Clinical outcome of lateral lumbar interbody fusion in the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis with redundant nerve roots / 中国脊柱脊髓杂志

Objectives:To investigate the clinical efficacy and outcome of lateral lumbar interbody fusion in the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis(LSS)with redundant nerve roots(RNRs).Methods:The data of 48 LSS patients with RNRs(23 males and 25 females,aged 45-81 years,on average 65.4±7.5 years)treated with lat-eral lumbar interbody fusion between January 2018 and July 2022 in our hospital were analyzed retrospec-tively.Among the patients,17 cases received single-level surgery and 31 cases received multi-level surgery.On the basis of the postoperative supine MRI scans,the patients were divided into RNRs relieved group(group A)and RNRs unrelieved group(group B).Radiographic assessments included disc heights,segmental angle and cross-sectional area of the spinal canal at the RNRs segment before and after operation were per-formed.The visual analogue scale(VAS),Oswestry disability index(ODI)and Japanese Orthopaedic Association(JOA)score were used to evaluate the clinical outcomes at preoperation and 1 month after surgery.Results:All patients underwent surgery successfully.The preoperative cross-sectional area of the spinal canal was 65.2±21.5mm2 in group A and 35.9±11.5mm2 in group B,with a significant difference(P＜0.05).The posterior disk height and cross-sectional area of the spinal canal was 8.3±1.7mm and 92.6±25.8mm2 respectively in group A,and that of group B was 6.0±2.3mm and 45.4±12.1mm2 respectively,the differences were significant-ly statistical(P＜0.05).Furthermore,in 1 month after operation the VAS leg pain,ODI and JOA scores was 2.4±0.8,(24.1±3.0)%and 22.8±1.9 respectively in group A,and that of group B was 3.3±0.8,(30.2±4.4)%and 17.7±2.5 respectively,the differences were significantly statistical(P＜0.05).The total incidence of complications was 10.4%,including anterolateral thigh pain in 4 cases and hip flexor weakness in 1 case,which were released at 3 months of follow-up.Conclusions:Lateral lumbar interbody fusion can eliminate RNRs by restoring postoperative posterior disc height and enlarging the cross-sectional area of spinal canal,which provides an effective treatment for most LSS patients with RNRs.

Risk factors and predictive model for prolonged length of stay after spinal tuberculosis lesion removal and bone graft fusion with internal fixation / 中国脊柱脊髓杂志

Objectives:To analyze the risk factors for prolonged length of stay(LOS)after lesion removal and bone graft fusion internal fixation in patients with spinal tuberculosis,and to develop and validate a predictive model.Methods:The clinical data of 152 patients with spinal tuberculosis who underwent lesion removal and bone grafting and fusion internal fixation at Honghui Hospital affiliated to Xi'an Jiaotong Univer-sity from February 2016 to December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed.The patients were divided into the prolonged LOS(PLOS)group and normal LOS(NLOS)group according to whether their postoperative LOS ex-ceeded the postoperative LOS of the 75th percentile of the overall study cohort.Univariate analyses were per-formed for gender,age,hypertension,diabetes,paraplegia,anticoagulation history,tuberculosis resistance,pre-operative anti-tuberculosis time,blood transfusion,surgical site,surgical approach,number of fused vertebrae,operative time,intraoperative blood loss(IBL),postoperative complications,blood transfusion cost,hospital cost,C-reactive protein(CRP),erythrocyte sedimentation rate(ESR),albumin(ALB),blood routine,and coagulation function in both groups.Based on Lasso regression,the risk factors significantly associated with postoperative LOS prolongation in spinal tuberculosis were selected and incorporated into a multivariate logistic regression analysis,and thereby a prediction model was established based on the results of multivariate logistic regres-sion analysis.The model was visualized by plotting a nomogram as a means of predicting the probability of risk for prolongation of LOS after spinal tuberculosis surgery.Internal validation of the model was performed using extended Bootstrap,where receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves,calibration curves and decision curve analysis(DCA)were plotted to verify the discrimination,accuracy and clinical applicability.Results:The 152 patients enrolled in the study had a median LOS of 10d,and the 75%LOS was 14d.There were 96 patients in the PLOS group and 56 in the NLOS group.Univariate analysis showed that the differences in age,hypertension,diabetes,anticoagulation history,tuberculosis resistance,preoperative anti-tuberculosis time,surgical site,surgical approach,surgical time,IBL,postoperative complications,CRP,ESR,preoperative ALB,blood routine,and coagulation function were not statistically significant between the two groups(P＞0.05),while the differences in gender,paraplegia,blood transfusion,number of fused vertebrae,blood transfusion cost,and hospitalization cost were statistically significant(P＜0.05).The operative time,IBL,preoperative Hb,and preop-erative ALB were divided according to the Yoden index of ROC as the dividing point,and the cut-off value of operative time was 198(min),the cut-off value of IBL was 1000(mL),the cut-off value of preoperative Hb was 118(g/L),and the cut-off value of preoperative ALB was 38.8(g/L).Through Lasso regression model,the risk factors closely related to the prolongation of LOS after spinal tuberculosis were female,blood transfusion,the number of fused vertebrae≥3,operative time≥198min and IBL≥1000mL,preoperative Hb＜118g/L and preoperative ALB＜38.8g/L.Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that female,number of fused ver-tebrae≥3,operative time≥198min and IBL≥1000mL were the risk factors for postoperative LOS prolongation in patients with spinal tuberculosis(P＜0.05).A visual nomogram model for logistic regression was constructed,and the predictors included female,number of fused vertebrae,operative time,and IBL.A Bootstrap self-sampling of 1,000 times was performed to complete the internal validation of the model,with a C-index value of 0.882 and an area under the curve(AUC)of ROC of 0.884(95%CI:0.782 to 0.985).The calibration curve showed that the apparent curve of the model fitted well with the curve after deviation correction.The DCA curve showed that the threshold range of 0.2 to 0.9 had the greatest clinical benefit.Conclusions:Female,number of fused vertebrae≥3,operative time≥198min and IBL≥1000mL are the main risk factors for pro-longed LOS after lesion removal and bone graft fusion with internal fixation in patients with spinal tuberculo-sis,and the predictive model based on the above risk factors can help physicians to make clinical decisions and optimize the perioperative management.

