Structural vertebral changes in the horizontal plane in idiopathic scoliosis and the long-term corrective effect of spine instrumentation

Summary The rotation and structural changes of the apex vertebra in the horizontal plane as well as of the thoracic cage deformity were quantified by measurements on computed tomography (CT) scans from patients with right convex thoracic idiopathic scoliosis (IS). The CT scans were obtained from 12 patients with moderate scoliosis (mean Cobb angle 25.8°, r 13°–30°) and from 33 with severe scoliosis (mean Cobb angle 46.2°, r 35°–71°). In addition, CT scans of thoracic vertebrae from 15 patients without scoliosis were used as reference material. Ten of the scoliotic cases had had Cotrel-Dubousset instrumentation (CDI) and posterior fusion and had entered a longitudinal study on the effect of operative correction on the re-modelling of the apical vertebra. An increasingly asymmetrical vertebral body, transverse process angle, pedicle width and canal width were found in the groups with scoliosis as compared with the reference material. Vertebral rotation and rib hump index were significantly larger in patients with early and advanced scoliosis than in normal subjects. The modelling angle of the vertebral body, the transverse process angle index and the vertebral rotation in relation to the middle axis of the thoracic cage were significantly greater in patients with severe than with moderate scoliosis. The results of this longitudinal study suggest that the structural changes of the apical vertebra regress 2 years or more after CD instrumentation.     

扩大的椎板间开窗治疗腰椎间盘突出伴侧隐窝狭窄（附140例报告）

本组采用的扩大的椎板开窗术治疗腰椎间盘突出合并侧隐窝狭窄140例。结果全部优良，与适应症严格选择和手术损伤小有关。强调切除卡压神经根的侧隐窝后壁外侧，即上关节突的冠状面．不失其脊椎三柱系统的三角结构。俯卧位头低足高，可减少硬膜囊张力避免负损伤。切除棘突下椎板时，用神经拉勾代替神经剥离器易于分离黄韧带，用90度的椎板咬骨钳斜向棘突方向，可满意地切除该部份椎板黄韧带，并可刮切椎板内层。神经根周围滴入醋酸炎舒松A2-3ml，术后疼痛锐减。减压窗口置盖明胶海绵有其争议，作者实践体会放置害处不大，要求病人有“护腰”意识。     

再手术治疗腰椎间盘突出症临床分析

目的 探讨腰椎间盘突出症再手术原因及处理对策。方法 对31例腰椎间盘突出症再手术的病例进行回顾分析。结果 再手术原因主要为术前诊断及定位错误，椎间盘切除不彻底，对神经根管狭窄认识不足，脊柱稳定结构破坏 多节段椎间盘突出症遗漏，椎管瘢痕粘连等。结论 腰椎间盘突出症手术前诊断及定位需准确，髓核切除要干净，并松解神经根，必要时扩大神经根管，注意维持脊柱神经稳定结构，多节段椎间盘突出术前应斟酌取舍。     

胸腰椎稳定性重建方法的改进

为了改进胸腰椎脱位的治疗方法，更好地重建脊柱稳定性，设计了一种新的脊柱固定器械，由滚花钉及连接板构成，并通过椎弓根进行的一种脊柱后路短节段固定方法，脊柱固定范围限制在两个椎体间。１９８９年～１９９５年，临床应用这种新器械矫正胸腰椎脱位１２例，经１～４年随访，畸形矫正满意，固定牢固。结果表明：该器械具有手术方法简单、固定牢固和手术创伤小等优点。认为，该项技术适用于胸腰椎稳定性的重建。     

197例腰椎间盘膨出和脱出的CT分型

根据１９７例腰椎间盘病变的ＣＴ影像以及手术所见，提出腰椎间盘膨出分为均匀型、不均匀型、局限型；腰椎间盘脱出分为中央型、旁侧型、孔外型、Ｓｃｈｍｏｒｌ结节型。除Ｓｃｈｍｏｒｌ结节型外，上述椎间盘脱出可继续分为隆起型、破裂型、游离型等三个亚型。还讨论了分型的必要性、病理基础与临床关系以及鉴别诊断。     

Lumbar Puncture Ordering and Results in the Pediatric Population: A Promising Data Source for Surveillance Systems

