Management of Proximal Thoracic Kyphoscoliosis with Early Myelopathy in a Young Adult with Neurofibromatosis Type 1: A Case Report and Review of Literature.

INTRODUCTION: Neurofibromatosis (NF) 1 is associated with skeletal deformities. Scoliosis is seen in about 10-64% of NF-1 patients. NF-1 may be associated with dystrophic or non-dystrophic type of curve. There are technical difficulties in treating large dystrophic curve with proximal thoracic kyphoscoliosis in NF-1. This case report and subsequent review of literature attempts to provide a line of management for such difficult lesions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We present a case of 22-year-old male with NF-1 who came to us with gradually progressive upper back deformity and signs of early myelopathy for 2-3 months. The patient had a 100° proximal thoracic kyphosis and 100° scoliosis with no neurological deficit and brisk reflexes. A single stage posterior fixation with three column osteotomy at the apex of the curve was performed. RESULTS: The kyphosis was corrected to 65° from 100, the scoliosis was corrected to 60° from 100. Clinically, the hump in the upper back was visibly reduced. At 1-year follow-up, the patient remained asymptomatic with no loss of correction and implant breakage on X-ray. CONCLUSION: Large dystrophic proximal thoracic kyphoscoliosis is a difficult lesion to treat and can be managed with an all posterior approach, achieving good cosmetic and neurological outcomes, as demonstrated by this case.

Six versus 12 Months of Anti Tubercular Therapy in Patients With Biopsy Proven Spinal Tuberculosis: A Single Center, Open Labeled, Prospective Randomized Clinical Trial-A Pilot study.

STUDY DESIGN: A single center pilot study, open labeled, prospective randomized clinical trial. OBJECTIVE: To compare six versus 12 months of anti TB therapy in patients with biopsy proven spinal TB. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: There is no clear consensus or evidence based guidelines for the duration of treatment of spinal tuberculosis. We studied if 6 and 12 months of anti tubercular therapy (ATT) had equivalent outcomes at 24 months from completion of therapy. METHODS: A prospective randomized open labeled clinical trial of 6 versus 12 months ATT in patients with biopsy proven spinal-vertebral tuberculosis. The primary end point was absence of recurrence 24 months after completing therapy. Secondary end points were clinical cure at the end of therapy, significant adverse effect of ATT, need for delayed surgery, and residual neurological dysfunction. RESULTS: Hundred patients, randomized to 6 or 12 months ATT, were followed up for a minimum of 24 months from completion of therapy. All patients completed scheduled duration of ATT, with one crossover from 6 months ATT group to 12 months. There were no recurrences of disease on the 24 months follow up following completion of ATT. All 100 patients met criteria for cure at time of stopping medicines. One patient (12 months group) had residual neurological dysfunction at the time of stopping treatment, which completely resolved over the next 12 months.There were no patients with major drug induced hepatitis. One patient (12 months group) needed percutaneous drainage of an abscess. None needed surgical re-exploration for persistent infection of implant removal. CONCLUSION: This pilot study concludes that, in patients with biopsy proven spinal-vertebral, TB, 6 and 12 months of ATT give similar clinical outcomes at 24 months of completion of therapy. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 2.

Total enbloc spondylectomy for metastatic high grade spinal tumors: Early results.

BACKGROUND: High grade metastatic spinal tumors are most common and are invasive. These patients can succumb to disease progression if not treated timely. Although considered as invasive and morbid, total enbloc spondylectomy (TES) in selected cases has better survival rates. The authors describe the results of TES for high grade metastatic spinal tumors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Five patients (four females and one male) underwent TES for solitary metastatic vertebral lesion between November 2012 and January 2014. These patients presented to us with spinal instability, unrelenting severe spinal pain and/or with severe progressive radiculopathy. Average age was 46.2 years (range 39-62 years). After complete investigations, computed tomography scan, magnetic resonance imaging scan and positron emission tomography (PET) scan, it was confirmed that these patients had high grade solitary vertebral metastatic tumor. RESULTS: Average duration of followup was 18 months (range 16-20 months). The average preoperative visual analog scale score of 9.4 (range 9-10) improved to 2 (range 1-4) at last followup. Average blood loss was 1440 mL (range 1000-2000 mL). Average duration of surgery was 198 min (range 180-240 min). Significant pain relief was noticed in each patient in the immediate postoperative period and during followups. These patients attained complete functional activities of daily living with in a month. The imaging showed implants in situ, no recurrence of tumor, and no activity on PET scan at the final followup. CONCLUSION: The present series shows favorable short term results of TES for solitary, metastatic, high grade vertebral body tumors by a team approach.

