Cervical cord decompression using extended anterior cervical foraminotomy technique.

OBJECTIVE: At present, gold-standard technique of cervical cord decompression is surgical decompression and fusion. But, many complications related cervical fusion have been reported. We adopted an extended anterior cervical foraminotomy (EACF) technique to decompress the anterolateral portion of cervical cord and report clinical results and effectiveness of this procedure. METHODS: Fifty-three patients were operated consecutively using EACF from 2008 to 2013. All of them were operated by a single surgeon via the unilateral approach. Twenty-two patients who exhibited radicular and/or myelopathic symptoms were enrolled in this study. All of them showed cervical cord compression in their preoperative magnetic resonance scan images. RESULTS: In surgical outcomes, 14 patients (64%) were classified as excellent and six (27%), as good. The mean difference of cervical cord anterior-posterior diameter after surgery was 0.92 mm (p<0.01) and transverse area was 9.77 mm(2) (p<0.01). The dynamic radiological study showed that the average post-operative translation (retrolisthesis) was 0.36 mm and the disc height loss at the operated level was 0.81 mm. The change in the Cobb angle decreased to 3.46, and showed slight kyphosis. The average vertebral body resection rate was 11.47%. No procedure-related complications occurred. Only one patient who had two-level decompression needed anterior fusion at one level as a secondary surgery due to postoperative instability. CONCLUSIONS: Cervical cord decompression was successfully performed using EACF technique. This procedure will be an alternative surgical option for treating cord compressing lesions. Long-term follow-up and a further study in larger series will be needed.

Microbiology and epidemiology of infectious spinal disease.

OBJECTIVE: Infectious spinal disease is regarded as an infection by a specific organism that affects the vertebral body, intervertebral disc and adjacent perivertebral soft tissue. Its incidence seems to be increasing as a result of larger proportion of the older patients with chronic debilitating disease, the rise of intravenous drug abuser, and the increase in spinal procedure and surgery. In Korea, studies assessing infectious spinal disease are rare and have not been addressed in recent times. The objectives of this study are to describe the epidemiology of all kind of spinal infectious disease and their clinical and microbiological characteristics as well as to assess the diagnostic methodology and the parameters related to the outcomes. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed in all infectious spinal disease cases presenting from January 2005 to April 2010 to three tertiary teaching hospitals within a city of 1.5 million in Korea. Patient demographics, risk factors, clinical features, and outcomes were assessed. Risk factors entailed the presence of diabetes, chronic renal failure, liver cirrhosis, immunosuppressants, remote infection, underlying malignancy and previous spinal surgery or procedure. We comparatively analyzed the results between the groups of pyogenic and tuberculous spinal infection. SPSS version 14 statistical software was used to perform the analyses of the data. The threshold for statistical significance was established at p<0.05. RESULTS: Ninety-two cases fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were reviewed. Overall, patients of tuberculous spinal infection (TSI) and pyogenic spinal infection (PSI) entailed 20 (21.7%) and 72 (78.3%) cases, respectively. A previous spinal surgery or procedure was the most commonly noted risk factor (39.1%), followed by diabetes (15.2%). The occurrence of both pyogenic and tuberculous spondylitis was predominant in the lumbar spine. Discs are more easily invaded in PSI. At initial presentation, white cell blood count and C-reactive protein levels were higher in PSI compared to TSI (p<0.05). Etiological agents were identified in 53.3%, and the most effective method for identification of etiological agents was tissue culture (50.0%). Staphyococcus aureus was the most commonly isolated infective agent associated with pyogenic spondylitis, followed by E. coli. Surgical treatment was performed in 31.5% of pyogenic spondylitis and in 35.0% of tuberculous spondylitis cases. CONCLUSION: Many previous studies in Korea usually reported that tuberculous spondylitis is the predominant infection. However, in our study, the number of pyogenic infection was 3 times greater than that of tuberculous spinal disease. Etiological agents were identified in a half of all infectious spinal disease. For better outcomes, we should try to identify the causative microorganism before antibiotic therapy and make every effort to improve the result of culture and biopsy.

Intraoperative vertebral artery angiography to guide c1-2 transarticular screw fixation in a patient with athetoid cerebral palsy.

