A RARE CAUSE OF LOWER LIMB PAIN - INTRAMEDULLARY DERMOID - A CASE REPORT

Dermoid cyst is a benign tumor. It accounts for only 1-2% of intra spinal tumors. -It is most common in children less than 10yrs of age accounting for 10-17%. -Only 1% of dermoid cyst occurs intramedullary. The usual sites are lumbosacral spine(60%), thoracic spine(10%), and cervical spine(10%). -The common presentation is with pain in lower limbs, back pain, balance problems, numbness and weakness, seizures, headaches. Here we are presenting 4 year male child.

One-stage posterior approach surgical treatment for congenital scoliosis caused by lumbosacral spine deformity in children / 中华实用儿科临床杂志

Objective To explore the treatment method and clinical effect of congenital scoliosis caused by lumbosacral spine deformity in children.Methods From October 2000 to October 2015,a consecutive series of 21 congenital scoliosis due to lumbosacral spine deformity were treated in Department of Pediatric Orthopedics,the Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University,including 12 male and 9 female,and the age was (63.1±47.3) months(3-144 months).The hemivertebrae,bone bridge,and the mixed type were found in 18 cases,2 cases,and 1 case,respectively.Hemivertebraes were on the left in 10 cases,on the right in 9 cases;involved L5 in 8 cases,S1 in 6 cases,multiple vertebrae malformation in 4 cases,wedged-shaped vertebrae involved L5 associated with contralateral bar in 1 case,unilateral unsegmented bar from L4 to S1 in 1 case,from L2 to L5 in 1 case.There were 4 cases combining with thoracic hemivertebrae,3 cases with ribs fusion and contralateral bar,16 cases(76%) with spinal cord malformations,3 cases(17%) with urinary system malformations,no congenital heart malformation.All the 21 patients were operated with one-stage posterior approach.Compared the scoliosis Cobb angle,trunk shift,operative time,blood loss volume,and complications among preoperation,post-operation and final follow-up.Results In this study,operative time was (278.9±83.1) min,blood loss volume was (355.3±249.0) mL,follow-up was (5.1±2.7) years.There were 18 cases operated with pedicle screw fixation,aged (72.9±44.1) months(16-144 months),operative time was (296.2±74.2) min,blood loss volume was(422.1±238.2) mL;the mean coronal Cobb angle of malformation area at preoperation,post operation and the final follow-up were(27.3±10.2)°,(11.0±5.9)°,(9.8±4.2)°,while the correction rate of post-operation and the final follow-up were 59.7%,64.1%.There were 3 cases operated by hemivenebra resection without pedicle screw fixation,aged 7.7 months(3-15 months),operative time was 168.3 min,blood loss volume was 103.3 mL.The mean coronal Cobb angle of malformation area at preoperation,post-operation and the final follow-up were 26.0°,13.6°,12.5°,while the correction rate of post-operation and the final follow-up were 47.7%,51.9%.The follow-up period was (5.1±2.7) years.The coronal Cobb angle of lumbosacral curve at preo-peration,post-operation and the final follow-up were (27.7±10.0)°,(11.3±5.4)°,(10.0±5.0)°,compared with preoperation,the differences of post-operation and the final follow-up were statistically significant (t=6.600,7.230,all P<0.05),with the correction rate of 59.2%,63.9%;the compensatory head side Cobb angle were(25.0±12.8)°,(11.9±8.2)°,(10.3±6.9)°,compared with preoperation,the differences of post-operation and the final follow-up were statistically significant (t=3.934,4.626,all P<0.05),with the correction rate of 52.4%,58.8%.Trunk shift was significantly improved.One case appeared fracture fixation rods breakage after 9 years,1 case appeared iliac screw breakage after 2 years but no complication such as infection,nerve injury.Conclusions The formation of obstacles and vertebral segmentation defects will lead to lumbosacral spine deformity,and scoliosis.Early one-stage posterior hemivertebra resection,breakage the bone bridge combined with pedicle screw fixation can obtain satisfactory clinical outcome.

