Hypoxia-Preconditioned BMSC-Derived Exosomes Induce Mitophagy via the BNIP3-ANAX2 Axis to Alleviate Intervertebral Disc Degeneration.

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) is a chronic degenerative disease involving the aging and loss of proliferative capacity of nucleus pulposus cells (NPCs), processes heavily dependent on mitochondrial dynamics and autophagic flux. This study finds that the absence of BCL2/adenovirus E1B 19 kDa interacting protein 3 (BNIP3) is associated with senescence-related NPC degeneration, disrupting mitochondrial quality control. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) have multidirectional differentiation potential and produce extracellular vesicles containing cellular activators. Therefore, in this study, BMSCs are induced under hypoxic stimulation to deliver BNIP3-rich extracellular vesicles to NPCs, thereby alleviating aging-associated mitochondrial autophagic flux, promoting damaged mitochondrial clearance, and restoring mitochondrial quality control. Mechanistically, BNIP3 is shown to interact with the membrane-bound protein annexin A2 (ANXA2), enabling the liberation of the transcription factor EB (TFEB) from the ANXA2-TFEB complex, promoting TFEB nuclear translocation, and regulating autophagy and lysosomal gene activation. Furthermore, a rat model of IVDD is established and verified the in vivo efficacy of the exosomes in repairing disc injuries, delaying NPC aging, and promoting extracellular matrix (ECM) synthesis. In summary, hypoxia-induced BMSC exosomes deliver BNIP3-rich vesicles to alleviate disc degeneration by activating the mitochondrial BNIP3/ANXA2/TFEB axis, providing a new target for IVDD treatment.

Laterally placed expandable interbody spacers with and without adjustable lordosis improve patient outcomes: A preliminary one-year chart review.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Minimally invasive lateral lumbar interbody fusion (MIS LLIF) has been employed to treat degenerative disc disease, with reduced complication profiles in comparison to other open anterior and posterior techniques. The technique permits the use of larger, coronal-spanning interbody spacers to restore height and alignment. However, large static spacers have historically been associated with iatrogenic complications during trialing and insertion. Developments in expandable technology have the potential for incrementally larger increases in both height and lordosis in a controlled expansion in situ, minimizing endplate violation. However, further clinical and radiographic data are needed to investigate the effect of expansion technology. METHODS: A retrospective, single-surgeon chart review was performed on 103 consecutive patients, all of whom underwent MIS LLIF surgery at 1-2 contiguous level(s) with expandable spacers [66/103 patients were implanted with lordotically actuated (adjustable lordosis) spacers, and 37/103 with non-adjustable lordosis spacers]. Clinical and radiographic functional outcomes were collected and compared at both preoperative and postoperative time points up to 12-month follow-up. Parametric and nonparametric tests were utilized when they were appropriate, with a P value < 0.05 being significant. RESULTS: One-hundred twenty-five levels were instrumented on 103 consecutive cases. Average age was 58.2 ± 12.1 years; 42.1% (45/107) were female; 78.6% (81/103) were 1-level cases; 21.4% (22/103) were 2-level cases; 44.8% (56/125) were performed at L4-L5 and 34.4% (43/125) at L3-4. Average estimated blood loss was 24.6 ± 12.3cc. Mean operative time was 61.0 ± 19.1 min, and mean fluoroscopic time was 28.2 ± 14.6 s. Visual Analog Scale (VAS) back and leg pain scores decreased significantly by an average of 6.5 ± 1.3 points at 12 months (P < 0.001). Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scores significantly decreased at final follow-up by a mean of 62.0 ± 12.4 points (P < 0.001). Lumbar lordosis significantly improved by a mean of 3.1 ± 8.8°, while segmental lordosis significantly improved by 3.9 ± 3.1° at 12 months (P < 0.001). Anterior, middle, and posterior disc heights all experienced significant increases at 12 months by averages of 5.1 ± 3.1, 4.5 ± 2.9, and 2.4 ± 2.2 mm, respectively (P < 0.001). Neuroforaminal height significantly increased at 12 months by a mean of 3.7 ± 3.7 mm (P < 0.001). There was 99% fusion at all levels, with no findings of radiolucency and 1% pseudarthrosis observed. Only 1 (1/125, 0.8%) case of subsidence and 7 (7/125, 5.6%) cases of suspected, asymptomatic radiographic adjacent segment degeneration were reported, with no secondary revision surgeries through 12-month follow-up. CONCLUSION: Significant improvement of disc height, neuroforaminal height, segmental lordosis, and indirect decompression was achieved and maintained up to 1-year follow-up from baseline. Clinical outcomes were significantly improved based on appreciable decreases in VAS pain and ODI scores at final follow-up. Minimal complications were reported, with significant radiographic and patient reported outcomes observed. The use of expandable spacers, with and without adjustable lordosis, was shown to improve outcomes for the studied patient population.