Research progress on evaluation and prediction methods of dysphagia after occipitocervical fusion / 中华骨科杂志

Occipitocervical fusion (OCF) is used to treat the instability of the cranio-cervical junction due to various reasons (such as trauma, rheumatoid arthritis, infection, tumor, congenital malformations and degeneration). A satisfactory fusion rate can be obtained and the stability of the occipital neck can be reconstructed by OCF. Dysphagia is one of the most common complications after OCF, which seriously affects the quality of life of patients after surgery. This article mainly focuses on the evaluation and prediction methods of dysphagia after OCF, and summarizes related research in the past 16 years, and provides guidance and direction for how to predict the occurrence of dysphagia during OCF and the evaluation of postoperative dysphagia. The evaluation of dysphagia is mainly conducted using the Bazaz dysphagia score, swallowing quality of life scale (SWAL-QOL) and eating assessment tool-10 (EAT-10) score. However, the clinical prediction of dysphagia is mainly based on the changes of cervical curvature parameters (O-C 2 angle, O-EA angle, Oc-Ax angle, PI angle). At present, there are many methods for clinical evaluation and prediction of dysphagia, but the best evaluation method is still uncertain. We reviews the evaluation and prediction methods of postoperative dysphagia of OCF, showing that the Bazaz dysphagia score, SWAL-QOL score and EAT-10 score scale are suitable for evaluating postoperative dysphagia of OCF. During OCF operation, adjustment of O-C 2 Angle >-5°, O-EA Angle >100°, Oc-Ax Angle >65°, and increase of postoperative PI Angle from preoperative PI Angle (that is, dPI Angle) ≥0° can reduce the probability of dysphagia to a certain extent.

The guiding value of ultrasound-guided selective nerve root block in the surgical treatment of multilevel lumbar degeneration / 国际外科学杂志

Objective:To evaluate the guiding value of ultrasound-guided selective nerve root block in the surgical treatment of multilevel lumbar degeneration.Methods:Retrospective case-control study was used. Clinical data of 47 patients with multi-level lumbar degeneration who underwent decompression surgery in Honghui Hospital, Xi′an Jiaotong University from January 2019 to December 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. They were divided into nerve root block group ( n=22)and non-nerve root block group( n=25) according to whether ultrasound-guided selective nerve root block was performed before decompression surgery. The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, number of decompression laminae, postoperative drainage volume and length of stay of the two groups were recorded and compared. The visual analogue scale of low back pain, the visual analogue scale (VAS) of leg pain, the Japanese orthopaedic association (JOA) score and Oswestry disability index (ODI) score were all compared before surgery and during follow-up between the two groups. Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as mean±standard deviation( ± s), and the comparison between groups was conducted using the paired t-test. Chi-square test was used for counting data. Results:All 47 patients successfully completed the operation without any serious complications such as neurovascular injury. All patients were followed up for (27.6±7.5)months. In the nerve root block group, the operation time, intraoperative blood loss, number of decompression laminae, postoperative drainage volume and hospital stay were (90.5±12.6) min, (110.5±15.8) mL, 1.2±0.8, (85.6±15.8) mL, (6.2±2.8) d, respectively. In the non-root block group, they were (190.6±25.5) min, (450.5±24.8) mL, 3.8±1.6, (210.5±16.8) mL, (9.5±2.2) d, respectively. The above indexes in the nerve root closure group were less than those in the non-root closure group, and the difference was significant between the two groups ( P< 0.05). The scores of VAS of low back pain and leg pain, JOA and ODI in both groups were significantly improved after surgery and during the follow-up period when compared with those of pre-operation ( P< 0.05). The VAS scores of low back pain on the 3rd day, 6 months after operation and at the last follow-up in the nerve block group were 3.2±1.4, 1.4±0.8, 0.5±0.2, the JOA scores were 15.8±4.3, 21.3±5.6, 25.6±1.4, and the ODI scores were 50.6±10.3, 22.8±7.8, 16.8±4.2, respectively. The VAS scores of low back pain on the 3rd day, 6 months after operation and at the last follow-up in the non-nerve block group were 5.1±1.8, 3.4±1.2, 1.8±0.5, the JOA scores were 14.1±4.8, 20.5±3.2, 24.2±1.8, and the ODI scores were 60.5±9.8, 31.6±8.2 and 21.3±5.5, respectively. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant ( P<0.05). However, there was no statistical difference in the VAS scores of leg pain between the two groups after surgery and during follow-up ( P>0.05). At the last follow-up, the internal fixation position of the two groups was good, no loosening and displacement, and bone graft fusion was good. Conclusion:For patients with multi-level lumbar degeneration, ultrasound-guided selective nerve root block before surgery can identify the responsible segment, and selective decompression and fusion based on this can effectively reduce surgical trauma, while improving patients′ back and leg pain and physical function, which has important surgical guidance value.

Access to the Lumbosacral Spine: A Current View / Acesso à coluna lombossacral: Visão atual

Abstract The surgical approach to the lumbosacral spine has been the subject of experimental and scientific anatomical studies since the Hippocratic era. However, it was in the 20th century that, with the evolution of asepsis and antibiotic therapy, spine surgery began to evolve at breakneck speed, and the various possibilities of access roads became objects of development and discussion. As a result, pathologies of the lumbosacral spine can be accessed in different ways and positions, from the traditional posterior approach in the prone position to the anterior, oblique, lateral, and endoscopic approaches. The current article brings state-of-the-art access routes to the lumbosacral spine. This article objective is to elucidate the possibilities of accesses the lumbar spine for any purposes, as decompression, fusion, tumour resections, reconstruction or deformity correction, despites type of implants or implants positioning.

Resumo A abordagem cirúrgica da coluna lombossacral tem sido objeto de estudos anatômicos experimentais e científicos desde a era hipocrática. Contudo, foi no século XX que, com a evolução da assepsia e da antibioticoterapia, a cirurgia da coluna começou a evoluir em velocidade vertiginosa e as diversas possibilidades de vias de acesso tornaram-se objetos de desenvolvimento e discussão. Desta forma, as doenças da coluna lombossacral podem ser acessadas de diferentes maneiras e posições, desde a abordagem posterior tradicional em decúbito ventral até as abordagens anterior, oblíqua, lateral e endoscópica. O presente artigo traz vias de acesso de última geração para a coluna lombossacral. O objetivo deste artigo é elucidar as possibilidades de acesso à coluna lombar para quaisquer finalidades, como descompressão, fusão, ressecções tumorais, reconstrução ou correção de deformidades, independentemente do tipo de implante ou seu posicionamento.

Cervical anterior arthrodesis: autologous or synthetic graft? / Artrodese cervical via anterior: enxerto autólogo ou sintético? / Artrodesis cervical anterior: ¿injerto autologo o sintético?

ABSTRACT: Objective: To compare patients who underwent anterior cervical arthrodesis with autologous iliac crest graft and those who used synthetic graft. Methods: Analysis of 38 patients aged between 18 and 100 years with anterior cervical spondylosis of 1 or 2 levels in a spine surgery service. Results: degenerative cervical spine changes associated with cervicalgia and cervicobrachialgia. Excluded: previous cervical spine surgeries, fractures, or surgery above two levels. Two groups were formed with 19 patients, one using autologous graft and the other using synthetic tricalcium phosphate - a questionnaire assessed satisfaction (Oswestry and VAS) pre- and postoperatively. Bone consolidation was evaluated by tomography at nine months. Results: Mean ODI (Group 1) was 68.5% ± 4.6% preoperatively and 27.2% ± 3.8% postoperatively, being statistically relevant (p<0.001). VAS performed to evaluate the cervical region, Group 1 pre and post-op was considered statistically relevant (p<0.001). No significant difference was observed when comparing the mean values found in the postoperative period between Group 1 and Group 2 (p=0.463). Only two patients complained of chronic pain, representing 10% of the total. In nine-month tomography, 100% of patients in Group 1 and 100% of Group 2 showed bone consolidation, with no statistically relevant difference (p=0.676) between the groups. Conclusion: Similar functional and osteointegration outcomes were observed in both types of grafts. Synthetic graft minimizes the risks and complications of using allografts. Level of Evidence III; Retrospective comparative study.