Anterior Dislodgement of a Fusion Cage after Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion for the Treatment of Isthmic Spondylolisthesis

Transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) is commonly used procedure for spinal fusion. However, there are no reports describing anterior cage dislodgement after surgery. This report is a rare case of anterior dislodgement of fusion cage after TLIF for the treatment of isthmic spondylolisthesis with lumbosacral transitional vertebra (LSTV). A 51-year-old man underwent TLIF at L4-5 with posterior instrumentation for the treatment of grade 1 isthmic spondylolisthesis with LSTV. At 7 weeks postoperatively, imaging studies demonstrated that banana-shaped cage migrated anteriorly and anterolisthesis recurred at the index level with pseudoarthrosis. The cage was removed and exchanged by new cage through anterior approach, and screws were replaced with larger size ones and cement augmentation was added. At postoperative 2 days of revision surgery, computed tomography (CT) showed fracture on lateral pedicle and body wall of L5 vertebra. He underwent surgery again for paraspinal decompression at L4-5 and extension of instrumentation to S1 vertebra. His back and leg pains improved significantly after final revision surgery and symptom relief was maintained during follow-up period. At 6 months follow-up, CT images showed solid fusion at L4-5 level. Careful cage selection for TLIF must be done for treatment of spondylolisthesis accompanied with deformed LSTV, especially when reduction will be attempted. Banana-shaped cage should be positioned anteriorly, but anterior dislodgement of cage and reduction failure may occur in case of a highly unstable spine. Revision surgery for the treatment of an anteriorly dislodged cage may be effectively performed using an anterior approach.

Non-Traumatic Myositis Ossificans in the Lumbosacral Paravertebral Muscle

Myositis ossificans (MO) is a benign condition of non-neoplastic heterotopic bone formation in the muscle or soft tissue. Trauma plays a role in the development of MO, thus, non-traumatic MO is very rare. Although MO may occur anywhere in the body, it is rarely seen in the lumbosacral paravertebral muscle (PVM). Herein, we report a case of non-traumatic MO in the lumbosacral PVM. A 42-year-old man with no history of trauma was referred to our hospital for pain in the low back, left buttock, and left thigh. On physical examination, a slightly tender, hard, and fixed mass was palpated in the left lumbosacral PVM. Computed tomography showed a calcified mass within the left lumbosacral PVM. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed heterogeneous high signal intensity in T1- and T2-weighted image, and no enhancement of the mass was found in the postcontrast T1-weighted MRI. The lack of typical imaging features required an open biopsy, and MO was confirmed. MO should be considered in the differential diagnosis when the imaging findings show a mass involving PVM. When it is difficult to distinguish MO from soft tissue or bone malignancy by radiology, it is necessary to perform a biopsy to confirm the diagnosis.

Lumbar Interverterbral Disc Prolapse (PLID) Surgery and Our Experiences.

Background: Back pain and sciatica are very common in adult persons. These cause a great loss of working hours with financial loss of individual and the nation. Very careful evaluation must be done to treat these patients. Injudicious treatment, whether medical or surgical, may aggravate the sufferings. Objective: To study immediate and long term effect of the prolapsed intervertebral disc surgery. Materials and Methods: This observational study was done in Enam Medical College & Hospital, Savar, Dhaka during January 2007 to June 2011. Sixty four patients operated during this period for prolapsed lumbar intervertebral disc were included in the study. Fifty six (88%) were male and 8 (12%) were female. Age range was 30 to 50 years. Most of the patients presented with back pain and sciatica with no definite history of trauma or weight lifting. Diagnosis was confirmed by MRI. Results: Sixty (94%) patients had no pain after surgery and only 4 patients had occasional pain. Conclusion: Maintenance of strict criteria for the surgery yields very good result.

Clinical and Radiological Outcomes of Unilateral Facetectomy and Interbody Fusion Using Expandable Cages for Lumbosacral Foraminal Stenosis