Expandable Technology Improves Clinical and Radiographic Outcomes of Minimally Invasive Lateral Lumbar Interbody Fusion for Degenerative Disc Disease.

BACKGROUND: Static interbody spacers are standard of care for minimally invasive lateral lumbar interbody fusion (MIS LLIF). However, placement of large static interbody spacers typically requires multiple trialing, endplate preparation, and forceful impaction. A lateral expandable interbody spacer with adjustable lordosis can be inserted at a reduced height, to optimize the endplate-to-endplate fit. This study describes radiographic and clinical outcomes in patients treated using lateral titanium expandable interbody spacers with adjustable lordosis using MIS LLIF. METHODS: This is a single-surgeon, retrospective, institutional review board-exempt chart review of 24 consecutive patients who underwent MIS LLIF at 1-2 contiguous level(s) using expandable spacers with adjustable lordosis. Radiographic and clinical functional outcomes were collected and compared at preoperative and postoperative time points up to 24 months. Parametric and nonparametric tests were used when appropriate. Statistical results were significant if P < .05. RESULTS: Twenty-four consecutive patients were evaluated with an average age of 57.8 ± 12.6 years; 45.8% were female. Visual analog scale for back pain improved by 7.3 ± 1.0 points, whereas Oswestry Disability Index scores improved by a mean of 67.5 ± 11.3 points at 24 months (P < .001). Lumbar lordosis improved by a mean of 6.3 ± 10.1° at 24 months (P < .001). There were 29 spinal levels, with 41.4% at L4-5 and 34.5% at L3-4. Anterior, middle, and posterior disc height significantly increased at 24 months by means of 4.5 ± 2.9 mm, 4.0 ± 2.8 mm, and 2.6 ± 1.9 mm, respectively (P < .001). Neuroforaminal height significantly improved by 3.3 ± 3.9 mm at 24 months (P < .001). Segmental lordosis improved by 3.6 ± 3.0° at 24 months. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed significant positive clinical and radiographic outcomes for patients who underwent MIS LLIF using expandable interbody spacers with adjustable lordosis. Correction of sagittal alignment was achieved and maintained up to 2-year follow-up. The use of expandable spacers with adjustable lordosis was shown to be safe and effective in this cohort. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3.