RESUMO: Objetivo: Comparar os pacientes que realizaram artrodese cervical anterior associada ao uso de enxerto autólogo de crista ilíaca e os que utilizaram enxerto sintético. Métodos: Análise de 38 pacientes entre 18 e 100 anos com espondilose cervical anterior de nível 1 ou 2 em um serviço de cirurgia da coluna. Inclusão: alterações degenerativas da coluna cervical, associado a cervicalgia e/ou cervicobraquialgia. Excluídos: cirurgias de coluna cervical prévia, fraturas ou cirurgia acima de 2 níveis. Foram formados 2 grupos com 19 pacientes cada, sendo num deles utilizado enxerto autólogo e, no outro, sintético fosfato tricálcico. Foi aplicado o questionário para avaliação de satisfação (Oswestry e EVA) pré e pós-operatória. Consolidação óssea foi avaliada por tomografia no nono mês. Resultados: O ODI médio do Grupo 1 apresentou 68,5% ± 4,6% na avaliação pré-operatória e 27,2%±3,8% no pós, sendo estatisticamente relevante (p<0,001). EVA realizada para avaliar a região cervical, o Grupo 1 no pré e pós foi considerada estatisticamente relevante (p<0,001). Não foi observada diferença relevante quando comparando os valores médios encontrados no pós-operatório entre o Grupo 1 e o Grupo 2 (p=0,463). Apenas 2 pacientes com queixa de dor crônica, representando 10% do total. Tomografia de 9 meses, 100% dos pacientes do Grupo 1 e 100% do Grupo 2 apresentaram consolidação óssea, não tendo diferença estatisticamente relevante (p=0,676) entre os grupos. Conclusão: Foram observados resultados funcionais e de osteointegração similares em ambos enxertos. O enxerto sintético minimiza riscos e complicações do uso de aloenxertos. Nível de Evidência III; Estudo Retrospectivo Comparativo

RESUMEN: Objetivo: Comparar los pacientes sometidos a artrodesis cervical anterior asociada al uso de un injerto autólogo de cresta ilíaca y los que utilizaron un injerto sintético. Métodos: Se analizaron 38 pacientes de entre 18 y 100 años con espondilosis cervical anterior de nivel 1 o 2 en un servicio de cirugía de la columna vertebral. Criterios de inclusión: cambios degenerativos en la columna cervical, asociados a cervicalgia y/o cervicobraquialgia. Excluidos: cirugía previa de la columna cervical, fracturas o cirugía por encima de 2 niveles. Se formaron dos grupos de 19 pacientes cada uno, en uno se utilizó un injerto autólogo y en el otro un injerto sintético de fosfato tricálcico. Se utilizó un cuestionario de satisfacción pre y postoperatorio (Oswestry y EVA). La consolidación ósea se evaluó mediante tomografía computarizada al noveno mes. Resultados: La media del ODI del Grupo 1 fue del 68,5% ± 4,6% en la valoración preoperatoria y del 27,2%±3,8% en la valoración postoperatoria, siendo estadísticamente relevante (p<0,001). La EVA realizada para valorar la región cervical en el Grupo 1 pre y post se consideró estadísticamente significativa (p<0,001). No se observaron diferencias relevantes al comparar los valores medios encontrados en el postoperatorio entre el Grupo 1 y el Grupo 2 (p=0,463). Sólo 2 pacientes se quejaron de dolor crónico, lo que representa el 10% del total. A los 9 meses, el 100% de los pacientes del Grupo 1 y el 100% del Grupo 2 presentaban cicatrización ósea, sin diferencias estadísticamente significativas (p=0,676) entre los grupos. Conclusión: Se observaron resultados funcionales y de osteointegración similares con ambos injertos. El injerto sintético minimiza los riesgos y complicaciones del uso de aloinjertos. Nivel de Evidencia III; Estudio Retrospectivo Comparativo.

Sagittal Alignment Concepts and Spinopelvic Parameters / Conceitos de alinhamento sagital e parâmetros espinopélvicos

Abstract Spinal surgery continues to expand its horizons to care for disabled patients presenting pain and deformities. Over the past decade, our knowledge of spinal alignment, from the skull to the pelvis, has increased considerably. Such knowledge must expand to reach general orthopedists and improve the care required for so many people. Global spinal alignment is a critical concept in understanding the impact of pathological conditions (degenerative diseases, traumas, deformities) and their treatment, including spinal instrumentation and arthrodesis. Therefore, the treatment of any spinal disease must include the knowledge of the complexity of the spinopelvic alignment. At first, all parameters seem like pure mathematics, hardly applicable to the everyday life of the inattentive reader. However, it gradually becomes clear that, like everything else in orthopedics, biomechanics is an essential part of the knowledge of the musculoskeletal system, revealing the logic behind the physiology of movements. The knowledge of the sagittal alignment concepts and spinopelvic parameteres provide a better comprehension of the axial and appendicular skeletons, increasing the understanding of the physiological and adaptive spinal processes in the face of the degenerative process that increases throughout life.

Resumo A cirurgia da coluna continua a expandir seus horizontes para cuidar dos pacientes incapacitados com dor e deformidades. Desde a última década, nosso conhecimento sobre o alinhamento espinal, do crânio à pelve, aumentou consideravelmente. Portanto, faz-se necessária a expansão de tal conhecimento para o ortopedista geral, para que possamos proporcionar melhores cuidados para essa população. O alinhamento espinal global é um conceito crítico no entendimento do impacto ocasionado pela condição patológica (doença degenerativa, trauma, deformidade) e mesmo do seu tratamento, como na instrumentação e artrodese da coluna. O tratamento de qualquer doença na coluna deve incluir o entendimento da complexidade do alinhamento espinopélvico. A princípio, todos os parâmetros parecem puramente matemáticos e pouco aplicáveis à realidade do leitor mais desatento. Mas, aos poucos, fica claro que, como tudo em ortopedia, a biomecânica faz parte essencial do conhecimento do sistema musculoesquelético, tornando mais claras as lógicas da fisiologia do movimento. O conhecimento dos conceitos de alinhamento sagital e dos parâmetros espinopélvicos proporcionam uma melhor compreensão dos esqueletos axial e apendicular, além de um melhor entendimento dos processos fisiológicos e adaptativos da coluna frente ao processo degenerativo crescente que ocorre ao longo da vida.