Predictors of kyphotic deformity in osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures: a radiological study.

PURPOSE: To report the radiological predictors of kyphotic deformity in osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCF). METHODS: This is a retrospective study of 64 consecutive patients with OVCF. We studied the radiographic features in the immediate post-injury image of patients, who developed significant (more than 30°) segmental kyphotic deformity at final follow-up and compared them with those patients who did not. RESULTS: Thirty-three (82.5%) out of 40 patients with fracture at thoracolumbar (TL) junction, 5 (33.3%) patients out of 15 with fracture at lumbar (L) spine and 7 (77.7%) patients out of 9 with fracture at thoracic (T) spine developed significant segmental kyphotic deformity. Forty-one (75.9%) [TL-33 (80.5%), L-4 (33.33%) and T-4 (80%)] out of 54 [TL-37 (68.51%), L-12 (22.23%) and T-5 (9.26%)] patients with superior endplate fracture developed significant segmental kyphotic deformity. Forty patients (86.9%) [TL-28 (70%), L-6 (15%) and T-6 (15%)] out of 46 [TL-32 (69.56%), L-8 (17.4%) and T-6 (13.04%)] with anterior cortical wall fracture developed significant segmental kyphotic deformity. Five patients (71.42%) [TL-2 (40%) and T-3 (60%)] out of 7 [TL-02 (28.58%), L-01 (14.28%), T-04 (57.14%)] with adjacent level fracture developed significant segmental kyphotic deformity. The average immediate post-injury kyphosis of 11° (5°-25°) increased to 29° (15°-50°) at final follow-up. CONCLUSION: Progressive segmental kyphotic collapse following an OVCF seems unavoidable. Patients with TL junction and superior endplate fracture are probably at the highest risk for significant segmental kyphotic deformity.

Outcome of single level instrumented posterior lumbar interbody fusion using corticocancellous laminectomy bone chips.

BACKGROUND: Interbody fusion surgery has been considered by many to be a treatment of choice for instability in lumbar degenerative disc disease. A posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) has the advantages of spinal canal decompression, anterior column reconstruction, and reduction of the sagittal slips from a single posterior approach. The PLIF using double cage was a standard practice till many studies reported comparable results and lesser complications with single cage. Iliac crest was considered as an appropriate source of bone graft until comparable spinal fusion rates using local bone graft and cage emerged. Till date, there has been no report of corticocancellous laminectomy bone chips alone being used for spinal fusion. In this paper, we present radiologic results of single level instrumented PLIF, where in only corticocancellous laminectomy bone chips were used as a fusion device. MATERIALS AND METHODS: It is a retrospective cohort study of 35 consecutive patients, who underwent single level instrumented PLIF surgery, wherein only locally obtained bone chips was used for spinal fusion. The average follow-up was 26 months. The indications for the surgery were as follows: 19 patients had disc herniations, with back pain of instability type, normal disc height on radiology. Ten patients had grade 1 spondylolisthesis, with significant back pain and translational instability on radiography. Three patients were redo spine surgeries, and three patients had healed spondylodiscitis with significant back pain and instability. All patients were regularly followed up and decision of spinal fusion or no fusion was taken at 2 years using modified criteria of Lee. RESULTS: Of total 35 patients, there were 24 males and 11 females, with a mean age of 41 years. There were 16 patients with definitive fusion, 15 patients with probable fusion, 04 patients with possible pseudoarthrosis, and no patient had definitive pseudoarthrosis. The mean time for fusion to occur was 18 months. The average loss of disc height, over 2 year follow up, was only 3 mm in 8 patients. Three patients had a localized kyphosis of more than 3° at the fusion level. The average blood loss was 356 ml and average operating time was 150 min. CONCLUSION: Corticocancellous laminectomy bone chips alone can be used as a means of spinal fusion in patients with single level instrumented PLIF. This has got a good fusion rate.

Spinal instability in ankylosing spondylitis.