Comparative Effectiveness of Laterally Placed Expandable versus Static Interbody Spacers: A 1-Year Follow-Up Radiographic and Clinical Outcomes Study.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective chart review. PURPOSE: This study compared the clinical and radiographic outcomes of patients treated with expandable and static interbody spacers following minimally invasive lateral lumbar interbody fusion (MIS-LLIF) with 12-month follow-up. OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: A common surgical option for the treatment of degenerative disk disease (DDD) is MIS-LLIF using static or expandable spacers to restore disk height (DH), neuroforaminal height (NH), and segmental lordosis. Static spacers may require excessive trialing and aggressive impaction, potentially leading to endplate disruption and subsidence. Expandable spacers allow for in situ expansion to help address complications associated with static spacers. METHODS: This is an Institutional Review Board-exempt review of 69 patients (static, n=32; expandable, n=37) diagnosed with DDD who underwent MIS-LLIF at 1-2 contiguous level(s) using static or expandable spacers. Radiographic and clinical outcomes were collected and compared at pre- and postoperative time points up to 12 months. RESULTS: The expandable group had a significantly higher mean change in Visual Analog Scale (VAS) scores at 6 weeks, 6 months, and 12 months vs. static (∆VAS at 12 months: expandable, 6.7±1.3; static, 5.1±2.6). Mean improvement of Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scores at 3, 6, and 12 months were significantly better for the expandable group vs. static (∆ODI at 12 months: expandable, 63.2±13.2; static, 29.8±23.4). Mean DH and NH significantly increased at final follow-up for both groups, with no significant difference in DH improvement between groups. The expandable mean NH improvement at 6 weeks and 6 months was significantly greater vs. static. Segmental lordosis significantly improved in the expandable group at all time intervals vs static. Subsidence rate at 12 months was significantly lower in the expandable group (1/46, 2.2%) vs. static (12/37, 32.4%). CONCLUSIONS: Expandable spacers resulted in a significantly lower subsidence rate, improve segmental lordosis, and VAS and ODI outcomes at 12 months vs. static.

Association between Bone Mineral Density and Severity of Chronic Kidney Disease.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to evaluate the association between femoral neck (FN) and lumbar spine (LS) bone mineral densities (BMDs) with severity of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and prevalence of osteopenia or osteoporosis (OP) among the CKD group. METHODS: Cross-sectional data from 11050 participants aged ≥20 years from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) were analyzed. Specifically, Pearson correlation was applied to analyze the relationship between BMD and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). General linear models (GLMs) were adjusted for potential confounders and used to analyze mean BMD, based on CKD and CKD stages. RESULTS: FN BMD was positively correlated with the eGFR in the total and male CKD, but not in the female CKD population. LS BMD was not significantly associated with eGFR. After controlling for partial correlations, FN T-score was positively correlated with the eGFR in the total at-risk population. According to FN BMD, OP prevalence was positively associated with CKD stage. However, according to LS BMD, there was no significant association between OP and CKD stage. CONCLUSION: Our results may explain the higher prevalence of hip fracture, relative to that of the spine, among CKD patients and generate meaningful insights to guide care, prevention, and treatment regimens for CKD patients. However, the fact that this was a cross-sectional study may limit the possibility of drawing concrete conclusions. Nevertheless, these findings open up a new frontier for further studies to uncover the higher decrease of FN BMD compared to LS BMD among CKD cases.

Comparative Effectiveness of Expandable Versus Static Interbody Spacers via MIS LLIF: A 2-Year Radiographic and Clinical Outcomes Study.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to compare the radiographic and clinical outcomes of expandable interbody spacers to static interbody spacers. METHODS: This is a retrospective, institutional review board-exempt chart review of 62 consecutive patients diagnosed with degenerative disc disease who underwent minimally invasive spine surgery lateral lumbar interbody fusion (MIS LLIF) using static or expandable spacers. There were 27 patients treated with static spacers, and 35 with expandable spacers. Radiographic and clinical functional outcomes were collected. Statistical results were significant if P < .05. RESULTS: Mean improvement in visual analogue scale back and leg pain scores was significantly greater in the expandable group compared to the static group at 6 and 24 months by 42.3% and 63.8%, respectively (P < .05). Average improvement in Oswestry Disability Index scores was significantly greater in the expandable group than the static group at 3, 6, 12, and 24 months by 28%, 44%, 59%, 53%, and 89%, respectively (P < .05). For disc height, the mean improvement from baseline to 24 months was greater in the static group compared to the expandable group (P < .05). Implant subsidence was significantly greater in the static group (16.1%, 5/31 levels) compared with the expandable group (6.7%, 3/45 levels; P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: This study showed positive clinical and radiographic outcomes for patients who underwent MIS LLIF with expandable spacers compared to those with static spacers. Sagittal correction and pain relief was achieved and maintained through 24-month follow-up. The expandable group had a lower subsidence rate than the static group.