OBJECTIVE: Surgical treatment of lumbosacral foraminal stenosis requires an understanding of the anatomy of the lumbosacral area in individual patients. Unilateral facetectomy has been used to completely decompress entrapment of the L5 nerve root, followed in some patients by posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) with stand-alone cages. METHODS: We assessed 34 patients with lumbosacral foraminal stenosis who were treated with unilateral facetectomy and PLIF using stand-alone cages in our center from January 2004 to September 2007. All the patients underwent follow-up X-rays, including a dynamic view, at 3, 6, 12, 24 months, and computed tomography (CT) at 24 months postoperatively. Clinical outcomes were analyzed with the mean numeric rating scale (NRS), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and Odom's criteria. Radiological outcomes were assessed with change of disc height, defined as the average of anterior, middle, and posterior height in plain X-rays. In addition, lumbosacral fusion was also assessed with dynamic X-ray and CT. RESULTS: Mean NRS score, which was 9.29 prior to surgery, was 1.5 at 18 months after surgery. The decrease in NRS was statistically significant. Excellent and good groups with regard to Odom's criteria were 31 cases (91%) and three cases (9%) were fair. Pre-operative mean ODI of 28.4 decreased to 14.2 at post-operative 24 months. In 30 patients, a bone bridge on CT scan was identified. The change in disc height was 8.11 mm, 10.02 mm and 9.63 mm preoperatively, immediate postoperatively and at 24 months after surgery, respectively. CONCLUSION: In the treatment of lumbosacral foraminal stenosis, unilateral facetectomy and interbody fusion using expandable stand-alone cages may be considered as one treatment option to maintain post-operative alignment and to obtain satisfactory clinical outcomes.

Microdecompression for Extraforaminal L5-S1 Disc Herniation; The Significance of Concomitant Foraminal Disc Herniation for Postoperative Leg Pain

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the relationship of concomitant foraminal lumbar disc herniation (FLDH) with postoperative leg pain after microdecompression for extraforaminal lumbar disc herniation (EFLDH) at the L5-S1 level. METHODS: Sixty-five patients who underwent microdecompression for symptomatic EFLDH at the L5-S1 level were enrolled. According to the severity of accompanying FLDH, EFLDH was classified into four categories (Class I : no FLDH; Class II : mild to moderate FLDH confined within a lateral foraminal zone; Class III : severe FLDH extending to a medial foraminal zone; Class IV : Class III with intracanalicular disc herniation). The incidence of postoperative leg pain, dysesthesia, analgesic medication, epidural block, and requirement for revision surgery due to leg pain were evaluated and compared at three months after initial surgery. RESULTS: The incidences of postoperative leg pain and dysesthesia were 36.9% and 26.1%, respectively. Pain medication and epidural block was performed on 40% and 41.5%, respectively. Revision surgery was recommended in six patients (9.2%) due to persistent leg pain. The incidences of leg pain, dysesthesia, and requirement for epidural block were higher in Class III/IV, compared with Class I/II. The incidence of requirement for analgesic medication was significantly higher in Class III/IV, compared with Class I/II (p=0.02, odds ratio=9.82). All patients who required revision surgery due to persistent leg pain were included in Class III/IV. CONCLUSION: Concomitant FLDH seems related to postoperative residual leg pain after microdecompression for EFLDH at the L5-S1 level.

The Morphometric Analysis of the Extraforamen in the Lumbosacral Spine: Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Computed Tomography Study

OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study is to establish the anatomical criteria of the normal and stenotic lumbosacral extraforaminal tunnel, and also to determine the effect of the pathologic intervertebral disc on the size of extraforaminal tunnel in the lumbosacral spine. METHODS: MRI and CT scans were reviewed and classified into two groups: (1) 40patients with normal discs at L5-S1 (Group 1) and (2) 43 patients that had undergone successful decompression surgery for extraforaminal entrapment at the lumbosacral region(Group 2). In these two groups, the following parameters were compared are compared: the distance between the disc margin and the ala (lumbosacral tunnel) on the axial MRI, and the posterior disc height at L5-S1 on the mid-sagittal MRI. RESULTS: In the group 1, the mean distance of the lumbosacral tunnel on the axial MRI was 10.1+/-2.2mm. The mean posterior disc height at L5-S1 was 7.4+/-1.7mm on the mid-sagittal MRI. In the group 2, the mean distance between the disc margin and the ala (costal process) was 1.6+/-1.3mm on the axial MRI. The average posterior disc height was 4.4+/-1.5mm on the mid-sagittal MRI. The posterior disc height and the size of the lumbosacral tunnel between the two groups were statistically different on the paired t-test (p<0.0001). However, the posterior disc height was not positively correlated with the size of the extraforaminal tunnel for group 2 (p=0.909). CONCLUSION: The extraforaminal stenosis was correlated to pathologic disc. However, the posterior disc height was not correlated to the size of the of the extraforaminal tunnel.

