Cotrel-Dubousset and Harrington Instrumentation in idiopathic scoliosis: a comparison of long-term results.

Between 1968 and 1977, 72 patients with idiopathic scoliosis underwent Harrington Instrumentation (HI). Between 1985 and 1988, 21 patients with idiopathic scoliosis had posterior spinal fusion with Cotrel-Dubousset instrumentation (CDI). All patients were operated by the same orthopedic surgeon. None of the CDI patients had postoperative brace or cast protection, the HI group had on average 6 months' postoperative brace treatment. The two groups of patients were comparable in age, sex, and type of curves. The HI group and CDI group were reexamined with clinical and radiological assessment after mean periods of 148 months and 60 months respectively. The average preoperative Cobb angle in the CDI group was 59.9 degrees (HI group 67.8 degrees), which improved to 20.8 degrees (HI group 33 degrees) postoperatively--a correction of 66.3% (HI group 51.3%). The loss of correction on reassessment amounted to 5% in the CDI group and 20.7% in the HI group. In both groups, the mean rib hump height was reduced to 2.2 cm. In 40% of the Harrington patients, a flat back was found, but this was not related to clinical back pain. The rate of complications and reintervention was 9.5% in the CDI group and 8.3% in the HI group. There were no neurological complications. Subjectively, 86% of the Harrington patients and 95.2% of the CDI patients rated the results of their operation as "good" or "very good." The CDI group showed better results in correction of the Cobb angle and loss of correction, while saving one mobile lumbar segment. The correction of the rib hump showed the same results for both techniques. Blood loss and operation time was much lower in the HI group. However, the rate of complications was similar in both groups.

Translaminar screw fixation of the lumbar spine.

Lower lumbar spinal fusion was carried out in 72 patients by a technique which involved screw fixation of the facet joints. Stability was achieved and mobilisation was allowed immediately. Radiographs after operation showed bony fusion in 94.5%. Pain was diminished and 76% of the patients would undergo the same treatment again. There were no neurological complications. The technique is useful and safe for the fusion of short segments of the lumbar spine.

[Orthopedic problems of the upper cervical spine in children and adolescents]. / Orthopädische Probleme an der oberen Halswirbelsäule bei Kindern und Jugendlichen.

Because of relatively low frequency of pathological changes of the upper cervical spine in childhood and adolescence, their management is not well known. Diagnostic problems occur due to the variety of malformations possible, persisting growth plates and ligamentous laxity. Because of this laxity, conservative treatment with immobilization is advocated even in severe dislocations as long as they are reducible. Persistent dislocations, chronic atlantoaxial instability (ADI greater than 5 mm), dens fractures type II and existing or progressing neurological deficits all indicate surgical intervention. Internal fixation allows easier postoperative care. Complications are rare. Patients with orthopedic problems of the upper cervical spine are presented, together with their management.

Circumferential fusion of the lumbar and lumbosacral spine. Comparison of two techniques of anterior spinal fusion.

Thirty-two patients with therapy-resistant low-back pain and justified indication for fusion were divided into two groups: 16 patients were treated with anterior fusion of the lumbosacral spine, with insertion of tricortical bone grafts of the iliac crest, and 16 patients with insertion of a fibular peg. Additional dorsal fusion of the same segments was performed. Comparison of the two techniques of circumferential fusion of the lumbosacral joint reveals comparable clinical results. A marked difference in roentgenographical criteria such as disk height, retrolisthesis, and anterior osteophytes in the adjacent segment between the two techniques was noted at the time of follow-up evaluation after 89 months and motivated the authors to abandon the fibular-peg technique.

Circumferential fusion of the lumbar and lumbosacral spine.

Seventy-four patients with circumferential fusion of the lumbosacral spine have been assessed after a mean follow up of 49.8 months. For the ventral procedure, an anterior interbody fusion with tricortical iliac bone graft was performed. The additional dorsal fusion was according to various techniques with mainly transpedicular internal fixation. Forty-six patients underwent a one-stage operation while 28 underwent the ventral and dorsal procedure in different sittings. The results favour the technique of a combined anterior/posterior approach for fusion of the lumbosacral spine in patients with instability and deformity of all three columns, such as fractures and spondylolisthesis of more than 50%. Optimal stability with satisfactory reduction of the deformity may be achieved. The one-stage operation proved to be superior, with less complications and a shorter hospital stay.

[Long-term course in congenital analgesia]. / Langzeitverlauf bei kongenitaler Analgesie.

We describe the longterm history of eight patients with congenital insensitivity to pain, a rare autosomal recessive condition. Pain perception did not significantly improve with increasing age, but all affected individuals learned to live with their handicap. A marked tendency to dissimulate was obvious. The longterm outcome was dominated by orthopedic complications: there were impressive arthropathic changes in knee and ankle joints but - to our surprise - no hip joint involvement. These changes are the result of skeletal injuries in childhood (fractures, aseptic bone necrosis, osteomyelitis) and of apparently progressive neuropathic lesions due to pain insensitivity. The latter resulted in marked lumbar spine changes with progressive neurological deterioration, so far requiring spondylodesis in three patients. In three pregnant women total absence of labour pain was observed. All affected individuals had anosmia but no deficits of autonomic nervous system functions.