Sepsis and septic shock after craniotomy: Predicting a significant patient safety and quality outcome measure.

OBJECTIVES: Sepsis and septic shock are important quality and patient safety metrics. This study examines incidence of Sepsis and/or septic shock (S/SS) after craniotomy for tumor resection, one of the most common neurosurgical operations. METHODS: Multicenter, prospectively collected data from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP) database was used to identify patients undergoing craniotomy for tumor (CPT 61510, 61521, 61520, 61518, 61526, 61545, 61546, 61512, 61519, 61575) from 2012-2015. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to identify risk factors for S/SS. RESULTS: There were 18,642 patients that underwent craniotomy for tumor resection. The rate of sepsis was 1.35% with a mortality rate of 11.16% and the rate of septic shock was 0.65% with a 33.06% mortality rate versus an overall mortality rate of 2.46% in the craniotomy for tumor cohort. The 30-day readmission rate was 50.54% with S/SS vs 10.26% in those without S/SS. Multiple factors were identified as statistically significant (p <0.05) for S/SS including ascites (OR = 33.0), ventilator dependence (OR = 4.5), SIRS (OR = 2.8), functional status (OR = 2.3), bleeding disorders (OR = 1.7), severe COPD (OR = 1.6), steroid use (OR = 1.6), operative time >310 minutes (OR = 1.5), hypertension requiring medication (OR = 1.5), ASA class ≥ 3 (OR = 1.4), male sex (OR = 1.4), BMI >35 (OR = 1.4) and infratentorial location. CONCLUSIONS: The data indicate that sepsis and septic shock, although uncommon after craniotomy for tumor resection, carry a significant risk of 30-day unplanned reoperation (35.60%) and mortality (18.21%). The most significant risk factors are ventilator dependence, ascites, SIRS and poor functional status. By identifying the risk factors for S/SS, neurosurgeons can potentially improve outcomes. Further investigation should focus on the creation of a predictive score for S/SS with integration into the electronic health record for targeted protocol initiation in this unique neurosurgical patient population.

Real-World Evidence in Prescription Medication Use Among U.S. Adults with Neck Pain.

INTRODUCTION: Neck pain is a common condition that leads to serious pain, disability, and increased healthcare costs worldwide. Pharmacotherapy is one of the most common strategies to reduce neck pain in patients. The aim of this study was to analyze the real-world pattern of drugs prescribed for patients with neck pain in the USA. METHODS: Data on individuals who reported current neck pain in the 2009-2010 US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and with a history of persistent pain for at least 6 weeks or 3 months were extracted from the NHANES database. Those included in the study were divided into three groups based on the duration of pain: the without neck pain group (Group A); subacute group (Group B) with a history of 6 weeks of neck pain; and the chronic neck pain group (Group C) with a history of 3 months of neck pain. The use and duration of medication prescribed for Group A, B, and C patients were compared. RESULTS: The analysis revealed that opioid use was significantly more prevalent in the subacute and chronic neck pain group than in the without neck pain group (Group A) (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 4.20, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.07-8.52 and aOR 7.00, 95% CI 4.32-11.33, respectively). The factors strongly associated with higher opioid use included older age, low education level, and low family income. In the chronic neck group, opioids, followed in decreasing order of frequency by acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti-infammatory drugs, were the most common analgesics used in combination with other analgesics. CONCLUSION: Our analysis of the data shows that the long-term excessive use of opioids and the underutilization of other analgesics are two major issues in the treatment of neck pain in the USA. Possible improvements include improved education of patients by healthcare professionals on the use of opioids and more consideration given to non-pharmacotherapy options. Our results reveal the potential problem in pharmacotherapy choices for neck pain treatment and may help improve the current clinical practice in the USA and other countries.

Descriptive Analysis of 1972 Cervical Corpectomy Patients and 30-Day Postoperative Outcomes.

