Full-Endoscopic Lumbar Discectomy: Tips & Tricks for New Users Based on a Retrospective Observational Study of the First 100 Patients.

AIM: To report our institutional experience with full-endoscopic lumbar discectomy (FELD) and analyzed the pertinent literature. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We retrospectively enrolled 100 patients who had undergone full-endoscopic discectomy for lumbar disc herniation using either an interlaminar (IL) or transforaminal (TF) approach. All patients underwent pre-operative imaging. Before and after surgery, patients' pain and disability levels were measured using visual analog scale (VAS) and Oswestry disability index (ODI) respectively. Clinical outcomes were assessed using the modified MacNab criteria. Patients were divided into two groups, Group 1 (cases 1-50) and Group 2 (cases 51-100), and their learning curve factors were compared using a Student's t-test. RESULTS: Sixtynine cases were operated via an IL approach and the remaining 31 cases using a TF approach. There were 4 early conversions in microdiscectomy. The mean operative time of the 96 procedures was 57 min. In Group 1, the mean operative time was 61.7 minutes (range: 35-110); in Group 2, it was 52.3 minutes (range: 25-75). The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (p=0.009). No significant differences were found in conversions, early operations, and recurrences between Groups 1 and 2. Both groups experienced a significant reduction in postoperative VAS and ODI compared to preoperative scores. CONCLUSION: The findings support previously reported information on the safety and effectiveness of the FELD. Herein, we share some practical tips and tricks based on our initial experience and on the review of the available literature, which could facilitate new users. In experienced hands endoscopic techniques make treatment of herniated discs feasible independently of patient age, anatomy, and/or targeted pathology features. Conversely, thoughtful patient selection and careful preoperative planning are highly recommended for new users.

Stand-Alone Percutaneous Pedicle Screw Lumbar Fixation to Indirectly Decompress the Neural Elements in Spinal Stenosis: A Radiographic Assessment Case Series.

BACKGROUND: The ideal surgical treatment of lumbar canal stenosis remains controversial. Although decompressive open surgery has been widely used with good clinical outcome, minimally invasive indirect decompression techniques have been developed to avoid the complications associated with open approaches. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the radiologic outcome and safety of the indirect decompression achieved with stand-alone percutaneous pedicle screw fixation in the surgical treatment of lumbar degenerative pathologies. METHODS: Twenty-eight patients presenting with spinal degenerative diseases including concomitant central and/or lateral stenosis were treated with stand-alone percutaneous pedicle screw fixation. Radiographic measurements were made on axial and sagittal magnetic resonance (MR) images, performed before surgery and after a mean follow-up period of 25.2 months. Measurements included spinal canal and foraminal areas, and anteroposterior canal diameter. RESULTS: Percutaneous screw fixation was performed in 35 spinal levels. Measurements on the follow-up MR images showed statistically significant increase in the cross-sectional area of the spinal canal and the neural foramen, from a mean of 88.22 and 61.05 mm2 preoperatively to 141.52 and 92.18 mm2 at final follow-up, respectively. The sagittal central canal diameter increased from a mean of 4.9 to 9.1 mm at final follow-up. Visual analog scale (VAS) pain score and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) both improved significantly after surgery (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Stand-alone percutaneous pedicle screw fixation is a safe and effective technique for indirect decompression of the spinal canal and neural foramina in lumbar degenerative diseases. This minimally invasive technique may provide the necessary decompression in cases of common degenerative lumbar disorders with ligamentous stenosis.

Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy: From the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies (WFNS) to the Italian Neurosurgical Society (SINch) Recommendations

Cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) is a progressively growing pathology to afford by a spinal surgeon due to the aging of the population, associated with better treatment management and the best diagnosis and treatment solutions are greatly discussed. Nowadays that scientific literature is progressively increasing to identify the gold standard in diagnosis and treatment can be very challenging. This is particularly evident in spinal surgery with many different indications not only in different countries but also in the same local reality. In this scenario, many neurosurgical societies works to identify some guideline or recommendations to help spinal surgeons in daily practice. Furthermore, in an era in which legal issues are increasingly present in clinical practice to have some indications globally accepted can be very useful. World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies (WFNS) few years ago starts this process creating a list of recommendations originating from a worldwide steering committee to respect all the local reality. The spinal section of Italian Neurosurgical Society decides to adopt the WFNS recommendations with some revision basing on Italian scenario. The steering committee of the Spinal Section of Italian Neurosurgical Society identify 7 groups to review the literature of the last 10 years about different topics on CSM and to analyses the WFNS recommendations to adapt it to the Italian daily practice. The statements were discussed and voted in 2 sessions to obtain the final version. A list of recommendations on natural course and clinical presentation; diagnostic tests; conservative and surgical treatment; anterior, posterior and combined surgical treatment; role of neurophysiological monitoring and follow-up and outcome was created with only few new or revised statements respect the ones of WFNS. The Spine Section of Italian Neurosurgical Society create a list of recommendations that represent the more contemporary treatment concepts for CSM as presented in the highest quality clinical literature and best clinical practices available on this subject.

Degenerative Lumbar Spine Stenosis Consensus Conference: the Italian job. Recommendations of the Spinal Section of the Italian Society of Neurosurgery.

In the modern era evidence-based medicine, guidelines and recommendations represent a key-point of daily activity. The Spinal Section of the Italian Society of Neurosurgery introduced some recommendations regarding Degenerative Lumbar Spine Stenosis based on those of the Spine Committee of World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies, revising them on the basis of Italian common practice. In June 2019, a Committee of 21 spine surgeons met in Rome to validate the recommendations of the WFNS. Furthermore, they decided to review the ones that did not reach a consensus to create Italian Recommendations on Degenerative Lumbar Spine Stenosis. A literature review of the last ten years was performed and the statements were voted using the Delphi method. Forty-one statements were discussed, and 7 statements were voted again to reach a consensus with respect to those of the WFNS. A total of 40 statements reached a consensus, of which 36 reached a positive consensus and 4 a negative consensus, while no consensus was reached in 1 case. Conservative multimodal therapy, tailored on the patient, is a reasonable and effective first option choice for the treatment of LSS patients with tolerable moderate symptoms. Surgical treatment is reserved for symptomatic patients non-responding to conservative treatment or with neurological deficits. The best surgical technique to use depends on personal experience; modern MISS techniques are equivalent to open decompressive surgery with some advantages and higher cost-effectiveness. Fusion surgery and mobility preserving surgery only have a marginal role in the treatment of DLSS without instability.

Pseudoaneurysm of a segmental lumbar artery following a full-endoscopic transforaminal lumbar discectomy: a rare approach-related complication.

Full-endoscopic transforaminal lumbar discectomy is based on a puncture technique using a guide needle to reach the target area of the foramen via a percutaneous posterolateral/lateral approach. It may correlate with specific approach-related complications, as exiting nerve root injury. We report the first case of pseudoaneurysm of the lumbar segmental artery secondary to a transforaminal full-endoscopic surgery in the treatment of a lumbar herniated disc. A 39-year-old man underwent left L4-L5 full-endoscopic transforaminal lumbar discectomy for a herniated disc. Three hours after surgery, he experienced acute progressive abdominal pain. An abdomen CT scan showed contrast extravasation in the left paraspinal compartment at L4 vertebral body level. The selective left lumbar angiogram revealed a pseudoaneurysm of a side branch of the left lumbar segmental artery, which was treated by endovascular coiling. The patient made a rapid postoperative recovery without further complications and was discharged 4 days later. This report identifies a rare complication of transforaminal full-endoscopic surgery in the treatment of a herniated lumbar disc. To our knowledge this is the first case of pseudoaneurysm formation of the lumbar artery following a full-endoscopic transforaminal lumbar discectomy.

Spontaneous Spinal Arthrodesis in Stand-Alone Percutaneous Pedicle Screw Fixation Without in Situ Fusion in Patients With Lumbar Segmental Instability: Long-Term Clinical, Radiologic, and Functional Outcomes.

