurement, and the inter-rater reliability were assessed. RESULTS: The tri-axial accelerometry measurement showed good inter-rater reliability. The mean dominant frequency was 3.10 Hz. The amplitudes at dominant frequency were significantly correlated with clinical rating scale for tremor, pouring water test (p<0.05) but not with hand writing test, figure drawing test. CONCLUSION: Quantitative measurement of intention tremor using tri-axial accelerometry may be very useful to assess the tremor severity caused by brain injury.

Biomechanical Assessment with Electromyography of Post-Stroke Ankle Plantar Flexor Spasticity

Spasticity has been defined as a motor disorder characterized by a velocity-dependent increase in tonic stretch reflex (muscle tone). Muscle tone consists of mechanical-elastic characteristics, reflex muscle contraction and other elements. The aims of this study were to determine whether to assess spasticity quantitatively, and to characterize biomechanical and electromyographic spasticity assessment parameters. These assessment parameters were described by investigating the correlation between clinical measures and the response to passive sinusoidal movement with consecutive velocity increments. Twenty post-stroke hemiplegic patients and twenty normal healthy volunteers were included in the study. Five consecutive sinusoidal passive movements of the ankle were performed at specific velocities (60, 120, 180, and 240 degrees/ sec). We recorded the peak torque, work, and threshold angle using a computerized isokinetic dynamometer, and simultaneously measured the rectified integrated electromyographic activity. We compared these parameters both between groups and between different velocities. The peak torque, threshold angle, work, and rectified integrated electromyographic activity were significantly higher in the post-stroke spastic group at all angular velocities than in the normal control group. The threshold angle and integrated electromyographic activity increased significantly and linearly as angular velocity increased, but the peak torque and work were not increased in the post-stroke spastic group. Peak torque, work, and threshold angle were significantly correlated to the Modified Ashworth scale, but the integrated electromyographic activity was not. The biomechanical and electromyographic approach may be useful to quantitatively assess spasticity. However, it may also be very important to consider the different characteristics of each biomechanical parameter.

The role of Kupffer cell in hepatic regeneration in rats

No abstract available.