Extreme lateral interbody fusion versus traditional posterior lumbar fusion for treatment of lumbar infectious diseases / 中华创伤骨科杂志

Objective:To investigate the clinical efficacy of extreme lateral interbody fusion (XLIF) in comparison with traditional posterior lumbar fusion in the treatment of lumbar infectious diseases.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted to analyze the clinical data of 30 patients with lumbar infectious disease who had been treated at Department of Spinal Surgery, The Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University from May 2017 to November 2019. There were 18 males and 12 females with an age of (53.3 ± 12.5) years. According to surgical procedures, the patients were divided into group A of 13 cases subjected to XLIF and group B of 17 cases subjected to posterior radical debridement plus lumbar fusion plus internal fixation. The 2 groups were compared in terms of demographic data like age and gender, intraoperative indexes, intervertebral fusion rate, and complications, as well as visual analogue scale (VAS) and Oswestry disability index (ODI) at 3, 6, and 12 months after operation.Results:There was no statistically significant difference between the 2 groups in the general clinical data before operation, showing comparability ( P>0.05). The operation time in group A was significantly shorter than that in group B [(88.5 ± 13.6) min versus (124.1 ± 15.4) min], and the intraoperative blood loss in group A significantly less than that in group B [(66.9 ± 18.4) mL versus (461.8 ± 150.6) mL] ( P<0.05). The VAS and ODI at 3, 6, and 12 months after operation in both groups were significantly lower than those before operation ( P<0.05). The VAS and ODI at 3 months after surgery in group A [2 (2, 2) points and 15.2% ± 5.0%] were significantly lower than those in group B [3 (2, 3) points and 19.5% ± 6.2%] ( P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the fusion rate between groups A and B at 12 months after operation (13 versus 16) ( P>0.05). Postoperatively, left thigh numbness and weakness was reported in 1 case in group A while 2 cases of cerebrospinal fluid fistula and 1 case of poor wound healing were observed in group B, showing no significant difference in the incidence of complications between the 2 groups ( P>0.05). Conclusion:Compared with the traditional posterior lumbar surgery, XLIF demonstrates advantages of less intraoperative blood loss, less tissue damage, shorter operation time, faster postoperative recovery in the treatment of lumbar infectious diseases with no obvious intraspinal abscess or nerve compression.

Reoccurring radicular pain related with shifting overlong articular process following oblique lumbar interbody fusion: a case report / 中华骨科杂志

The oblique lumbar interbody fusion (OLIF) procedure has yielded favorable outcomes for individuals afflicted with degenerative lumbar conditions; however, certain complications warrant attention. We present a case of a 48-year-old female experiencing recurrent radicular pain post-OLIF. This patient, who endured persistent lower back discomfort for a decade, underwent MRI scans which revealed an intervertebral disc herniation at the L 4, 5 level and L 4 spondylolisthesis. The length of the right upper articular process of L 5 was 10.46 mm, and the distance between right upper articular process of L 5 and right nerve root of L 4 was 1.34 mm. Subsequent to OLIF, she reported recurrent radicular pain in her right leg. Post-operative CT scans revealed that the inclination of the right upper articular process of L 5 augmented from 59.46° to 65.22°. The distance from this process to the anterior foramen wall diminished from 0.63 mm to 0.25 mm, while its distance from the superior wall expanded from 0.31 mm to 0.39 mm. Furthermore, the foraminal cross-sectional area decreased from 0.29 mm 2 to 0.18 mm 2, and the lordotic angle of the intervertebral space amplified from 0.52° to 7.33°. Such measurements suggest that following OLIF, there was asymmetric retraction of the intervertebral space, accompanied by an anteroinferior tilt of the upper articular process, leading to persistent nerve root compression and thus necessitating immediate surgical nerve root decompression. This paper also elucidates the influence of the anatomical characteristics of the facet joint or articular process on lumbar functionality. Consequently, it could be postulated that hypertrophic or aberrantly elongated articular processes might induce nerve root compression due to intervertebral space retraction post-OLIF. Hence, spine surgeons should diligently assess and recognize the ramifications of such anomalies on OLIF surgical outcomes.

Clinical efficacy and prevention of adjacent segment degeneration in the treatment of lumbar degenerative diseases through decompression and fusion preserving proximal upper laminae / 中华骨科杂志

Objective:To investigate the clinical results of decompression preserving proximal upper laminae combined with lumbar instrumental fusion in the treatment of lumbar degenerative diseases and the prevention of adjacent segment degeneration (ASD).Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 124 patients (the reserved group) with lumbar degeneration who underwent compression preserving proximal upper laminae combined with fusion surgery involving upper half of the lamina, upper half of the spinous process, adjacent facets, and interspinous ligament at Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital between March 2018 and February 2020. These patients were followed up for more than 2 years. Additionally, 130 patients who underwent traditional total laminectomy decompression combined with fusion surgery from January 2016 to February 2018 were selected as the control group (total laminectomy group). In the reserved group, there were 60 males and 64 females, aged 58.3±10.3 years, including 50 cases of giant lumbar disc herniation, 11 cases of lumbar disc herniation with ossification, 10 cases of simple lumbar spinal stenosis, and 53 cases of degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis. Total laminectomy group comprised 62 males and 68 females, aged 59.6±9.2 years, with 51 cases of giant lumbar disc herniation, 13 cases of lumbar disc herniation with ossification, 11 cases of simple lumbar spinal stenosis, and 55 cases of degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis. The number of operative segments, operative time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative hospital stay, complications, extent of laminectomy, dural sac area, and sagittal spinopelvic parameters were compared between the two groups. Fusion status, adjacent segment stability, and the incidence of ASD were assessed at the last follow-up. Oswestry disability index (ODI) and visual analogue scale (VAS) for back and leg were used to evaluate clinical effectiveness.Results:The follow-up time was 30.5±5.4 months in the reserved group and 31.0±5.8 months in total laminectomy group, and the difference was not statistically significant ( t=0.63, P=0.528). In patients undergoing single segment surgery, the operation time (173.6±47.3 min), blood loss (351.7±102.0 ml) and postoperative hospital stay (7.8±3.1 d) in the reserved group were lower than those in total laminectomy group (196.2±34.2 min, 401.9±97.2 ml, 9.9±3.6 d, respectively), and the differences were statistically significant ( t=2.93, P=0.004; t=2.69, P=0.008; t=3.26, P<0.001). The dural sac area in both groups was significantly improved after surgery, but the extent of laminectomy in the reserved group (22.8±4.5 mm) was smaller than that in total laminectomy group (29.5±4.8 mm), and the difference was statistically significant ( t=7.62, P<0.001). The above indicators of the patients with two segment or three segments in the reserved group were better than those in total resection group, with a statistically significant difference ( P<0.05). PI, PT, SS, and LL showed significant improvement in both groups compared to preoperative values ( P<0.05), with no statistically significant differences between the groups ( P>0.05). At the last follow-up, both groups achieved Bridwell I or II fusion level. The proportion of adjacent vertebral instability in the reserved group (11.3%, 14/124) was lower than that in total laminectomy group (22.3%, 29/130), and the difference was statistically significant (χ 2=5.48, P=0.019). The total incidence of ASD in the reserved group (20.9%, 26/124) was lower than that in total laminectomy group (36.2%, 47/130), and the difference was statistically significant (χ 2=7.15, P=0.008). R-ASD (16.9%, 21/124), S-ASD (4.0%, 5/124) and O-ASD (0, 0/124) in the reserved group were lower than those in total laminectomy group [(25.4% (33/130), 9.3% (12/130) and 1.5% (2/130), respectively)], and the difference was statistically significant (χ 2=8.20, P=0.027). ODI and VAS of back and leg were significantly reduced in both groups compared to preoperative values, and the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.05). There were no significant differences in ODI and VAS scores of back and leg in the reserved group compared with total laminectomy group at 3 months, 1 year, and the last follow-up ( P>0.05). Conclusion:Decompression with preservation of the upper half of the lamina can reduce intraoperative blood loss, shorten operation time and postoperative hospital stay, achieve comparable decompression effects to traditional decompression surgery, and effectively reduce the occurrence of adjacent segment instability and ASD.