BACKGROUND: No study to date has established how commonly spontaneous fusion occurs after stand-alone percutaneous pedicle screw fixation in adult population. In this retrospective single-center study, we investigated the effectiveness, long-term solidity and safety of stand-alone percutaneous pedicle screw fixation without in situ fusion and the influence of presence or absence of fusion on the clinical outcome of patients with low-grade lumbar segmental instability. METHODS: Eighty-eight patients with symptomatic low-grade spondylolisthesis were treated with posterior stand-alone percutaneous pedicle screw fixation without bone graft. Radiographic evaluation was used to determine if spontaneous fusion or absence of fusion was present. The solid fusion and absence of fusion groups were analyzed clinically (visual analog scale and Oswestry Disability Index) and with a validated self-administered questionnaire. RESULTS: The average duration of follow-up was 70.5 months (range, 48-120 months). Radiologic signs of spontaneous fusion were present in 45.5% of the cohort and absent in 54.5%. Clinical outcome was excellent to good in 73.8% of the cohort (in 70.9% of cases with spontaneous fusion and in 67.5% of cases with absence of fusion). No significant differences in visual analog scale scores for residual back and lower limb pain between the 2 groups were seen at the final follow-up. At the final follow-up, 5 of 88 patients (5.6%) underwent revision surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Percutaneous pedicle screw fixation offers several advantages that help minimize approach-related morbidity, while achieving similar clinical outcome as seen with more traditional invasive procedures. A solid fixation without bone graft provides long-term clinical benefits. In our patients, the appearance of a spontaneous solid fusion and the absence of fusion after stand-alone pedicle screw fixation were correlated with similar improved clinical outcomes at long-term follow-up.

Interspinous spacer decompression (X-STOP) for lumbar spinal stenosis and degenerative disk disease: a multicenter study with a minimum 3-year follow-up.

Interspinous distraction devices provide an effective treatment for patients suffering from lumbar spinal stenosis and/or degenerative disk disease. The aim of this multicenter study was the prospective evaluation of patients treated for symptomatic lumbar spinal stenosis with interspinous process decompression (IPD) implants compared with a population of patients managed with conservative treatment. 542 patients affected by symptomatic lumbar spine degenerative disease were enrolled in a controlled trial. 422 patients underwent surgical treatment consisting of X-STOP device implantation, whereas 120 control cases were managed conservatively. Both patient groups underwent follow-up evaluations at 6, 12, 24, and 36 months using the Zurich Claudication Questionnaire, the Visual Analog Scale score and spinal lumbar X-rays, CT scans and MR imaging. One-year follow-up evaluation revealed positive good results in the 83.5% of patients treated with IPD with respect to 50% of the nonoperative group cases. During the first three years, in 38 out of the 120 control cases, a posterior decompression and/or spinal fixation was performed because of unsatisfactory results of the conservative therapy. In 24 of 422 patients, the IPD device had to be removed, and a decompression and/or pedicle screw fixation was performed because of the worsening of neurological symptoms. Our results support the effectiveness of surgery in patients with stenosis. IPD may offer an effective and less invasive alternative to classical microsurgical posterior decompression in selected patients with spinal stenosis and lumbar degenerative disk diseases.

Nubac disc arthroplasty: preclinical studies and preliminary safety and efficacy evaluations.

