The evolution of degenerative marrow (Modic) changes in the cervical spine in neck pain patients

Purpose

To evaluate the natural course of end plate marrow (Modic) changes (MC) in the cervical spine on MRI scans of patients with neck pain. A few longitudinal studies have assessed the development of MC over time in the lumbar spine but only two recent studies evaluated MC in the cervical spine in asymptomatic volunteers and those with whiplash. Thus, this study now reports on the natural course of MC in the cervical spine in symptomatic patients.

Methods

From the cervical MRI scans of 426 neck pain patients (mean age 61.2 years), 64 patients had follow-up MRI studies. The prevalence and types of MC were retrospectively assessed on the follow-up scans and compared to the original MRI findings.

Results

With an average of 2.5 years between the two MRI scans, the prevalence of MC type 1 (MC1) noted at baseline (7.4 % or 19 motion segments) slightly increased (8.2 % or 21 segments) but the prevalence of MC2 (14.5 % or 37 segments) increased considerably (22.3 % or 57 segments). In addition, 14 new MC1 segments and 8 new MC2 segments were noted. Twelve segments with MC1 at baseline converted to MC2 at follow-up. No conversion from MC2 to MC1 or reverting to a normal image was observed.

Conclusions

MC in the cervical spine are a dynamic phenomenon similar to the lumbar spine.     

Coexisting lumbar and cervical stenosis (tandem spinal stenosis): an infrequent presentation. Retrospective analysis of single-stage surgery (53 cases)

Study design

Retrospective analysis of 53 patients who underwent single stage simultaneous surgery for tandem spinal stenosis (TSS) at single centre.

Objective

To discuss the presentation of combined cervical and lumbar (tandem) stenosis and to evaluate the safety and efficacy of single-stage simultaneous surgery.

Summary of background data

Combined stenosis is an infrequent presentation with mixed presentation of upper motor neuron and lower motor neuron signs. Scarce literature on its presentation and management is available. There is a controversy in the surgical strategy of these patients. Staged surgeries are frequently recommended and only few single-stage surgeries reported.

Methods

All the patients were clinico-radiologically diagnosed TSS. Surgeries were performed in single stage by two teams. Results were evaluated with Nurick grade, modified Japanese Orthopedic Association score (mJOA), oswestry disability index (ODI), patient satisfaction index, mJOA recovery rate, blood loss and complication.

Results

The mJOA cervical and ODI score improved from a mean 8.86 and 68.15 preoperatively to 13.00 and 30.11, respectively, at 12 months and to 14.52 and 24.03 at final follow-up. The average mJOA recovery rate was 48.23 ± 26.90 %. Patient satisfaction index was 2.13 ± 0.91 at final follow-up. Estimated blood loss of ≤400 ml and operating room time of <150 min showed improvement of scores and lessened the complications. In the age group below 60 years, the improvement was statistically significant in ODI (p = 0.02) and Nurick’s grade (p = 0.03) with average improvement in mJOA score.

Conclusion

Short-lasting surgery, single anaesthesia, reduced morbidity and hospital stay as well as costs, an early return to function, high patient satisfaction rate with encouraging results justify single-stage surgery in TSS. Age, blood loss and duration of surgery decide the complication rate and outcome of surgery. Staged surgery is recommended in patients above the age of 60 years.     

Risk factors in cervical spondylosis

Background

Cervical spondylosis is essentially a degenerative disorder common after fourth decade. It has been seen that radiological evidence of cervical spondylosis do not necessarily co-relate with clinical findings. This discrepancy has been attributed to the morphometric dimensions of the vertebrae, age, sex, race, occupation, weight and height of the patients.

Objective

The objective of this study is to co-relate the variables like age, sex, race, occupation, vertebral body diameter, canal diameter, canal body ratio of cervical spine vertebrae with cervical spondylosis cases with normal population.

Methods

In this hospital based, case control, consent based, cross-sectional, clinico-radiological study 200 individuals (controls-100, cases-100) who were subjected to lateral projection radiographs of cervical spine. Their age, sex, race, occupation, height, weight and mid-sagittal canal diameter (CD), sagittal vertebral body diameter (VBD) and the canal-body ratio (CBR) of the cervical vertebrae was recorded and analyzed statistically.

Results

There was no relation between vertebral dimensions and clinical groups. In radiculopathy group, age and height showed significance on univariate analysis. While only age remained significant on multivariate analysis. In neck pain group age, sex, and height showed significance on univariate analysis while in multivariate analysis age, sex and occupation were significant risk factors.     