Efficacy analysis of autologous facet joint bone block in lumbar interbody fusion of osteoporosis patients / 北京大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To compare and analyze the feasibility of autologous facet joint bone block as an alternative to polyetheretherketone (PEEK) cage in lumbar intervertebral fusion surgery for patients with osteoporosis.@*METHODS@#From December 2018 to June 2021, the case data of patients with osteoporosis (T value ≤ -2.5 on dual energy X-ray bone density) who underwent posterior lumbar interbody fusion in the Fourth Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital were retrospectively reviewed. All the cases were followed up for no less than 12 months and were divided into two groups according to the differences of interbody fusion materials: the autologous facet joint bone block group (autogenous bone group) and the PEEK cage group (PEEK group). The general data [such as age, gender, body mass index (BMI), primary diagnosis, distribution of fusion segments, bone mineral density of lumbar (BMD), incidence of preoperative complications], the perioperative data (such as duration of operation, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative drainage, perioperative allogeneic blood transfusion rate), and the incidence of postoperative complications were compared between the two groups. Imaging parameters (disc height, lumbar lordosis angle, segment lordosis angle, segmental lordosis angle, disc height improvement rate, and fusion rate) and lumbar functional scores [visual analogue scale (VAS), Oswestry disability index (ODI), Japanese Orthopedics Association (JOA) score for lower back pain] were compared to evaluate the clinical efficacy between the kinds of intervertebral fusion materials 1 week, 3 months and 6 months postoperative and at the last follow-up.@*RESULTS@#A total of 118 patients were enrolled, including 68 cases in the autogenous bone group and 50 cases in the PEEK group, there were no statistical differences in age, gender, BMI, primary diagnosis, distribution of fusion segments, BMD, incidence of preoperative complications, duration of operation, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative drainage, perioperative allogeneic blood transfusion rate, incidence of postoperative complications, all the preoperative imaging parameters and all the lumbar function scores between the two groups (P>0.05). Postoperative superficial surgical site infections occurred in 3 patients in the autogenous bone group and 2 patients in the PEEK group. At the last follow-up, 3 cases of intervertebral graft collapse occurred in the autogenous bone group and 5 cases in the PEEK group, 1 case of graft subsidence in the autogenous bone group and 1 case in the PEEK group. All the imaging parameters showed significant differences between postoperation and preoperation (P < 0.05), and all the imaging parameters showed significant differences between 1 week and 3 months postoperative in both groups (P < 0.05). The height, angle of fusion gap in the autogenous bone group were lower than those in the PEEK group 1 week postoperatively (P < 0.05), and the fusion gap height improvement rate in the autogenous bone group was lower than that in the PEEK group (P < 0.05). The cases in both groups started to show final fusion 3 months after surgery, and the fusion rate in the autogenous bone group was 75% 6 months postoperatively, which was significantly higher than the rate of 56% in the PEEK group (P < 0.05), and there was no statistically significant difference in the final fusion rate between the two groups (P>0.05). The ODI, the postoperative VAS score was significantly lower than that in preoperation, while the postoperative JOA score was significantly higher than that in preoperation (P < 0.05). The ODI was lower while the JOA score was higher of the autogenous bone group than that of the PEEK group 6 months postoperatively (P < 0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#In osteoporosis patients, good interbody fusion rate and improvement of lumbar vertebral function can be obtained by using autologous facet joint bone block or PEEK cage, while the fusion rate and the improvement of lumbar function with autologous facet joint bone block are better than those with PEEK cage 6 months post-operatively. PEEK cage is superior to autologous facet joint bone block in intervertebral distraction and improvement of lumbar lordosis. Significant disc space subsidence occurred in osteoporotic patients within 3 months after lumbar interbody fusion, and the subsidence of PEEK cage was more obvious than that of autologous facet joint bone block.

Clinical efficacy analysis of DELTA endoscopic lumbar interbody fusion for the treatment of lumbar spondylolisthesis / 中国医师杂志

Objective:To explore the clinical efficacy of DELTA endoscopic lumbar interbody fusion for the treatment of mild to moderate, single segment lumbar spondylolisthesis.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 48 surgical cases of grade Ⅰ to Ⅱ lumbar spondylolisthesis admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from February 2020 to March 2022. Among them, 24 cases treated with DELTA endoscopic lumbar interbody fusion surgery were classified as the DELTA group, and 24 cases treated with traditional minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MIS-TLIF) surgery were classified as the MIS-TLIF group. Two groups of patients were compared in terms of perioperative indicators (surgical time, postoperative drainage volume, incision length, hospital stay), clinical efficacy [Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score for low back and leg pain, lumbar Japanese Orthopaedic Association Scores (JOA), improved MacNab standard excellence rate], and lumbar fusion rate (Bridwell intervertebral fusion grade).Results:The DELTA group had longer surgical time than the MIS-TLIF group, and the postoperative drainage volume, incision length, and hospital stay were all lower than the MIS-TLIF group, with statistically significant differences (all P<0.05). The VAS score of lower back and leg pain and lumbar JOA score of the two groups of patients at 1 week, 3 months, and the last follow-up were significantly improved compared to those before surgery (all P<0.01), and the DELTA group had better VAS score of lower back and leg pain and lumbar JOA score at all time points after surgery than the MIS-TLIF group, with statistically significant differences (all P<0.05). The improved MacNab standard was used to evaluate the efficacy of the two groups of patients at the last follow-up after surgery, and there was no statistically significant difference in the excellent and good rates ( P>0.05); There was no statistically significant difference ( P>0.05) in the fusion rate between the two groups. Conclusions:DELTA endoscopic lumbar interbody fusion has a significant therapeutic effect on lumbar spondylolisthesis, with the advantages of small surgical incision and fast recovery; After crossing the DELTA endoscopic learning curve and optimizing surgical procedures, this technology can become an alternative to MIS-TLIF technology.