BACKGROUND: There exists no large, multi-institutional analysis of patients undergoing cervical corpectomy for common degenerative spinal disease, including patient demographics and comorbidities as well as postoperative complications. METHODS: Using Current Procedural Terminology and International Classification of Diseases codes, 1972 patients who underwent a cervical corpectomy for degenerative spinal disease were identified from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program data sets from 2012 to 2015. A descriptive analysis of the patients who underwent the procedure as well as 30-day outcomes and adverse events were collected. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to determine the effect of any preoperative factors identified from a univariate logistic regression analysis (variables with P < .10) of complications. RESULTS: The total complication rate, defined as major or minor adverse event, mortality, unplanned readmission, unplanned reoperation, or admission >30 days, was 13.28%. The percentage of patients who had ≥1 major or minor adverse events was 5.02%. Several factors commonly associated with an increased risk of perioperative complications, including smoking and diabetes, were found not to be independently associated with complications in this cohort. CONCLUSIONS: This study is the largest analysis of cervical corpectomies. The results of the multivariate analysis provide guidance on risk factors associated with perioperative complications. These data could help develop risk-appropriate strategies for minimizing the effects of certain preoperative factors on perioperative complications.

Second primary malignancies among cancer patients.

BACKGROUND: Rate of second primary malignancies (SPM) is steadily increasing over the last decades. New therapies, early diagnostic markers, screening tests for a larger number of individuals contribute to the increase prevalence of SPM. In the current study, we try to described the demographic composition of SPM victims, distribution of primary sites, and the impact of related factors on prognosis. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study identifying patients over the age of 18 who were diagnosed with SPM from the 16 most common cancer sites between 2000 and 2013 from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results data. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to analyze the relationship between different factors associated to the prognosis of SPM. Standard incidence rate of multiple primary (MP-SIR) was also calculated. RESULTS: A total of 303,753 patients were diagnosis with SPM and 76,168 of whom (25.08%) were included in our analytic cohort. Patients with prostate cancer was vulnerable to SPM, accounting for 34.59%, and SPM was prone to occur in lung and bronchus, accounting for 24.90%. The heat map shows that esophagus cancer survivors have the highest risk of developing stomachache tumors (SIR =5.08). The result of Cox regression suggests that a history of liver was associated with the shortest survival time (HR =1.64, 95% CI, 1.54-1.75, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: With the advancement of medical standards, the survival time of cancer patients is prolonged, but the occurrence of SPM is also increasing, and the prognosis is not optimistic. More attention needs to be invested in the prevention and treatment of SPM.

Incidence of patients with bone metastases at diagnosis of solid tumors in adults: a large population-based study.

BACKGROUND: Bones are one of the most common metastatic sites for solid malignancies. Bone metastases can significantly increase mortality and decrease the quality of life of cancer patients. In the United States, around 350,000 people die each year from bone metastases. This study aimed to analyze and update the incidence and prognosis of bone metastases with solid tumors at the time of cancer diagnosis and its incidence rate for each solid cancer. METHODS: We used the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database to find patients diagnosed with solid cancers originating from outside the bones and joints between 2010 and 2016. Data were stratified by age, sex, and race. Patients with a tumor in situ or with an unknown bone metastases stage were excluded. We then selected most of the sites where cancer often occurred, leaving 2,207,796 patients for the final incidence analysis. For the survival analysis, patients were excluded if they were diagnosed at their autopsy or on their death certificate, or had unknown follow-ups. The incidence of bone metastases and overall survival was compared between patients with different primary tumor sites. RESULTS: We identified 2,470,634 patients, including 426,594 patients with metastatic disease and 113,317 patients with bone metastases, for incidence analysis. The incidence of bone metastases among the metastatic subset was 88.74% in prostate cancer, 53.71% in breast cancer, and 38.65% in renal cancer. In descending order of incidence, there were patients with other cancers in the genitourinary system (except for renal, bladder, prostate, and testicular cancer) (37.91%), adenocarcinoma of the lung (ADC) (36.86%), other gynecologic cancers (36.02%), small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) (34.56%), non-small cell lung cancer not otherwise specified and others [NSCLC (NOS/others)] (33.55%), and bladder (31.08%) cancers. The rate of bone metastases is 23.19% in SCLC, 22.50% in NSCLC (NOS/others), 20.28% in ADC, 8.44% in squamous cell carcinoma of the lung (SCC), and 4.11% in bronchioloalveolar carcinoma [NSCLC (BAC)]. As for the digestive system, the overall bone metastases rate was 7.99% in the esophagus, 4.47% in the gastric cancer, 4.42% in the hepatobiliary cancer, 3.80% in the pancreas, 3.26% in other digestive organs, 1.24% in the colorectum, and 1.00% in the anus. Overall, the incidence rate of bone metastases among the entire cohort in breast and prostate cancer was 3.73% and 5.69%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study provide population-based estimates for the incidence rates of patients with bone metastases at initial diagnosis of their solid tumor. The findings can help clinicians to early detect bone metastases by bone screening to anticipate the occurrence of symptoms and favorably improve the prognosis.

