Thrombotic Event Prevention in Patients Undergoing Posterior Lumbar Arthrodesis: our experiencie. A retrospective case series study. / Prevención de eventos trombóticos en pacientes sometidos a cirugía de artrodesis lumbar por vía posterior: experiencia en nuestro centro. Estudio retrospectivo de casos.

INTRODUCTION: There is no generalized consensus regarding perioperative prophylaxis of venous thromboembolism (VTE), either on using or timing it in patients undergoing spine surgery. VTE is a current concern because, even though being an uncommon event, it can cause serious complications. The aim of the present study is to propose guidelines for the prevention of thrombotic events in posterior spinal surgery, either as deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary thromboembolism. If the number of patients getting prophylaxis drugs is reduced a subsequent reduction of the incidence of epidural hematoma can be expected. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A number of 235 patients who had undergone posterior spinal arthrodesis in the previous five years were studied. Mechanical thromboprophylaxis measures consisting of compression stockings were applied in all of them. Anticoagulant drugs were also applied whenever risk factors for thrombosis were observed. Early weight-bearing was resumed immediately after surgery. Demographic, clinical, and surgical variables were collected, as well as complications appearing during the follow-up period, that was scheduled at one, two, four, six and twelve months after the surgery. Thrombotic events, if present, were diagnosed by clinical and imaging tests such as ultrasound and CT angiography. RESULTS: From the total 235 patients of this series, one hundred and fifty-three cases met the study inclusion criteria. A total of four thrombotic events appeared, one in the form of deep vein thrombosis and other three in the form of pulmonary thromboembolism. These last patients suffering an embolism died because of it. None of the variables studied had statistical significance for the occurrence of a thrombotic event. All four patients who suffered thrombotic events were receiving anticoagulant drugs, in addition to mechanical compression stockings, because of the presence of risk factors for thrombosis. CONCLUSIONS: By applying the fore mentioned protocol, adequate prevention of thromboembolic events was achieved in this study population of patients undergoing posterior spinal surgery.

Clinical effects of direct anterior internal fixation with Herbert screws on hip joint function and quality of life in patients with Pipkin II femoral head fractures.

OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to explore the therapeutic effects of direct anterior internal fixation with Herbert screws on hip joint function and quality of life in patients with Pipkin type II femoral head fractures (FHF). METHODS: From Dec 2017 to Jul 2020, 68 patients with Pipkin type II FHF were received in our hospital and divided into two groups. The direct anterior internal fixation (DAIF) group including 34 cases were treated by direct anterior internal fixation with Herbert screws. The control group of 34 patients received modified internal fixation with Herbert screws via posterior superior iliac spine and ectogluteus. The duration time and blood loss in operation as well as the postoperative drainage volume, hospital stays and complications were observed. The comparison of pain degree, hip functions, and life quality between two groups was performed. RESULTS: All the patients were followed up, and the operative time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative drainage and hospital stay of the DAIF group were all significantly lower than those in the control group, with (p < 0.05, respectively). The pain degree of the DAIF group was significantly lower than that of the control group 7, 15 and 30 days after the operation (p < 0.05, respectively). At 3, 6 and 9 months after the operation, the hip function recovery of the DAIF group was significantly better than control group (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences between the two groups in preoperative physiological function, physiological function, emotional role, physical pain, general health, vitality, social function and mental health (p > 0.05). Six months after the operation, the physiological function, physiological function, emotional role, physical pain, general health, vitality, social function and mental health of the DAIF group were significantly higher than those of the control group (p < 0.05). No postoperative complications occurred in both groups. CONCLUSION: The treatment of directly anterior internal fixation with Herbert screws is effective for Pipkin type II FHF, like improving the function of hip joint and quality of life in patients. The method is reliable and worth clinical use.