Risk factors for adjacent vertebral compression fracture after fusion surgery of lumbar canal stenosis in the elderly / 中华创伤杂志

Objective:To evaluate the risk factors for adjacent vertebral compression fracture (AVCF) after fusion surgery of lumbar canal stenosis in the elderly.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was designed for 297 patients with lumbar canal stenosis who underwent fusion surgery in Hubei Provincial Hospital of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine from January 2017 to December 2020. There were 42 males and 255 females, aged 68-85 years [(76.3±7.2)years]. The patients were divided into AVCF group ( n=67) and non-AVCF group ( n=230) according to with or without the occurrence of AVCF. The indicators recorded were the gender, age, body mass index, education level, number of combined basic diseases, course of the disease, preoperative bone mineral density, intraoperative bleeding volume, number of level fused during operation, postoperative blood transfusion volume, postoperative observation in the ICU, types of postoperative external fixation and time of external fixation. Univariate analysis was conducted to analyze the correlation between above risk factors and AVCF after fusion surgery of lumbar canal stenosis in the elderly. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the independent risk factors for the occurrence of AVCF in these patients. Results:In the univariate analysis, age, education level, preoperative bone mineral density, intraoperative bleeding volume, postoperative blood transfusion volume and postoperative observation in the ICU were correlated with AVCF after fusion surgery of lumbar canal stenosis in the elderly ( P<0.05 or 0.01), while there was no correlation of AVCF with gender, body mass index, number of combined basic diseases, course of the disease, number of level fused during operation, types of postoperative external fixation and time of external fixation (all P>0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that gender ( OR=4.02, 95% CI 1.35, 12.00, P<0.05), preoperative bone mineral density≤-2.5 SD ( OR=2.01, 95% CI 1.47, 2.75, P<0.01), intraoperative bleeding volume≥475 ml ( OR=1.01, 95% CI 1.00, 1.01, P<0.01) and postoperative blood transfusion volume≥434 ml ( OR=0.99, 95% CI 0.98, 1.00, P<0.01) were significantly associated with AVCF after fusion surgery of lumbar canal stenosis in the elderly. Conclusion:The female, bone mineral density≤-2.5 SD, intraoperative bleeding volume≥476 ml and postoperative blood transfusion volume≥434 ml are independent risk factors for AVCF after fusion surgery of lumbar canal stenosis in the elderly.

Posterior reduction for treatment of acute severe traumatic lumbar spondylolisthesis / 中华创伤骨科杂志

Objective:To evaluate the clinical effects of posterior reduction in the treatment of acute severe traumatic lumbar spondylolisthesis.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted to analyze the clinical data of 12 patients with acute severe traumatic lumbar spondylolisthesis who had been treated by posterior reduction at Department of Spinal Surgery, Zhengzhou Orthopaedic Hospital from June 2010 to December 2018. There were 7 males and 5 females with an age of (25.7±1.8) years. The spondylolisthesis was at L4 in 4 cases and at L5 in 8 cases, and grade Ⅲ in 7 cases, grade Ⅳ in 4 cases and grade Ⅴ in 1 case according to the Meyerding classification. By the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) grading, the preoperative neurological function was at level B in 6 cases, at level C in 4 cases, and at level D in 2 cases. All the 12 patients underwent posterior reduction and internal fixation with pedicle screws, as well as intervertebral bone graft fusion. Operation time and intraoperative blood loss were recorded. Clinical efficacy was evaluated by visual analogue scale (VAS) and Oswestry disability index (ODI) before and after surgery, and neurological function was evaluated by ASIA grading. X-ray, CT plain scan and reconstruction were used to observe internal fixation and bone grafting.Results:All patients were followed up for (18.5±2.1) months. The operation time was (165.7±42.3) min and the blood loss (497.7±75.3) mL. The VAS pain scores [(2.7±0.3) points and (1.8±0.2) points] and ODIs (18.2%±2.3% and 14.5%±2.6%) at 2 weeks after operation and at the last follow-up were significantly lower than the preoperational values [(8.5±0.6) points and 72.3%±12.3%] ( P<0.05), but there was no statistically significant difference between 2 weeks after operation and the last follow-up ( P>0.05). At the last follow-up, X-rays and CT scans showed good fixation and adequate bone grafting; the spondylolisthesis was grade 0 in 10 cases and grade I in 2 cases; the ASIA level of neurological function was C in 2 cases, D in 3 cases, and E in 7 cases. Healing of surgical incision was delayed in 2 patients but responded to symptomatic treatment. Follow-ups observed no such complications as loosening or pulling out of internal fixation. Conclusion:In the treatment of acute severe traumatic lumbar spondylolisthesis, posterior reduction can effectively restore the spondylolisthesis sequence and restore spinal stability, leading to satisfactory curative outcomes.

An analysis on the optimal match between thoracolumbar kyphosis and lower lumbar lordosis in adult spinal deformity after long-fusion surgery / 中华骨科杂志

Objective:To explore the optimal match degree between thoracolumbar kyphosis (TLK) and lower lumbar lordosis (LLL) in adult spinal deformity (ASD) after correction surgery.Methods:Data of 119 ASD patients (male: 28, female: 91), belonging to the Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical University (19 cases), the Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (11 cases), and the First Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital (89 cases) were reviewed and documented from March 2019 to March 2020. All patients (age, 64.48±8.88 years; range, 45-79 years) underwent the surgical procedure of thoracolumbar fusion with instrumentations were followed up over 24 months (51.68±15.60 months; range, 24-87 months) after surgery. Postoperative proximal interface failure, Oswestry disability index (ODI) score and Scoliosis Research Society-22 (SRS-22) score were recorded for all patients. The immediate match of TLK to LLL postoperatively was calculated as follows: TLM=TLK/LLL. The data of those individuals with excellent improvements in the ODI (>50%) at the final follow-up were recorded and analyzed. Then the mean value and the 95% CI of TLM in those individuals were calculated. All participants were subdivided into three groups according to the 95% CI value of TLM. After the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analyzing, the area under the ROC curve (AUC) was the best cutoff value of TLM. The association of proximal junctional failure (PJF) developing with the abnormal TLM postoperatively was analyzed with logistic regression, and the odds ratio (OR) was calculated. Results:62 patients had significant improvements in ODI (>50%) at the final follow-up, and the mean TLM in those individuals was 0.41 [95% CI (0.2, 0.5)]. All patients were divided into three groups: TLM<0.2 (35 cases), 0.2≤TLM≤0.5 (48 cases) and TLM>0.5 (36 cases). The preoperative TLK (13.87°±16.61°) and T 1 pelvic angle (19.69°±10.55°) in the those patients with TLM<0.2 were the smallest, and those were the largest in those with TLM>0.5 (30.59°±16.68°, 28.30°±14.46°). The individuals with TLM<0.2 still had the smallest TLK (2.89°±1.78°), however, those with TLM>0.5 had the largest TLK (17.13°±12.13°) and the smallest LLL (-26.16°±11.02°) accordingly. Additionally, the ODI and SRS-22 for those with 0.2≤TLM≤0.5 at the final follow-up were the best ( P<0.05). ROC curve analysis results showed that the best cutoff value of TLM was 0.4 (sensitivity=78.9%, specificity=76.2%; AUC=0.802, 95% CI (0.708, 0.896) , P<0.001). During the follow-up after orthopedic surgery, there were 19 patients with postoperative proximal junction failure, including 16 patients in the mismatched group (6 patients in the TLM<0.2 group, 10 patients in the TLM>0.5 group) and 3 patients in the matched group (0.2≤TLM≤0.5 group), with the incidence of 23% (16/71) and 6% (3/48), respectively. The difference was statistically significant (χ 2=5.66, P=0.017). Thoracolumbar mismatch was significantly associated with proximal borderline failure after orthosis [ OR=4.35, 95% CI (1.196, 15.924)]. Conclusion:The abnormal correction in thoracolumbar kyphosis and lower lumbar lordosis may result in mismatch between thoracolumbar segments, which would undermine the quality of life, and increase the incidence of proximal junctional failure developing in those ASD patients underwent long-fusion surgeries. The match between TLK and LLL should be 0.2 to 0.5.

