ABSTRACT
STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective study. OBJECTIVES: To analyze factors associated with rod fracture (RF) in adult spinal deformity (ASD), and to assess whether the accessory rod (AR) technique can reduce RF occurrence in deformity correction in the setting of minimally invasive lateral lumbar interbody fusion (LLIF). SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Instrumentation failure is the most common reason for revision surgery in ASD. Several RF reduction methods have been introduced. However, there are insufficient studies on postoperative RF after deformity correction using minimally invasive LLIF. METHODS: This study included 239 patients (average age 71.4 y and a minimum 2-year follow up) with ASD who underwent long-segment fusion from T10 to sacrum with sacropelvic fixation. Patients were classified into the non-RF group and the RF group. After logistic regression analysis of the risk factors for RF, subgroup analyses were performed; pedicle subtraction osteotomy (PSO) with 2-rod (P2 group) versus PSO with 2-rod and AR (P4 group), and LLIF with 2-rod (L2 group) versus LLIF with 2-rod and AR (L4 group). RESULTS: RF occurred in 50 patients (21%) at an average of 25 months. RF occurred more frequently in patients who underwent PSO than in those who underwent LLIF (P=0.002), and the use of the AR technique was significantly higher in the non-RF group (P<0.05).Following logistic regression analysis, preoperative PI-LL mismatch, PSO, and the AR technique were associated with RF. In subgroup analyses, RF incidence was 65% (24/37 cases) of P2 group, 8% (4/51 cases) of P4 group, and 21% (22/105 cases) of L2 group. In the L4 group, there was no RF. CONCLUSION: Minimally invasive multilevel LLIF with the AR technique is capable of as much LL correction as conventional PSO and appears to be an effective method for reducing RF.
ABSTRACT
One-week staged bilateral open-wedge high tibial osteotomies (OWHTOs) can be a safe procedure, with the added advantage of fast functional recovery, cost saving, and reduced hospital stay. However, there can be concerns about correction loss after 1-week staged OWHTOs because high loading is inevitably applied to osteotomy sites during postoperative weight bearing. Although leaving the osteotomy site with no grafts is possible in OWHTOs, the use of grafts can provide additional stability to the osteotomy site and prevent correction loss. We compared the amount and incidence of correction loss between 1-week staged bilateral OWHTOs with and without allogenic bone grafts. Seventy-five patients who underwent 1-week staged bilateral OWHTOs with a locking spacer plate (Nowmedipia, Seoul, Korea) by a single surgeon were retrospectively reviewed. Allogenic cancellous bone grafts were applied in 53 patients (group G; 106 knees, operated consecutively between 2012 and 2017) but not in 22 patients (group N; 44 knees, operated consecutively between 2017 and 2019). Demographics were similar between the groups. Radiographically, the mechanical axis (MA), medial proximal tibial angle (MPTA), and posterior tibial slope (PTS) were evaluated preoperatively and within 1 year postoperatively. Unstable hinge fracture was investigated using computed tomography in all cases. The incidence of correction loss (MPTA loss ≥ 3 degrees) was determined. There were no significant differences in the MA, MPTA, and PTS between the groups preoperatively and 2 weeks postoperatively. The incidence of unstable hinge fractures did not differ. The losses in MA, MPTA, and PTS during the first postoperative year were significantly greater in group N than in group G (MA, -5.5 vs. -2.3 degrees; MPTA, -3.0 vs. 0 degrees; PTS, -2.0 vs. -0.7 degrees; p < 0.05 on all parameters). The correction loss incidence was 6.6% (7/106) and 31.8% (14/44) in groups G and N, respectively (p < 0.001). Appropriate treatment is necessary to prevent correction loss in 1-week staged bilateral OWHTOs. Grafting, which provides additional stability to the osteotomy site, is a recommended method. Level of evidence is IV.
ABSTRACT
For patients with cervical radiculopathy, most studies have recommended conservative treatment as the first-line treatment; however, when conventional treatment fails, surgery is considered. A better understanding of the prognosis of cervical radiculopathy is essential to provide accurate information to the patients. If the patients complain of persistent and recurrent arm pain/numbness not respond to conservative treatment, or exhibit neurologic deficits, surgery is performed using anterior or posterior approaches. Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) has historically been widely used and has proven to be safe and effective. To improve surgical outcomes of ACDF surgery, many studies have been conducted on types of spacers, size/height/position of cages, anterior plating, patients' factors, surgical techniques, and so forth. Cervical disc replacement (CDR) is designed to reduce the incidence of adjacent segment disease during long-term follow-up by maintaining cervical spine motion postoperatively. Many studies on excellent indications for the CDR, proper type/size/shape/height of the implants, and surgical techniques were performed. Posterior cervical foraminotomy is a safe and effective surgical option to avoid complications associated with anterior approach and fusion surgery. Most recent literature demonstrated that all three surgical techniques for patients with cervical radiculopathy have clear advantages and disadvantages and reveal satisfactory surgical outcomes under a proper selection of patients and application of appropriate surgical methods. For this, it is important to fully understand the factors for better surgical outcomes and to adequately practice the operative techniques for patients with cervical radiculopathy.