BACKGROUND: Disc arthroplasty is gaining popularity for treatment of low-back pain caused by degenerative disc disease (DDD). It can involve total disc replacement or partial disc or nucleus replacement (or augmentation). Compared with total disc replacement, nucleus replacement is less invasive, has less surgical risk, has faster postoperative recovery, and doesn't "burn bridges" should further surgery be required. However, nucleus replacement has a high risk of implant expulsion because the device is not fixed to the vertebrae. Nubac is the first polyetheretherketone (PEEK)-on-PEEK articulated disc arthroplasty device designed to optimally restore the lumbar anatomy and biomechanics. METHODS: ISO 10993 standards were used to evaluate the biocompatibility of the PEEK material. Chemical and thermal-mechanical tests and in vivo study assessed PEEK's biostability after exposure to high g irradiation and harsh oxidative conditions. Biomechanical tests to evaluate kinematic properties and anatomical restoration of the implanted lumbar motion segments and implant expulsion risk assessments were performed with a human cadaveric model. Because of the novelty of PEEK-on-PEEK as a self-mating articulating material, extensive wear tests were conducted with unidirectional and coupled motions. Static and fatigue strength also were tested. Animal study with a baboon model was conducted with gross, radiographic, biomechanical, and histological evaluations at 6 and 12 months postoperatively. Preliminary clinical data were collected through a prospective multicenter cohort study. RESULTS: PEEK demonstrated exceptional biocompatibility and biodurability. Nubac restored disc height and motion segment range of motion. The unique articulating design of the Nubac demonstrated low risk of implant expulsion in a human cadaveric model. Wear tests showed that the Nubac has minimal wear and compares favorably to other disc arthroplasty materials. The Nubac also had excellent static and fatigue properties for the intended application. The animal study showed that the Nubac caused no adverse local or systematic tissue reaction and there was no detectable wear debris. The preliminary clinical data showed no major intraoperative vascular and neurological complications. There was significant Visual Analog Scale and Oswestry Disability Index score improvement. CONCLUSIONS: The preclinical data supported the design rationale, and the preliminary clinical data (level II evidence) on safety and efficacy were encouraging. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The Nubac could be a viable first surgical option for patients with back pain caused by DDD.

Chronic cortical stimulation for amyotropic lateral sclerosis: a report of four consecutive operated cases after a 2-year follow-up: technical case report.

OBJECTIVE AND IMPORTANCE: From April to July 2002, four consecutive patients affected by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) were surgically treated with bilateral chronic cortical stimulation.. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: The preoperative diagnostic assessment was based on the results of a neurological examination, integrated by the ALS functional rating scale, electromyography, magnetic resonance imaging, and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). In particular, SPECT provided a remarkable contribution in terms of its ability to demonstrate specific morphological and metabolic ALS lesions of the brain. INTERVENTION: The postoperative neurological follow-up was based mainly on the assessment of neurological status and the ALS functional rating scale, together with SPECT. Two years after surgery, at clinical examination, two patients demonstrated mild progression of their illness, and SPECT findings disclosed complete disappearance of ALS cerebral lesions, with apparent recovery of brain anatomic integrity. The third patient committed suicide. In the fourth patient, the disease seemed to have progressed inexorably at the time of clinical and SPECT monitoring, after transient improvement during the first 3 months after surgery.. CONCLUSION: These preliminary results are surprising, because they suggest that chronic cortical stimulation can play a role against ALS and deserve confirmation in larger numbers of patients and for a longer follow-up. We present the theoretical grounds for these findings, as well as the diagnostic and surgical procedures and results..

Acute combination fracture of atlas and axis: "triple" anterior screw fixation in a 92-year-old man: technical note.

BACKGROUND: The combination of odontoid and bilateral transarticular C1-C2 anterior screw fixation is a recent addition in treating C1-type II odontoid fractures. When feasible, it ensures early maximal stability, even if it slightly reduces the mobility of C1-C2 complex. We report a case of combination atlas-type II odontoid fracture that occurred in a 92-year-old man. The instability was treated with odontoid screw fixation and anterior bilateral C1-C2 transarticular screw fixation in a single stage. The aim of the article is to describe the feasibility of "triple" anterior screw fixation in the presence of C1-type II odontoid fracture. METHODS: The diagnosis, treatment, and outcome of a 92-year-old patient with mild tetraparesis caused by C1-type II odontoid fracture were assessed. RESULTS: Cervical x-rays, computed tomographic scan, and magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a fracture of posterior arch of C1, associated with type II odontoid fracture and with presumable damage of C1 transverse ligament. Magnetic resonance imaging also showed a high cervical centromedullary area slightly hyperintense in T1-weighted images. Treatment consisted of odontoid and bilateral C1-C2 transarticular screw fixation with single anterior approach. The admission neurologic conditions improved and the patient was early mobilized. CONCLUSIONS: The authors suggest that in presence of C1-type II odontoid fracture, the triple anterior screw fixation has to be taken into account as salvage procedure, especially if other methods of stabilization failed or cannot be safely performed. This technique seems to be safety feasible also in old patients, as our report and the experience of others confirm.