The clinical characteristics and treatment of "sandwich" atlantoaxial dislocation / 中华骨科杂志

Objective:To evaluate the specialty of the clinical features, treatment procedure, clinical outcome, and prognosis in the patients with "sandwich" atlantoaxial dislocation (AAD).Methods:From 2008 to 2018, 160 cases with "sandwich" AAD were retrospectively selected from the case series of AAD in Peking University Third Hospital. The case series had 80 males and 80 females. The mean age at the initial visit was 35.5±14.6 years (range, 5-77). The clinical courses, treatment methodology and prognosis were reviewed. And the surgical approach, posterior fixation segment and the recovery of neurological function were mainly summarized. The atlantodental interval (ADI), the distance by which the odontoid exceeded the Chamberlain line and the cervical-medullary angle were analyzed.Results:The most common symptoms included weakness or numbness of the limbs (67.5%, 108/160), unstable gait (30%, 48/160) and vertigo (20%, 32/160). Among all, 130 cases (81.3%, 130/160) had myelopathy, with the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) scores from 4 to 16 (mean JOA scores 13.5±2.5). Cranial neuropathy was involved in 20 cases (12.5%). Radiological findings showed brainstem and/or cervical-medullar in 130 cases (81.3%), syringomyelia in 37 cases (23.1%) and Chiari malformation in 30 cases (18.8%). Computed tomography angiography (CTA) was performed in 90 cases, which showed vertebral artery anomalies in 55 cases (61.0%) and excessive medialized internal carotid artery in 5 cases (5.6%). All cases had no spinal cord or vertebral artery injury. The surgery included posterior occipito-cervical fusion (reducible dislocation, 145 cases), and transoral release followed by posterior fusion (irreducible dislocation, 15 cases). Fifty-seven cases were treated using alternative fixation technique. The average follow-up time was 50.5±22.4 months (range, 24 to 120 months). All of 152 cases (95.0%) achieved solid atlantoaxial fusion; there was no obvious osseous fusion formation on postoperative images in 6 cases (3.8%), but no atlantoaxial instability was found on dynamic radiographs; screw loosening happened in 2 patients (1.2%). Nine patients (5.6%) suffered complications, including 4 cases with recurrent dislocation, 2 screw loosening, 2 cases with bulbar paralysis and 1 wound infection. The mean postoperative JOA was 15.1±1.8 (range, 5-17), and the mean neurological improvement rate was 42.9%±33.3% in the patients with myelopathy.Conclusion:"Sandwich" AAD, a subgroup of AAD, has unique clinical features: earlier onset age and more severe myelopathy. The incidence of bone and vascular malformation is higher. So alternative surgical plan and hybrid fixation should be prepared for this subgroup of AAD.

Postoperative bracing on clinical outcomes following posterior lumbar fusion for degenerative lumbar diseases: a meta-analysis / 中华骨科杂志

Objective:To systematically evaluate whether the early use of bracing after posterior lumbar fusion has advantages in terms of the improvement of clinical outcomes such as pain, functional disability, fusion rate, and complication rate in patients with lumbar degenerative diseases.Methods:All randomized controlled trials of bracing performed after posterior lumbar fusion in patients with lumbar degenerative diseases were searched in Pubmed, Web of Science, Embase, China national knowledge infrastructure (CNKI) and Wanfang database from January 1990 to May 2022. The data extracted were authors, year of publication, nationality, subject characteristics, sample size, surgical protocol, type and time of bracing, follow-up duration, preoperative and postoperative Oswestry disability index (ODI) and visual analogue scale (VAS), postoperative fusion rate and complication rate. The Cochrane Risk of Bias tool was used to evaluate the risk of bias. The use of fix- or random-effect models was depended on the magnitude of heterogeneity. Data analysis was performed using Stata 17.0 statistical software for meta analysis.Results:A total of five randomized controlled trials were included, all in English, with a total of 362 patients (male 144, female 218). The results of meta-analysis showed that there was no statistically significant difference in the improvement of ODI scores [ MD=1.25, 95% CI(-2.39, 4.88), P=0.501]and VAS scores[ MD=0.21, 95% CI(-0.22, 0.63), P=0.340]between the brace group and the control group after operation. In terms of fusion rate, there was no significant difference between the brace group and the control group[ OR=0.59, 95% CI(0.25, 1.38), P=0.224]. In addition, there was also no significant difference in the incidence of postoperative complications between two groups[ OR=1.12, 95% CI(0.58, 2.15), P=0.735]. Conclusion:The early use of bracing after lumbar fusion has no significant advantages in improving symptoms and functional recovery, fusion rate and surgical complications. The necessity of postoperative bracing after posterior lumbar fusion requires further high-quality research to prove.

Diagnosis and treatment of atlantoaxial dislocation / 中华骨科杂志

Atlantoaxial dislocation is a pathological anatomical condition caused by the loss of stability between the atlantoaxial joints, which is a serious disabling disease in spine surgery, and may even endanger the patient's life. The causes of atlantoaxial dislocation include traumatic, congenital, inflammatory, degenerative, tumor, and other factors. Since the symptoms and signs are not specific in clinic, imaging examination is particularly important. Atlantoaxial dislocation is mainly classified according to the etiology, the relative position of atlas and axis, and the difficulty of reduction. Accurate classification is of great significance for the selection of treatment options. There is no popular guideline for surgical indications of atlantoaxial dislocation. Patients presenting with related symptoms or spinal cord dysfunction are generally recognized surgical indications in clinical practice. With the continuous improvement and optimization of atlantoaxial screw placement, reduction and fusion technology, supplemented by new equipment in spine surgery, the surgery-related risks and complications have been greatly reduced, and the surgical treatment of atlantoaxial dislocation can obtain good reduction and fusion results. This tutorial summariz the etiology, diagnosis, classification, treatment, complications, and prognosis of atlantoaxial dislocation, in order to provide a more complete and refined reference for clinical diagnosis and treatment.