Comparative study of cemented and cementless hip prostheses in the same patient.

In 20 patients with bilateral total hip replacements a cementless prosthetic implantation on one side and a cemented arthroplasty on the other side were performed. The mean follow-up period was 6 years for the cementless and 7.5 years for the cemented hip. The only significant difference found was concerning pain, which was more frequent on the cementless side. Otherwise we were unable to ascertain a significant difference concerning mobility, walking capacity, complications, and patient assessment. A longer observation time will be required. Where pain relief is concerned, the cemented version will continue to be the gold standard.

Semiconstrained elbow prostheses with special reference to the GSB III prosthesis.

Fully constrained metal-to-metal elbow prostheses are not used anymore because of a high loosening rate. Today semiconstrained or condylar prostheses are the two possibilities when replacement of a destroyed elbow joint is considered. A careful analysis of the most recent publications in the world literature reveals a high complication rate for both types of prostheses, each one having specific advantages and disadvantages. The Gschwend-Scheier-Bähler (GSB) III prosthesis is a semiconstrained prosthesis, requires little bone resection, and is therefore easily salvaged. The results in regard to pain relief and improvement in range of motion are satisfactory in a high percentage of patients. The rate of lasting complications is lower than with most of the other prostheses. The authors' transtricipital approach is also a factor that contributes to the high success rate. In case of a failed arthroplasty the authors' method of reconstructing the humeral condyles allows a better salvage.

[Secondary correction on the forefoot]. / Nachkorrekturen am Vorfuss.

If the results after operation on the forefoot are insufficient, in our opinion this is due to: (1) indications that are not strict enough (cosmetic of semicosmetic indication); (2) inadequate technique: insufficient consideration of the length of the toes and the metatarsus or correction of individual toe deformities instead of homogeneous treatment of the whole forefoot. As our results show, when considering all of these points, we obtain a substantial improvement in these feet. The metatarsal length was corrected by the Helal osteotomy or by resection of the head of the metatarsal bone. When the differences were extreme, the forefoot was corrected following the Lelièvre procedure. Full capacity, however, is reached in only one-third of the cases. From this fact, it must be concluded that first operations should be carried out only when there are functional limitations. If the foot is initially free of pain and there is pain after an operation, however slight it might be, the result is always considered poor.

[Reinterventions in postoperative instability of the lumbar spine]. / Reinterventionen bei postoperativer Instabilität an der Lendenwirbelsäule.

Among the many reasons for reinterventions in the lumbar spine, postoperative instability was chosen as the subject for investigation. Abnormal mobility can be described more precisely in terms of pathological, segmental movement than in terms of instability, as such movement not only represents a greater range of motion of one vertebra towards the adjacent one, but also movement with a restricted (or normal) amplitude of a pathological pattern. Three conditions create pathological postoperative movement: (1) nonunion after attempted fusion; (2) pathologically increased movement because of removal of important weight-bearing structures; (3) compensatory movement of the segment next to a fusion. At the Wilhelm Schulthess Clinic in Zürich, 26 patients underwent one or more operations on the lumbar spine because of persisting pain as a result of postoperative pathological movement. In accordance with the results reported in the literature, good results were rare in reoperations on the lumbar spine (only 8 patients were completely free of pain); 14 patients had intermittent or continuous lumbar pain and 4 patients became worse. The indications for several interventions are carefully analyzed. Better results could probably have been obtained by more stable fixation techniques (transpedicular fixation, combined ventral and dorsal fusions), but the best means of avoiding reoperation is to observe the following guidelines: first, in disectomy cases, the osseous, weight-bearing structures (lamina, facet joint) should remain untouched. If even partial removal seems to be inevitable, fusion should be added done as well.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Results of tibia condyle osteotomy]. / Ergebnisse der Tibiakopf-Osteotomie.

The subjective and objective results of infra-condylar tibia condyle osteotomy are presented, based on a study of 71 cases. Arthroplasty of the knee joint can often be avoided by performing an infra-condylar tibia condyle osteotomy, taking into consideration the contra-indications, in cases of painful (varus) gonarthrosis becoming mainly manifest in a joint compartment, combined with an axis shift. The gait capacity can be improved, the subjective pain symptomatology be diminished and progression of the arthrosis might be avoided. The good results correlate with an optimal correction of the axis condition; in cases of varus gonarthrosis a slight overcorrection beyond the physiological valgus position of 7 degrees and in cases of valgus gonarthrosis a physiological valgus position of 7 degrees should be aimed at.