Spondylodiscitis after lumbar microdiscectomy: effectiveness of two protocols of intraoperative antibiotic prophylaxis in 1167 cases.

The role of antibiotic prophylaxis in preventing postoperative lumbar spondylodiscitis is still controversial in medical, ethical, economic, and legal terms. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the efficacy of two intraoperative antibiotic prophylaxis protocols in a large series of lumbar microdiscectomies performed in two different neurosurgical centres. We reviewed the outcome of 1167 patients operated on for a lumbar disc herniation with microsurgical technique, in order to detect the incidence of postoperative spondylodiscitis. Group A included 450 patients operated on in a 3-year period in the Neurosurgical Division of the University Hospital of Ancona; group P consisted of 717 patients operated on in a 4-year period in the Neurosurgical Division of the Sandro Pertini Hospital of Rome. In both groups intraoperative antibiotics for prophylaxis were administered, whereas postoperative prophylaxis was not performed. Protocol of group A: single intravenous dose of cefazoline 1 g at induction of general anesthesia and generous washing with saline solution and irrigation with a solution containing rifamicin at the end of microsurgical procedure. Protocol of group P: single-dose of intravenous ampicillin 1000 mg and sulbactam 500 mg at induction of anesthesia and generous irrigation with saline solution at the end of microsurgical procedure. A diagnosis of postoperative spondylodiscitis was made in three out of 450 patients in group A (0.67%) and in 5 out of 717 patients in group P (0.69%). In all cases, treatment consisted of rigid thoraco-lumbar orthesis and 4- to 6-week administration of amoxicillin/clavulanate compound (500/125 mg). The low incidence of postoperative spondylodiscitis obtained with both our protocols seems to confirm that intraoperative antibiotic prophylaxis is associated with the same rate of discitis of prolonged prophylaxis usually still adopted in many centres, but is more advantageous both in terms of welfare and comfort for patients and in economic terms. However, at the moment it is not possible identify the ideal antibiotic for this purpose. It seems to be reasonable to search for the solution through large multicenter prospective studies.

Anterior cervical fusion with carbon fiber cage containing coralline hydroxyapatite: preliminary observations in 45 consecutive cases of soft-disc herniation.

OBJECT: The purposes of bone substitutes for anterior cervical fusion (ACF) are immediate biomechanical support and osteointegration of the graft. The authors report their preliminary results in performing ACF in which carbon fiber cages (CFCs) containing coralline hydroxyapatite (HA) are used as bone substitute. METHODS: During a 24-month period, anterior microsurgical discectomy was performed in 45 consecutive patients for soft-disc cervical herniation. In all cases ACF was performed using a CFC containing a core of granulated coralline HA. Fifty-seven CFCs were implanted in 33 single-level and 12 two-level procedures. The mean operative time was 83 minutes for one-level and 97 minutes for two-level procedures. The mean hospital stay was 1.51 days, and there were no permanent complications. At a mean follow up of 22.3 months, the pain had decreased or disappeared in all patients, and the patients' satisfaction rate was very high. Good results were also obtained in patients who smoked cigarettes. Patients underwent radiographic evaluation at Day 1, and 1, 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. Implant-related complications were not observed and revision surgeries were not performed. Twelve-month cervical x-ray films demonstrated complete fusion in all cases, without evidence of breakage, collapse, pseudarthrosis, subsidence, angular deformity, or protrusion. Signs of pathological absorption and necrosis were not found in contiguous vertebral bodies, and inflammatory reactions were never seen around cages. CONCLUSIONS: These preliminary results suggest that implants composed of CFC containing granulated coralline HA are promising bone substitutes to be used in ACF, with a good rate of incorporation and no significant complications.