Oblique lumbar interbody fusion combined with percutaneous endoscopic decompression and posterior fixation for the treatment of lumbar spondylolisthesis accompanied with lumbar spinal stenosis / 中华骨科杂志

Objective:To investigate the efficacy of oblique lumbar interbody fusion (OLIF) combined with percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic decompression (PTED) and posterior pedicle fixation through Wiltse approach in the treatment of lumbar spondylolisthesis accompanied with lumbar spinal stenosis.Methods:From June 2017 to February 2022, 103 patients (50 males and 53 females) of lumbar spondylolisthesis accompanied with lumbar spinal stenosis were performed with OLIF combined with PTED and posterior pedicle fixation. The mean age was 64.1±5.2 years (range, 42-87 years). All involved cases were single-segment and included 83 cases of L 4, 5, 17 cases of L 3, 4, and 3 cases of L 2, 3. Among them, 94 cases were performed for the first time, and other 9 were revision surgery treated by posterior lumbar laminectomy previously. The visual analog scale (VAS) was used to evaluate the low back pain and leg pain, and the Oswestry disability index (ODI) was used to evaluate the lumbar function. The VAS and ODI scores were recorded respectively before the operation, at discharge, 1, 3, 6 months after the operation and at the last follow-up. Macnab criteria was used to evaluate the clinical efficacy at the last follow-up. At the same time, imaging measurements were conducted, including the anterior and posterior disc height, segmental lordotic angle, percentage of slip on lateral X-ray film and the vertebral canal area on axial MRI before and after surgery. Results:All of 103 patients were successfully operated in one stage with an average operation time of 177.7±21.5 min (range, 155-220 min), and an average intraoperative blood loss of 55.9±18.3 ml (range, 30-150 ml). The mean follow-up time were 15.1±2.6 months (range, 6-36 months). There were significant differences in both VAS scores of back and leg and ODI scores at each postoperative time point when compared with preoperative ( F=508.25, F=1524.82, F=1148.68, P<0.001). Macnab criteria of the last follow-up was evaluated as follow: excellent in 85 cases, good in 14, fair in 4, and the excellent and good rate was 96.1%. The radiographic results showed the mean immediate postoperative anterior disc height, posterior disc height, segmental lordotic angle, percentage of slip and axial area of the vertebral canal were 15.23±2.97 mm, 9.32±2.31 mm, 14.36°±4.18°, 3.89%±3.11%, 113.37±47.27 mm 2, and thus all of those increased significantly compared to the mean preoperative 11.93±3.17 mm, 7.21±2.03 mm, 6.15°±3.99°, 23.66%±7.79%, 57.63±28.91 mm 2, respectively ( t=7.84, t=7.07, t=14.91, t=27.62, t=9.68, P<0.001). All cases achieved bony fusion during 6-12 months after operation. The incidence of surgery-related complications was 10.7% (11/103). There were 3 cases of end plate fracture and 2 cases of dural injury, which had no complaint after operation. There was 1 case of pedicle screw entering into the spinal canal by mistake, and the symptoms of nerve damage appeared after operation. After 1 year it basically returned to normal. There were 2 cases of thigh numbness and 1 case of psoas major weakness after operation, all of which relieved after 4 weeks. There was 1 case continuous pain of abdominal incision after surgery. There was 1 case of cage subsidence at the last follow-up. Conclusion:OLIF combined with PTED and posterior pedicle fixation through Wiltse approach is a minimally invasive surgical method for the treatment of lumbar spondylolisthesis accompanied with lumbar spinal stenosis. With the combined minimally invasive techniques, the decompression, fusion and fixation of the lumbar spine can be fulfilled perfectly. It has the advantages of minimally invasive, good clical outcome, few complications and rapid rehabilitation.

Lateral lumbar interbody fusion for severe lumbar spinal stenosis: a randomized controlled trial with 1-year follow-up / 中华骨科杂志

Objective:To investigate the clinical outcomes of minimally invasive lateral lumbar interbody fusion (LLIF) and the necessity to perform LLIF plus posterior direct decompression in the treatment of severe degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis (DLSS).Methods:In this prospective randomized, controlled trial, we assigned 71 patients, who were 50 to 80 years old, and diagnosed with severe DLSS (Schizas Classification grade C on magnetic resonance imaging), in a 1∶1 ratio to undergo either one-stage LLIF plus posterior internal fixation (treatment group) or CLIF plus posterior internal fixation with laminectomy (control group). Demographic and perioperative data were collected and compared. The clinical outcome measures included Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Zurich Claudication Questionnaire (ZCQ) score as well as visual analogue scale (VAS). Patients were followed up for at least 1 year.Results:The treatment group included 36 patients with 46 surgical levels, while the control group included 35 patients with 46 surgical levels. The baseline demographic data of the 2 groups were equivalent in preoperative central canal areas, spinal canal anteroposterior diameter, disc height, ODI, ZCQ score for symptom severity and physical function, as well as VAS scores for back and leg pain. The mean operative time, blood loss, drainage volume and hospital stay of the treatment group are significantly less than the control group (157.2±29.1 min vs. 180.6±26.8 min, 75.6±39.1 ml vs. 108.6±43.3 ml, 136.9±73.9 ml vs. 220.5±121.3 ml, 5.3±1.1 d vs. 6.6±2.3 d). There were 2 cases with dura tear and 1 case with wound infection in control group. Thus, the surgical trauma and complications of the control group were more than the treatment group. At 1-year follow-up, the mean ODI score of treatment group improved from 42.24%±10.70% preoperatively to 18.21%±11.49%, the mean ZCQ symptom severity from 2.89±0.38 to 1.61±0.41, the mean ZCQ physical function from 2.31±0.45 to 1.50±0.37, the mean VAS for back from 5.56±1.19 to 1.97±1.13 and the mean VAS for leg from 4.44±1.81 to 0.94±1.26. At 1-year follow-up, the mean ODI score of the control group improved from 43.65%±14.93% preoperatively to 17.36%±12.15%, the mean ZCQ symptom severity from 2.92±0.52 to 1.65±0.39, the mean ZCQ physical function from 2.37±0.52 to 1.55±0.39, the mean VAS for back from 5.63±1.40 to 2.34±1.47, and the mean VAS for leg from 4.37±2.14 to 0.83±1.20. The ZCQ satisfactory score of both groups were not significant different (1.25±0.45 vs. 1.26±0.43, t=0.07, P=0.944). The mean improvement rate of both groups for ODI, ZCQ symptom severity, ZCQ physical function, VAS back and VAS leg at 1-year follow-up were not significant different (55.43%±27.74% vs. 58.36%±25.06%, 43.07%±17.22% vs. 42.66%±12.95%, 32.25%±23.65% vs. 31.71%±23.24%, 62.65%±21.25% vs. 58.37%±22.44%, 78.94%±26.41% vs. 85.45%±20.53%). One adjacent segment disease was found in each group at 1 year follow-up. Conclusion:CLIF+ posterior internal fixation in the treatment of Schizas Grade C DLSS has satisfactory clinical outcome at 1-year follow-up. Laminectomy increases surgical trauma, but does not significantly improve the clinical outcome at 1-year follow-up.