4D-Printed Dynamic Materials in Biomedical Applications: Chemistry, Challenges, and Their Future Perspectives in the Clinical Sector.

Most of the biomedical materials printed using 3D bioprinting are static and are unable to alter/transform with dynamic changes in the internal environment of the body. The emergence of four-dimensional (4D) printing addresses this problem. By preprogramming dynamic polymer materials and their nanocomposites, 4D printing is able to produce the desired shapes or transform functions under specific conditions or stimuli to better adapt to the surrounding environment. In this review, the current and potential applications of 4D-printed materials are introduced in different aspects of the biomedical field, e.g., tissue engineering, drug delivery, and sensors. In addition, the existing limitations and possible solutions are discussed. Finally, the current limitations of 4D-printed materials along with their future perspective are presented to provide a basis for future research.

Risk factors and associated complications with unplanned intubation in patients with craniotomy for brain tumor.

Patients undergoing surgical resection of a brain tumor have the potential risk for beingintubated post-operatively, which may be associated with significant morbidity and/or mortality after surgery. This study was analyzed various preoperative patient characteristics, postoperative outcomes, and complications to identify risk factors for unplanned intubation (UI) in adult patients undergoing craniotomy for a brain tumor and created a risk score framework for that cohort. Patients undergoing surgery for a brain tumor were identified according to primary Current Procedural Terminology codes, and information found in The American College of Surgeons (ACS) National Surgical Quality Improvement Project (NSQIP) database from 2012 to 2015 was reviewed. A total of 18,642 adult brain tumor patients were included in the ACS-NSQIP. The rate of unplanned intubation in this cohort was 2.30% (4 2 8). The mortality rate of patients who underwent UI after surgical resection of brain tumor was 24.78% compared to an overall mortality of 2.46%. During the first 30 days after surgery, 33% of patients who underwent UI had an unplanned reoperation, compared to 4.76% of patients who did not undergo unplanned intubation. Bivariate and multivariate analyses identified several predictors and computed a risk score for UI. A risk score based on patient factors for those undergoing a craniotomy for a brain tumor predicts the postoperative UI rate. This could aid in surgical decision-making by identify patients at a higher risk of UI, while modifying perioperative management may help prevent UI.