BACKGROUND: Unstable spinal lesions in patients with ankylosing spondylitis are common and have a high incidence of associated neurological deficit. The evolution and presentation of these lesions is unclear and the management strategies can be confusing. We present retrospective analysis of the cases of ankylosing spondylitis developing spinal instability either due to spondylodiscitis or fractures for mechanisms of injury, presentations, management strategies and outcome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a retrospective analysis of 16 cases of ankylosing spondylitis, treated surgically for unstable spinal lesions over a period of 12 years (1995-2007); 87.5% (n=14) patients had low energy (no obvious/trivial) trauma while 12.5% (n=2) patients sustained high energy trauma. The most common presentation was pain associated with neurological deficit. The surgical indications included neurological deficit, chronic pain due to instability and progressive deformity. All patients were treated surgically with anterior surgery in 18.8% (n=3) patients, posterior in 56.2% (n=9) patients and combined approach in 25% (n=4) patients. Instrumented fusion was carried out in 87.5% (n=14) patients. Average surgical duration was 3.84 (Range 2-7.5) hours, blood loss 765.6 (+/- 472.5) ml and follow-up 54.5 (Range 18-54) months. The patients were evaluated for pain score, Frankel neurological grading, deformity progression and radiological fusion. One patient died of medical complications a week following surgery. RESULTS: Intra-operative adverse events like dural tears and inadequate deformity correction occurred in 18.7% (n=3) patients (Cases 6, 7 and 8) which could be managed conservatively. There was a significant improvement in the Visual analogue score for pain from a pre-surgical median of 8 to post-surgical median of 2 (P=0.001), while the neurological status improved in 90% (n=9) patients among those with preoperative neurological deficit who could be followed-up (n =10). Frankel grading improved from C to E in 31.25% (n=5) patients, D to E in 12.5% (n=2) and B to D in 12.5% (n=2), while it remained unchanged in the remaining - E in 31.25% (n=5), B in 6.25% (n=1) and D in 6.25% (n=1). Fusion occurred in 11 (68.7%) patients, while 12.5% (n=2) had pseudoarthrosis and 12.5% (n=2) patients had evidence of inadequate fusion. 68.7% (n=11) patients regained their pre-injury functional status, with no spine related complaints and 25% (n=4) patients had complaints like chronic back pain and deformity progression. In one patient (6.2%) who died of medical complications a week following surgery, the neurological function remained unchanged (Frankel grade D). Persistent back pain attributed to inadequate fusion/ pseudoarthrosis could be managed conservatively in 12.5% (n=2) patients. Progression of deformity and pain secondary to pseudoarthrosis, requiring revision surgery was noted in one patient (6.2%). One patient (6.2%) had no neurological recovery following the surgery and continued to have nonfunctional neurological status. CONCLUSION: In ankylosing spondylitis, the diagnosis of unstable spinal lesions needs high index of suspicion and extensive radiological evaluation Surgery is indicated if neurological deficit, two/three column injury, significant pain and progressive deformity are present. Long segment instrumentation and fusion is ideal.

Spinal loop rectangle and sub laminar wiring as a technique for scoliosis correction.

BACKGROUND: Most literature popularizes the efficacy of third generation instrumentation in the surgical correction of spinal deformities. A cheap and effective scoliotic deformity correction method is reviewed in this article. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of spinal loop rectangle and sub laminar wires as a modality for spinal deformity correction and its co-relation with patients' satisfaction and clinical outcome. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty six patients of scoliotic spinal deformities with various etiologies (congenital-4, idiopathic- 25, neurofibromatosis-3, neuromuscular-2 and 'syndromic'-3) with ages ranging from 8 to 23 years underwent corrective posterior spinal arthrodesis with stainless steel Hartshill loop rectangle and sublaminar wires. Clinicoradiological evaluation was done at an average follow-up of 6 (1/2) years (min-2 (1/2), years). Along with clinicoradiological outcome, patient satisfaction (as per the SRS 24), was accounted. RESULTS: Average preoperative Cobb's angle were 73.25 degrees in the entire group and 66.48 degrees in the idiopathic group. Average percentage correction was 64.34% in the entire group and the (average degree of correction was 47.13). In the idiopathic group, the respective values were 69.19% and 46 degrees . Loss of correction in the whole group was 2.2 degrees at two year follow up. Sagittal profiles, truncal balance were well corrected too; minimal complications were seen. Patient satisfaction results were encouraging in 36 patients as per - SRS24). About 80.2% patients were ready to undergo the same surgery if required. (SRS24). CONCLUSION: Segmental spinal fixation with locally made spinal loop rectangle and sublaminar wires is comparable as a modality to correct scoliotic spinal deformities.