Background: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is incorporating laboratory data into real-time surveillance systems. When normal patterns of laboratory test orders and results are modeled, aberrations can be detected. Because many test orders are available electronically well before results, atypical patterns of test ordering may signal outbreaks.
Objectives: The authors sought to characterize baseline patterns in the ordering and early results of lumbar punctures, motivated by the possibility of using these data for real-time surveillance for early detection of meningitis or encephalitis outbreaks.
Methods: Retrospective cohorts of pediatric emergency department patients at a single hospital (1993–2003) and from the National Hospital and Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (1992–2000) were used for analysis.
Results: Test ordering exhibits seasonal patterns, with monthly peaks in January and August (p < 0.0001). For the hospital cohort, the rate of cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis exhibits seasonal patterns (p < 0.0001), with a peak from August to October. This is strongly associated with the rate and pattern of clinical neurologic disease (p < 0.0001). A long-term secular decline in daily test ordering is evident, dropping from 5.3 to 2.9 in the hospital sample, and from 371.8 to 185.3 in the national sample (p < 0.001). The long-term rate of pleocytosis has declined (p < 0.0001), though the yield of testing for pleocytosis has improved (p = 0.0104).
Conclusions: Laboratory test patterns correspond with those of clinical disease and are a promising source of surveillance data. Using such data for real-time monitoring requires specific adjustments for patient age, periodicities, and secular trends.     

Two-level posterior lumbar interbody fusion for degenerative disc disease: improved clinical outcome with restoration of lumbar lordosis

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Although posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) for degenerative lumbar diseases is routine, there are few reports on double-level PLIF. PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical outcomes of double-level PLIF. STUDY DESIGN/SETTING: A retrospective study of operated cases in Gifu, Japan. PATIENT SAMPLE: Nineteen patients (8 men and 11 women, 59.5+/-10.2 years) who underwent double-level PLIF between 1996 and 2001. OUTCOME MEASURES: Operation time, blood loss, complications, the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score for back pain and lumbar sagittal alignment were evaluated. METHODS: Patients were examined retrospectively at follow-ups of 3.6+/-1.7 years. Primary diseases were spondylolisthesis, spinal canal stenosis, degenerative scoliosis and herniated intervertebral disc. Fusion areas were L3 to L5 in 15 cases and L4 to S1 in 4 cases. RESULTS: The mean JOA score increased from an initial score of 12.9+/-3.5 to 21.3+/-4.9 at the final follow-up. There was a positive correlation (R=0.718, p<.001) between the increase in lordotic angle and the increase in the JOA score. Several parameters suggested that the surgical invasiveness was not minimal. CONCLUSION: Double-level PLIF provided satisfactory results and preserved lumbar spine lordosis.     

极外型腰椎间盘突出症的临床特点与神经节位置的相关性研究

目的 探 讨极 外 型腰 椎间 盘 突出 症患 者 的临 床特 点 与神 经节 位 置的 相关 性 方 法:通过 术前 神 经根 造影 : 。确定 受压 神 经根 的背 根 神经 节的 位 置,根 据 其神 经节 的 位置 ,将 27 例极 外侧 腰 椎间 盘突 出 症患 者 分为 三 组 :椎管内 组,5 例;椎间 孔内 组 ,15 例 ;椎 间孔 外组 ,7 例 。分 别比 较神 经 节的 位置 与 临床 参数 ,如 受压 神 经根 的水 平 ,直腿 抬高 试 验的 度数 ,术 前和 术 后症 状(腿痛 ,下 腰痛 和 行走 能力 )及 体 征(感 觉 和运 动障 碍 )的 严重 程 度 及 与恢复率 之间 的 关系 。结 果:与椎 管 内和 椎间 孔 内组 相比 ,椎 间孔 外 组患 者直 腿 抬高 试验 的 度数 较低 ,下 腰 痛的 程度较轻 ,术 前的 腿痛 明 显重 ,而 行走 能 力低 于椎 管 内和 椎间 孔 组。 背根 神 经节 的位 置 与术 前的 感 觉和 运 动 障 碍以及手 术效 果 没有 明显 差 异。结论 :神 经节 的 位置 会影 响 极外 型腰 椎 间盘 突出 患 者根 性症 状 (腿痛 和 行走 能力 )的严重 程度 。     

A Management of Early CRPS I Caused by Ankle Sprain: A Case Report

Abstract:   We present a case of a 13-year-old boy who developed signs and symptoms of neuropathic pain/early Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) Type I, formerly known as Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD), after spraining his ankle while wrestling. Aggressive pain control, using medications and sympatholytic blocks, with physical therapy and rehabilitation, led to the resolution of his painful condition. This prevented the disease from possibly progressing to a full-blown case of CRPS I (RSD) that is very challenging to treat.