Retrospective Review of Revision Surgery After Image-guided Instrumented Spinal Surgery Compared With Traditional Instrumented Spinal Surgery.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort series. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine if the use of image-guided navigation offers a clinically significant advantage over fluoroscopy-assisted pedicle screw and non-navigated screw placement in reducing the risk of revision surgery for malpositioned screws in instrumented spinal surgery. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Use image-guided navigation has become increasingly commonplace in instrumented spine surgery, but there is a lack of information regarding differences in the rates of clinically relevant screw malposition with image-guided compared with non-navigated screw placement. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort series of consecutive patients who underwent instrumented spinal surgery by the senior authors at 2 academic tertiary care centers in New York. RESULTS: A total of 663 instrumented spinal surgeries were analyzed, including 271 instances with image-guided navigation. For the image-guided navigation cohort, 110 of the patients underwent screw placement using O-Arm image-guidance, yielding data on 1115 screws. The remaining 161 surgeries utilizing image-guided screw placement were performed using Brainlab Spine Navigation, for a total of 1001 screws. A fluoroscopy-assisted technique or freehand technique was used in 419 instances, with a total of 3689 screws. Of the non-navigated cohort, 10 patients required a surgical revision of screw placement, for a total of 15 malpositioned screws. Amongst the image-guided navigation cohort, 1 patient in the O-Arm group and 2 in the Brainlab group required revision surgery, with 3 malpositioned screws in total. The rate of revision surgery for a malpositioned screw placed via non-navigated techniques was 2.39%. This risk was decreased to 1.11% with the use of the intraoperative image-guided navigation. However, no comparisons between non-navigated and image-guided screw placement reached statistical significance. CONCLUSION: Although not reaching statistical significance, these data suggest there may be an advantage offered by image-guided screw placement in instrumented spinal surgery.

Surgical Management and Adjuvant Therapy for Patients With Neurological Deficits From Vertebral Hemangiomas: A Meta-Analysis.

STUDY DESIGN: Meta-analysis. OBJECTIVE: To understand the benefits and limitations of surgical management and adjuvant therapies for patients presenting with neurological deficits from vertebral hemangiomas (VH). SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: VH is the most common benign spine tumor but rarely causes symptoms. Patients with back pain alone are treated with conservative management (kyphoplasty and radiation therapy), while those with neurological deficits require complex multi-modal treatment plans. METHODS: A PubMed literature search for "symptomatic vertebral hemangioma with spinal cord compression" identified 47 articles. From these articles and their references, 19 observational studies on patients who underwent surgery for VH met inclusion criteria. Meta-analyses were performed comparing outcomes of the surgical and adjuvant therapies using Stata13 software. For those with insufficient data for meta-analyses, descriptive analyses of variables were completed. RESULTS: One hundred ninety seven surgical cases of VH with neurologic deficits were identified. Surgery provided a complete remission of symptoms in 84% of patients, however 18% of patients had recurrence of hemangioma. Adjuvant interventions included radiation, embolization, and kyphoplasty. Radiation therapy (XRT) was associated with a lower recurrence rate and an increase in minor transient adverse effects. Preoperative embolization performed in 98 patients was associated with improved symptoms, reduced complications, lower recurrence rate, less blood loss, and higher incidence of pathologic vertebral fractures. Meta-analyses did not yield statistically significant results, likely due to the heterogeneity amongst the studies and small sample sizes, but the results compiled together provide insight on potential benefits of preoperative embolization for symptomatic relief and reduced risk of recurrence with XRT that deserves further study. CONCLUSION: For patients with neurologic deficits from spinal cord or nerve root compression, surgery provides improvement in symptoms. Recurrence of VH and symptoms refractory to surgery can be further reduced by adjuvant therapies such as embolization, kyphoplasty, and radiation with some unique risks to each therapy. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 2.

Translational Brain Mapping at the University of Rochester Medical Center: Preserving the Mind Through Personalized Brain Mapping.

The Translational Brain Mapping Program at the University of Rochester is an interdisciplinary effort that integrates cognitive science, neurophysiology, neuroanesthesia, and neurosurgery. Patients who have tumors or epileptogenic tissue in eloquent brain areas are studied preoperatively with functional and structural MRI, and intraoperatively with direct electrical stimulation mapping. Post-operative neural and cognitive outcome measures fuel basic science studies about the factors that mediate good versus poor outcome after surgery, and how brain mapping can be further optimized to ensure the best outcome for future patients. In this article, we describe the interdisciplinary workflow that allows our team to meet the synergistic goals of optimizing patient outcome and advancing scientific understanding of the human brain.

