Cervical Gibbectomy for Rigid, Rounded Kyphosis in Pediatric Patient: Surgical Planning with Technical Note.

OBJECTIVES: Cervical kyphosis surgery poses a significant challenge to spine surgeons. Etiologies of cervical kyphosis are many, each having its own outcome and treatment challenges. Irrespective of the etiology, the treating physician should consider all options fully to improve function and prevent neurologic worsening. We outline management principles and decision making in the case of a rigid, rounded kyphosis of the cervical spine and highlight the technique of an internal gibbectomy procedure, which has never been reported in the cervical spine. METHODS: We report a case of Ewing sarcoma of the cervical spine that presented with progressive myelopathy symptoms. The patient was operated on multiple times (anterior and posterior) and presented to us with rigid, rounded global kyphosis of the cervical spine. We performed internal gibbectomy from a posterior approach and decompressed the neural tissue. RESULTS: The patient had a satisfactory recovery in myelopathy symptoms, and the modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association score improved at subsequent follow-ups. There was no recurrence at 2-year follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Internal gibbectomy can be a treatment option in rigid, rounded kyphosis in which the primary goal of surgery is neural decompression.

Drug resistance patterns in 111 cases of drug-resistant tuberculosis spine.

PURPOSE: We report the largest study conducted till date of drug resistant tuberculosis in spine analyzing the drug susceptibility patterns in 111 cases of proven drug resistance. METHODS: An observed cross-sectional study was conducted. Six-hundred and eighty-six patients with positive cultures underwent sensitivity testing to 13 commonly used anti-tubercular drugs using BACTEC MGIT-960 system. RESULTS: Females (60.3%) outnumbered males (39.6%). Only three patients (2.7%) were found HIV positive, and none of these had AIDS. Forty-four (39.6%) patients had taken AKT in the past for some form of tuberculosis. Eight (7.2%) patients had history of treatment default. The drug sensitivity testing revealed 87 (78.3%) cases of multi drug resistance (resistance to both isoniazid and rifampicin) and 3 (2.7%) cases of XDR-TB spine. Of the individual drugs, widespread resistance was present to both isoniazid (92.7%) and rifampicin (81.9%), followed by streptomycin (69.3%). Least resistance was found to kanamycin, amikacin and capreomycin. CONCLUSION: It is recommended to do routine biopsy, culture and drug sensitivity testing in all patients of tuberculosis spine to guide selection of appropriate second-line drugs when required. In cases of non availability of drug susceptibility testing despite repeated attempts, it is suggested to use data from large series such as this to plan best empirical chemotherapy protocol.

Surgical patterns in osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures.

PURPOSE: To report morphological patterns of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCFs) presenting for surgery. To describe surgical options based on fracture pattern. To evaluate clinical and radiological outcome. METHODS: Forty consecutively operated OVCFs nonunion patients were retrospectively studied. We define four patterns of OVCFs that needed surgical intervention. Group 1 mini open vertebroplasty (N = 10) no neurologic deficits and kyphotic deformity, but with intravertebral instability and significant radiological spinal canal compromise. Group 2 with neurologic deficits (N = 24) (2A)-transpedicular decompression (TPD) with instrumentation (N = 14). Fracture morphology similar to (1) and localized kyphosis <30° (2B)-pedicle subtraction osteotomy (PSO) with instrumentation (N = 10). Fracture morphology similar to (1) and local kyphosis >30°. Group 3 posterolateral decompression with interbody reconstruction (N = 06) endplate(s) destroyed, with instability at discovertebral junction, with neurologic deficit. Average follow-up was 34 months. VAS, ODI and Cobb angle were recorded at 3, 6, 12 months and yearly. RESULTS: There was significant improvement in the clinical (VAS and ODI) scores and radiologic outcome in each group at last follow-up. 30 patients out of 40, had neurologic deficits (Frankel's grade C = 16, Frankel's grade D = 14). The motor power gradually improved to Frankel's grade E. Average duration of surgery was 97 min. Average blood loss was 610 ml. CONCLUSION: Different surgical techniques were used to suit different fracture patterns, with good clinical and radiological results. This could be a step forward in devising an algorithm to surgical treatment of OVCF nonunions.

Oral cancer: Premalignant conditions and screening--an update.

Oral cancers form a significant portion of the cancer burden seen in our country. Typically, they tend to be preceded by a premalignant state for a long time. This article discusses the various types of premalignant disorders commonly seen in daily practice. Also, it is important to screen patients for these conditions so as to detect malignant changes early. Previously, the screening of patients for oral cancer and precancerous lesions has relied mainly on conventional oral examination. Nowadays, many newer techniques are available to potentially assist in the screening of healthy patients for evidence of oral cancer. This article attempts to review the current literature for screening methods and adjuncts such as toluidine blue, brush cytology, tissue chemiluminescence and autofluorescence.

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.

Role of 'low cost Indian implants' in our practice: our experience with 1,572 pedicle screws.

PURPOSE: As Indian spine surgeons, we have to choose between 'foreign implants' and 'Indian implants'. An Indian four pedicle screw rod construct costs 330 US dollars (one-third that of a similar foreign construct). About 60% of patients cannot afford expensive foreign implants. There is little written data evaluating how these Indian implants fare. The purpose of our study was to evaluate implant failure rate with Indian implants and compare it to foreign implants. METHODS: We analysed results of 1,572 titanium pedicle screws used in 239 patients with a minimum 1-year follow-up. Patients were divided into Indian and foreign implant groups. Radiological failures were classified as (1) surgery and disease failure, (2) bone failure and (3) implant failure. The null hypothesis was that there is no difference between implant failure rate for Indian and foreign implants. RESULTS: A total of 128 (53.56%) of patients could not afford foreign implants. We used 679 foreign and 893 Indian pedicle screws. In foreign implant group, there was a single incident of implant failure (0.15%). In Indian implant group, there were five such incidents (0.56%). CONCLUSIONS: (1) Rate of failure for 'low cost' Indian implants is very low (approximately 1 implant complication for every 200 screws). (2) There is no statistically significant difference in failure rates for Indian implants and foreign implants (P-value = 0.2438). We recommend that Indian implants are a safe and viable option to make spine surgery cost effective in the Indian scenario.