Clinical Analysis of Extraforaminal Entrapment of L5 in the Lumbosacral Spine

OBJECTIVE: Here we describe a microsurgical method for decompression and the radiological findings of the extraforaminal entrapment of the L5 spinal nerve. METHODS: The authors reviewed the clinical and neurodiagnostic findings, surgical management, and outcomes in 53 patients with extraforaminal entrapment of L5 who had been successfully decompressed via a microsurgical paramedian tangential approach. A total of 28 women and 25men ranging in age from 54 to 73(mean age 65 years). All patients had uni- or bilateral leg pain due to extraforaminal entrapment of L5 in the lumbosacral spine. The mean follow-up period was 9 months (range 3-15 months). RESULTS: Pain was measured by the Numerical Rating Scale. The function of back was assessed by the Oswestry Disability Index score, and the patient satisfaction was evaluated by the North American Spine Society Outcome Questionnaire. Relief of back pain was obtained for all patients immediately after surgery. The mean Numerical Rating Scale improved from 8.2 before the surgery to 1.7 after the surgery (P<0.0001). The mean ODI score improved from 74.6 before the surgery to 15.3 after the surgery (P<0.0001). Overall, excellent and good result were achieved in 27(51%) and 23(43%) at the last follow-up examination. There was no complications related to the surgery, nor was any spinal instability was detected. The parasagittal T-1 weighted magnetic resonance images showed foraminal stenosis with the circumferential loss of the perineural fat signal at L5-1 level in 23 of 53(43%) patients. Radiological and operating finding showed narrowing of the extraforaminal tunnel that resulted from the annulus bulging in 36 patients(68%), disc protrusion or rupture in 17 patients(30%) and osteophytes of the vertebral body in 39 patients(74%). CONCLUSION: The paramedian tangential approach is a safe, effective procedure that avoids the risk of secondary spinal instability. This study showed that the major causes of the extraforaminal nerve root entrapment in the lumbosacral spine are the bulged annulus, the disc protrusion and osteophytes. The major pathognomonic cause of the extraforaminal L5 nerve entrapment was the bulged annulus fibrosus with the osteophytes.

The Influence of the Various Configurations of Lower Lumbar and Lumbosacral Spine on the Disc Degeneration: Multifactorial Analysis / 대한정형외과학회잡지

There are some controversies on the mechanism of the lumbar disc degeneration and disc prolapse. But,it is clear that many factors are related to the disc degeneration. Configurations of the lower lumbar and lumbosacral spine have long been proposed as one of the important factors of disc degeneration in these areas. To look for the configurational risk factors and the probability of disc degeneration by the combinations of these factors, we analyzed simple radiographs and MRI of 73 patients who complaints of low back pain and are between 20 years and 39 years of age. We performed chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression analysis: L4-5 disc degeneration and L5-Sl disc degeneration as dependent variables and lumbar lordosis, sacral inclination, height of intercrest line, transitional vertebra and facet joint asymmetry as independent variables. We could not find any of these variables significantly related to the L4-5 intervertebral disc degeneration. For L5-S1 disc degeneration, only the presence of transitional vertebra was signicantly related. When there is no transitional vertebra, the probability of disc degeneration is 9 times(8.889) as large as that of presence of transitional vertebra. The probability of L4-5 disc degeneration without the degeneration of L5-S1 is 3 times as large as that of degeneration of both of L4-5 and L5-S1 disc in case of the presence of transitional vertebra.

A Wide Muscle-splitting Approach to the Lumbosacral Spine / 대한정형외과학회잡지

20 patients with lumbosacral disorder underwent anterior spinal fusion using wide muscle splitting approach. The approach has considerable advantages over the usual muscle cutting approach or the transperitoneal approach commonly employed for this incision. The advantages of this approach are as follows: 1. The approach to the lesion site is safe and accurate. 2. The operation field is wide. 3. It is less destructive to the abdominal wall. 4, The defect left in iliac crest after removal of bone graft can be covered with external oblique layer. 5. The exposure given to the Ls-S1 intervertebral disc is superior to that given by the Rutherford Morrison approach.