We present a case of an athetoid cerebral palsy with quadriparesis caused by kyphotic deformity of the cervical spine, severe spinal stenosis at the cervicomedullary junction, and atlantoaxial instability. The patient improved after the first surgery, which included a C1 total laminectomy and C-arm guided righ side unilateral C1-2 transarticular screw fixation. C1-2 fixation was not performed on the other side because of an aberrant and dominant vertebral artery (VA). Eight months after the first operation, the patient required revision surgery for persistent neck pain and screw malposition. We used intraoperative VA angiography with simultaneous fluoroscopy for precise image guidance during bilateral C1-2 transarticular screw fixation. Intraoperative VA angiography allowed the accurate insertion of screws, and can therefore be used to avoid VA injury during C1-2 transarticular screw fixation in comorbid patients with atlantoaxial deformities.

Patterns of epidural venous varicosity in lumbar stenosis.

OBJECTIVE: Epidural venous varicosity (congestion of the epidural vein) is rarely introduced as an influential factor of clinical symptoms. However, there are several studies suggesting that epidural venous varicosity results in neurologic symptoms. We would like to highlight evidence that epidural venous varicosity results in neurologic symptoms and the relation between epidural venous varicosity and neural structure observed during the surgery. Based on our experiences, we also propose a new classification of epidural venous varicosity. METHODS: 29 patients with symptomatic lumbar stenosis received microsurgical decompression via partial hemilaminectomy. The authors retrospectively reviewed all recorded intraoperative pictures and categorized patterns of venous varicosities with relationship to neural structures. RESULTS: Type A is conditions in which epidural veins are dilated but located parallel to the nerve root on the lateral side of the nerve root and thus do not compress the nerve root. Type B is conditions in which varices are located on the anterior lateral side of the nerve root to compress the nerve root. Type C is conditions in which varices are encircled around the nerve root and compressing the nerve root. CONCLUSION: Epidural venous varicosity is observed in most lumbar stenosis patients with clinical symptoms. Of the types, the types of epidural venous varicosity compressing nerve structures were Type B and Type C. All epidural venous varicosities were removed regardless of classification during operations. Most patients showed relief in clinical symptoms after the operation. We thought to epidural venous varicosity as a factor that causes clinical symptoms of lumbar stenosis.

Sudden onset of cauda equina syndrome resulting from posterior migration of lumbar herniated disc without significant previous neurological signs.

While extruded disc fragments are known to migrate anteriorly, posteriorly, or laterally to the theca sac, posterior migration of the fragments is relatively rare and sudden onset of cauda equina syndrome (CES) caused by the migration is extremely rare. The authors experienced a case of CES that was manifested abruptly with sudden paraplegia caused by posterior migration of the lumbar intervertebral disc. A 74-year old man, who had no prior significant neurologic signs or trauma history, visited our emergency center with paraplegia of both lower extremities occurring suddenly when awakened. On magnetic resonance image (MRI) findings, we could detect ruptured disc herniation with severe lumbar stenosis at the L2-3 level. We performed an emergent decompression, and the right posterior migrated disc fragments at L2-3 were intraoperatively observed. The patient was fully recovered himself on the follow up after 3 months of the operation. In conclusion, early operation can result in better outcome in acute paraplegia caused by the posterior migrated disc fragments.

Analysis of empty sella secondary to the brain tumors.

OBJECTIVE: The definition of empty sella syndrome is 'an anatomical entity in which the pituitary fossa is partially or completely filled with cerebrospinal fluid, while the pituitary gland is compressed against the posterior rim of the fossa'. Reports of this entities relating to the brain tumors not situated in the pituitary fossa, have rarely been reported. METHODS: In order to analyze the incidence and relationship of empty sella in patients having brain tumors, the authors reviewed preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of 72 patients with brain tumor regardless of pathology except the pituitary tumors. The patients were operated in single institute by one surgeon. There were 25 males and 47 females and mean patient age was 53 years old (range from 5 years to 84 years). Tumor volume was ranged from 2 cc to 238 cc. RESULTS: The overall incidence of empty sella was positive in 57/72 cases (79.2%). Sorted by the pathology, empty sella was highest in meningioma (88.9%, p = 0.042). The empty sella was correlated with patient's increasing age (p = 0.003) and increasing tumor volume (p = 0.016). CONCLUSION: Careful review of brain MRI with periodic follow up is necessary for the detection of secondary empty sella in patients with brain tumors. In patients with confirmed empty sella, follow up is mandatory for the management of hypopituitarism, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rhinorrhea, visual disturbance and increased intracranial pressure.