Intradural tumor and concomitant disc herniation of cervical spine.

We report a rare patient of a simultaneous extradural and intradural compression of the cervical spinal cord due to co-existent intervertebral disc herniation and an intradural schwannoma at the same level. The intradural lesion was missed resulting in recurrence of myelopathy after a surprisingly complete functional recovery following anterior cervical discectomy. Retrospectively, it was noted that the initial cord swelling noticed was tumor being masked by the compression produced by the herniated disc. A contrast magnetic resonance imaging scan is important in differentiating intradural tumors of the spinal cord. A high index of suspicion is often successful in unmasking both the pathologies.

Major vessel injury with cage migration: surgical complication in a case of spondylodiscitis.

STUDY DESIGN: Case report. OBJECTIVE: To report the unique nature of a technique-related complication with major vessel injury in case of lumbar spondylodiscitis. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Perioperative major vessel injuries during spinal surgeries are uncommon but are reported complications. The unusual nature of the complication and its prognostic dilemma is the purpose of this case report. METHODS: A 55-year-old woman presented with infective L3-L4 spondylodiscitis and was offered transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion surgery. Intraoperative manipulation to attain optimum cage position resulted in its dislodgement anteriorly and vessel injury with torrential hemorrhage, which was successfully managed surgically without mortality. RESULTS: On thorough investigation in the postoperative period, the cage was found to have migrated to the left pulmonary artery. The patient recovered completely of her preoperative status and is asymptomatic 6 months after surgery. CONCLUSION: The presented complication is a catastrophe considering a routine surgical procedure. In cases of spondylodiscitis, spine surgeons should be careful about inflammation of major vessels with friable vessel walls anterior to the vertebrae. This mandates a cautious surgical technique.

Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis of the spine--is it the beginning of the end? A study of twenty-five culture proven multidrug-resistant tuberculosis spine patients.

STUDY DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. OBJECTIVE: We report the first study of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in the spine. The aim was to determine the clinical, radiologic, and drug resistance profile as well as the factors associated with treatment outcome of MDR-TB in the spine. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Tuberculosis of the spine is the most common extrapulmonary form of tuberculosis in the Asian subcontinent. The disease in few cases is resistant to the primary anti-Koch's medications and the number of cases detected is on the rise. Multidrug resistant form of tuberculosis of the spine is ill reported in the literature. The diagnosis, management thus remains a challenge to the treating surgeon. This study tries to assess these critical issues of this "new" disease. METHODS: Described here are the clinical characteristics of 25 MDR-TB spine patients identified in the study and their drug susceptibility patterns. They were followed up clinically, radiologically after a biopsy, culture, and Drug Susceptibility Testing. According to their Drug Susceptibility Testing pattern and previous history of Anti-Tubercular Treatment (ATT), individualized treatment regimens were tailored for each patient by an expert physician. RESULTS: Majority of the patients seen in the present study were in the productive years of their life. (Males (9) mean age: 38.5 years and females (16) mean age: 34.3 years. Four patients were defaulters of the ATT. The average number of drugs used was 6, including 4 second line drugs. Average treatment duration was 24 months. Almost 50% of the patients had adverse drug effects. Of the 25 patients, 19 achieved healed status and 6 are still on treatment. Four patients required surgery for mechanical instability of the spine. Radiologic improvement was observed in all the cases after a mean treatment of 6 months. Five predictors were identified for successful outcome of MDR-TB. They include progressive clinical improvement at 6 months, radiologic improvement during treatment and disease with Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains exhibiting resistance to less than or up to 3 antitubercular drugs, use of less than or up to 4 second-line drugs in treatment, and no change of regimen during treatment. CONCLUSION: MDR-TB of the spine is a different disease and is here to stay. There is an urgent need to include culture and drug susceptibility testing in the protocol for the treatment of tuberculosis of the spine.

Management of sequalae of neglected septic shoulder.

Complex deformities following septic arthritis of the shoulder in infancy are mild and therefore rarely reported. A 12 year old girl presented with shortening of upper extremity right side, with dislocation of shoulder and with entire extremity rotated to 180 degrees. The palm faced posteriorly and the olecranon anteriorly. Arthrodesis of shoulder and unifocal lengthening of humerus was achieved with three 4 mm cannulated cancellous screws and an ilizarov frame. A lengthening of 9 centimeters was achieved and regenerate healed at 12 months. At 10 years follow-up she is able to perfom her activities of daily living.

Scintigraphic assessment of patellar viability in total knee arthroplasty after lateral release.

To what extent lateral retinacular release done in total knee arthroplasty compromises patellar viability has been debated. This study is a prospective study to assess patellar viability using Technetium-99m methylene diphosphate (Tc-99m MDP) scintigraphy. Between 2005 and 2006, 59 patients (72 knees) who underwent primary total knee arthroplasty were studied, of which 36 required lateral release. All patients underwent regional bone scan using Tc-99m MDP before and 1 to 3 weeks after the surgery. Two nuclear medicine consultants using both qualitative and quantitative assessment interpreted the scans independently. Fourteen knees with lateral release showed scintigraphic signs of hypovascularity in the early postoperative period that normalized in 8-week postoperative period. This study documents the greater incidence of transient patellar hypovascularity associated with lateral release.