Corporectomía por acceso único posterior con colocación de caja expandible y fijación transpedicular en fracturas toracolumbares / Posterior corpectomy, transpedicular fixation and expandable cage placement in thoracolumbar fractures

Resumen: Objetivo: Evaluar el resultado de la corporectomía por acceso único posterior con colocación de caja expandible y fijación transpedicular en pacientes con fracturas toracolumbares. Material y métodos: Estudio retrospectivo en el que se evaluaron ocho pacientes con fracturas por estallido entre Mayo de 2011 y Mayo de 2014, quienes fueron tratados de manera quirúrgica mediante corporectomía, colocación de caja expandible y fijación transpedicular con abordaje posterior. El estado neurológico fue valorado a través de la escala de ASIA prequirúrgico y postquirúrgico a un año de evolución y se midió la corrección angular de las deformidades. Resultados: El estudio comprendió cinco personas de sexo masculino y tres de sexo femenino, con un promedio de edad de 38 años (de 24 a 58 años). Todos los pacientes presentaron fracturas por estallido del cuerpo vertebral, uno de ellos con componente rotacional. A los ocho se les realizó solamente la corporectomía de un nivel vertebral. El tiempo quirúrgico promedio fue de 236 minutos (rango: 195-330 min). El sangrado quirúrgico en promedio fue de 1,731 ml. Conclusión/Discusión: Los pacientes que se sometieron a corporectomía por vía posterior mostraron resultados clínicos favorables, sin presentar lesiones neurológicas o lesiones asociadas al procedimiento, por lo que esta técnica puede ser una opción terapéutica al disminuir las complicaciones de una vía anterior o de un doble abordaje.

Abstract: Objective: The objective is to evaluate the outcome of vertebral corpectomy and placement of an expandable cage in patients with thoracolumbar fractures, using a posterior-only approach. Material and methods: A retrospective, case series study in the period from May 2011 to May 2014, in which eight patients with thoracolumbar burst fractures were treated surgically with corpectomy of fractured spinal body, placement of expandable box and fixation with transpedicular system, via posterior-only approach. Neurologic examination was done pre- and postoperatively with the ASIA score in a one year span. The angular deformity correction was also measured. Results: The mean age was 38 years (24 to 58 years); five male and three female patients. All the patients had burst fracture, one of them with aggregate rotational component. Only one vertebral level was worked with corpectomy in all patients. Mean surgical time was 236 minutes (195-330 min). Mean surgical bleeding was 1,731 ml. Conclusion/Discussion: Patients who underwent posterior approach corpectomy showed favorable clinical results. None presented neurological damage or surgical-related injury. This technique can be a useful option to avoid complications related to anterior vertebral approach or double approach.

[Is local bone graft sufficient to maintain the surgical correction in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis curves?]. / ¿Es el autoinjerto del campo quirúrgico suficiente para la obtención de una buena artrodesis en paciente con escoliosis idiopática del adolescente?

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare postoperative clinical and radiological results in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis curves treated by posterior arthrodesis using autogenous bone graft from iliac crest (CI) versus only local autograft bone (HL). PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective matched cohort study was conducted on 73 patients (CI n=37 and HL n=36) diagnosed with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis and treated surgically by posterior arthrodesis. The mean post-operative follow-up was 126 months in the CI group vs. 66 months in the HL group. The radiographic data collected consisted of preoperative, postoperative, and final follow-up antero-posterior and lateral full-length radiographs. Loss of correction and quality of arthrodesis were evaluated by comparing the scores obtained from the Spanish version of the SRS-22 questionnaire. RESULTS: There were significant differences in the post-operative results as regards the correction of the Cobb angle of the main curve (HL 61 ± 15% vs. CI 51 ± 14%, P<.004), however a greater loss of correction was found in the local bone group (CI 4.5 ± 7.3° vs. HL 8.5 ± 6.3°, P=.02). There were no significant differences as regards the correction of the Cobb angle of the main curve at the end of follow-up. There were no clinical differences between the two groups in the SRS-22 scores. CONCLUSION: At 5 years of follow-up, there was a statistically significant greater loss of radiographic correction at the end of final follow-up in the local bone graft group. However clinical differences were not observed as regards the SRS-22 scores.