Clinical and Radiographic Outcomes of Lateral Interbody Fusion for Adjacent Segment Degeneration.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. OBJECTIVE: Assessment of outcomes in patients undergoing lateral interbody fusion as part of the surgical treatment of adjacent segment deterioration after previous lumbar spine fusion. METHODS: Adult patients with previous lumbar posterior spinal fusion who presented with adjacent segment degeneration and stenosis refractory to nonoperative treatment and who underwent lateral lumbar interbody fusion were retrospectively analyzed. Clinical and radiographic outcomes were assessed and comparisons made between preoperative baseline and postoperative values. RESULTS: Thirty-six patients with symptomatic adjacent segment degeneration at 46 motion segments were included. Thirty (83.3%) of the 36 patients had complete relief of both preoperative lower extremity pain and back pain at the time of final follow-up. Six (16.7%) of the 36 patients had persistent pain, though in all 6 cases, the pain was less postoperatively than preoperatively. Oswestry Disability Index scores were improved significantly at final follow-up (P = .001). Compared with preoperative baseline parameters, initial and final postoperative radiographs had an increase in segmental lordosis (P < .001 and P < .001, respectively), increase in overall lumbar lordosis (P < .05 and P = .094, respectively), decrease in segmental coronal angulation (P = .63 and P < .01, respectively), decrease in overall coronal angulation (P = .063 and P = .009, respectively), and increase in intervertebral height (P < .001 and P < .001, respectively). CONCLUSION: Lateral lumbar interbody fusion achieves favorable clinical and radiographic outcomes for the treatment of adjacent segment degeneration after previous lumbar fusion. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4.

Results of a systematic approach to exchange nailing for the treatment of aseptic tibial nonunions.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a systematic approach to exchange nailing for the treatment of aseptic tibial nonunion. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort. SETTING: Tertiary referral center. PATIENTS: Forty-six aseptic tibial nonunion sites in 40 patients (2 bilateral and 4 segmental) who presented with an intramedullary nail on an average of 16 months after the initial treatment were presented in this study. INTERVENTION: Insertion of an exchange nail of at least >2-mm diameter than the prior nail using a different manufacturer's nail, static interlocking, partial fibulectomy in a select group of patients, and correction of underlying metabolic and endocrine abnormalities. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Union rate, time to union. RESULTS: Forty-five of 46 tibial nonunion sites (98%) healed at an average of 4.8 months. CONCLUSIONS: Patient selection criteria and a systematic approach to exchange nailing for tibial nonunion is highly successful. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Results of a systematic approach to exchange nailing for the treatment of aseptic femoral nonunions.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the radiographic and clinical outcomes of a systematic approach to exchange nailing for the treatment of aseptic femoral nonunions previously treated with an intramedullary nail. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort. SETTING: Tertiary referral center. PATIENTS: Fifty aseptic femoral nonunions in 49 patients who presented with an intramedullary nail in situ an average of 25 months after the initial fracture nailing were evaluated. INTERVENTION: Our systematic approach includes inserting an exchange nail at least 2 mm larger in diameter than the in situ nail, using a different manufacturer's nail, static interlocking, correction of any metabolic and endocrine abnormalities, and secondary nail dynamization in cases showing slow progression toward healing. MAIN OUTCOMES MEASUREMENTS: The outcome measures were radiographic and clinical evidence of nonunion healing and time to union. RESULTS: All 50 femoral nonunions (100%) healed after this systematic approach to exchange nailing. The average time to achieve union was 7 months (range, 3-26 months). CONCLUSIONS: Utilization of this systematic approach of exchange nailing for the treatment of aseptic femoral nonunions resulted in a 100% healing rate. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.