Nomogram for Individualized Prediction and Prognostic Factors for Survival in Patients with Primary Spinal Chordoma: A Population-Based Longitudinal Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Chordoma is a type of rare bone tumor and is a relatively slow-growing, low-grade malignancy that is locally invasive and aggressive. The nomogram is widely used in the field of cancer because it can provide a clear picture for clinicians to predict the survival rate, which can lead more accurate decisions in clinical treatment. METHODS: Overall, 875 patients with a primary spinal chordoma were identified and collected from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registry databases (1973-2015). The nomogram was established based on 425 patients with complete data. The predictive accuracy and discriminative ability of the nomogram were determined by the concordance index (C-index) and calibration curve. RESULTS: The statistical nomogram was built on 10 independent prognostic factors: age, sex, race, disease stage, surgery, year of diagnosis, marital status, primary site, radiation, and tumor size, with C-indices of 0.76. The calibration curve to determine the probability of survival showed good agreement between the predictions by the nomogram and actual observation. Tumor diameter >10 cm (hazard ratio [HR] 2.95, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.77-4.90, P < 0.001), regional invasive (HR 1.71, 95% CI 1.16-2.53, P < 0.01), and distant metastasis (HR 3.44, 95% CI 1.98-5.96, P< 0.001) were independent risk factors for poor survival. Undergoing subtotal resection or gross total resection (HR 0.37, 95% CI 0.25-0.56, P < 0.001; HR 0.26, 95% CI 0.17-0.41, respectively) and a primary site located in the sacrum/pelvis (HR 0.51, 95% CI 0.34-0.78, P < 0.01) were prognostic factors for better survival. CONCLUSIONS: The nomogram provided more accurate prognostic predictions for patients with spinal chordoma. Moreover, our study suggests that tumor diameter >5 cm, distant metastasis, and not performing resection are major risk factors that can dramatically decrease the survival time of patients with spinal chordoma.

Comparative Analysis of Decompression Versus Decompression and Fusion for Surgical Management of Lumbar Spondylolisthesis.

OBJECTIVE: When lumbar stenosis involves spondylolisthesis, many surgeons include fixation. Two recent trials have shown no consensus to definitive treatment. We aimed to add to the discourse of fusion versus decompression in patients with lumbar spondylolisthesis by providing a large-scale generalizable study. METHODS: We used multicenter, prospectively collected data from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database to compare 30-day outcomes for decompression alone versus combination decompression and fusion in the treatment of lumbar spondylolisthesis. Logistic regression models were used to analyze the effect of surgical type on multiple characteristics. Univariate 2-tailed χ2 analyses were used to identify further outcome differences. RESULTS: In total, 9606 patients with treated lumbar spondylolisthesis were identified (907 decompression only, 8699 decompression and fusion). The fusion group tended to be younger (P < 0.001) and was more likely to be smokers (P = 0.01). Unplanned return to surgery was 3.02% in the fusion group, compared with 1.02% (P = 0.011). Minor adverse events occurred in 12.8% of the fusion group versus 4.9% (P < 0.001). Major adverse events occurred in 4.5% of the fusion group versus 3.1% (P = 0.0498). There was no significant difference in 30-day mortality, prolonged admission, or 30-day readmission. CONCLUSIONS: Unplanned return to the operating room and major and minor adverse events were greater for patients undergoing fusion. This could influence future decision-making in lumbar spondylolisthesis. This study indicates that further investigation is warranted but that decompression may be associated with less morbidity in the properly selected patient.

What is the advance of extent of resection in glioblastoma surgical treatment-a systematic review.

Glioblastoma multiform (GBM) is the most common malignant brain tumor characterized by poor prognosis, increased invasiveness, and high relapse rates. The relative survival estimates are quite low in spite of the standard treatment for GBM in recent years. Now, it has been gradually accepted that the amount of tumor mass removed correlates with longer survival rates. Although new technique advances allowing intraoperative analysis of tumor and normal brain tissue and functional paradigms based on stimulation techniques to map eloquent areas have been used for GBM resection, visual identification of tumor margins still remains a challenge for neurosurgeons. This article attempts to review and summarize the evolution of surgical resection for glioblastomas.