前屈位不同角度牵引治疗颈椎病的有限元分析

目的：分析不同牵引角度加载在颈椎曲度变直的模型上得到的数据,为临床牵引治疗颈椎病提供实验依据和临床建议。方法：选取颈椎曲度变直患者采集CT数据（女性,43岁）,采用专用生物力学有限元软件构建完整的颈椎全节段模型,包括使用实际解剖位置构建的颈椎韧带、肌肉组织;进行有限元模型的验证后,用0。、前屈5°10°15°20°25°进行牵引,观察椎间孔、关节突、钩锥关节、椎间盘的间距变化,以及髓核和基质的应力变化。结果：当牵引角度为前屈0°～15°时,椎问孔、钩椎关节、后关节突之间的间距加大,椎间盘的拉应力适宜,压应力较小,比较符合临床治疗要求。结论：建议牵引治疗颈椎病时采取前屈位0°～15°     

高危型人乳头状瘤病毒的感染状态及分型与宫颈病变发生的相关性研究

目的检测高危型人乳头状瘤病毒(HR-HPV)的感染状态与宫颈病变的发生及发展的相关性。方法对我院门诊2 876例妇女采用液基薄层细胞检测(TCT)、第二代杂交捕获法技术(HC2)-HPV-DNA检测及HPV分型检测,以TCT细胞学正常及高危型HPV阳性的妇女295人为目标人群,随访重复TCT细胞学和HPV基因分型,并对TCT细胞学异常的妇女进行阴道镜下宫颈组织活检。分析不同HPV感染型别、感染状态(持续性感染、间断性感染及感染清除)的TCT异常和宫颈病理异常的发生情况。结果目标群体随访1年,持续性HPV感染的女性与HPV感染清除或间断性感染的妇女相比宫颈病变的发生率无显著差异(P0.05);目标群体随访2年,持续性HPV感染女性比HPV感染清除或间断性感染妇女有更高的宫颈病变发生率(P0.01)。多重HPV感染并不比单一型别感染有更高的宫颈病变发生率(P0.05)。高危型HPV16和HPV18持续感染发生率高,且宫颈病变的发生率增加(P0.05)。结论持续性HPV感染2年以上,尤其HPV16及HPV18的持续性感染,发生宫颈病变的风险明显增加。高危HPV型别及感染状态的甄别更有临床指导意义。     

脊髓型颈椎病伴发育性椎管狭窄患者的脊髓储备空间

【摘要】 目的：观察脊髓型颈椎病伴发育性椎管狭窄患者颈椎MRI上脊髓在硬膜囊内的储备空间。方法：2006年2月~2010年7月,以脊髓型颈椎病就诊于北京大学第三医院骨科的患者123例,其中66例不伴后纵韧带或黄韧带骨化、椎体后缘骨赘或椎间盘突出的椎管侵占不超过50%的患者被纳入研究,其中男性41例,女性25例;年龄34~84岁,平均57岁。依据颈椎中立位X线平片上中矢径比值将所有患者分为伴发育性椎管狭窄组（狭窄组,中矢径比值≤0.75,n=38）和不伴发育性椎管狭窄组（非狭窄组,中矢径比值>0.75,n=28）,在MRI T2矢状位像上测量C3~C7硬膜囊中矢径和椎体中矢径,在MRI T2横断位像上测量脊髓横截面积和硬膜囊横截面积,计算并比较两组患者MRI中矢径比值（硬膜囊中矢径/椎体中矢径）和硬膜囊占有率（脊髓横截面积/硬膜囊横截面积）。结果：狭窄组C3~C7各节段MRI中矢径比值均显著小于非狭窄组（P<0.001）;C3~C6节段硬膜囊占有率与非狭窄组无显著性差异（P>0.05）,而C7节段有显著性差异（P<0.05）。结论：脊髓型颈椎病患者中,伴有发育性颈椎管狭窄的患者硬膜囊矢状径明显减小,但C3~C6节段脊髓在硬膜囊内的储备空间并未显著减小,呈现“小椎管小脊髓”的特点。     

不同前路内固定方式治疗枢椎椎体横行骨折合并Hangman骨折稳定性的有限元分析

【摘要】 目的：应用有限元分析评价三种C2~C3前路内固定方式治疗枢椎椎体横行骨折合并Hangman骨折的生物力学稳定性,为临床手术方式选择提供理论参考。方法：选择1位35岁健康男性志愿者,采用16排螺旋CT对枕骨底（C0）~C3节段进行层厚0.5mm的薄层扫描,利用Mimics 10.01、Hypermesh V 10.0及ABAQUS 6.11软件,建立正常颈椎C0~C3节段三维六面体网格有限元模型（FE/Intact）并进行有效性验证。在已验证的C0~C3节段模型上通过弱化网格单元强度的方法模拟建立枢椎椎体横行骨折合并Hangman骨折模型（FE/Fracture）并进行验证;在FE/Fracture上分别建立三种C2~C3前路内固定模型：前路C2/3椎间盘切除、cage植骨融合+长钢板螺钉内固定模型（FE/cage+ACFLP）;前路齿状突螺钉固定+C2/3椎间盘切除、cage植骨融合+短钢板螺钉内固定模型（FE/AOSF+cage+ACFSP）;前路齿状突螺钉固定+C2/3椎间盘切除、cage植骨融合+长钢板螺钉内固定模型（FE/AOSF+cage+ACFLP）,对FE/Intact、FE/Fracture和三种内固定模型进行边界约束后分别施加前屈、后伸、侧屈、旋转四种生理载荷,比较各模型在不同工况下三维活动的角位移（ROM）及骨折端节点位移变化。结果：建立的FE/Intact外观逼真,几何相似性好,经验证有效。在相同条件下FE/Fracture模型三维活动度较FE/Intact模型明显增大,在前屈、后伸、侧屈及旋转方向上的ROM分别增加至FE/Fracture模型的244.7％、203.3％、188.9％、200％;FE/AOSF+cage+ACFLP在前屈、后伸、侧屈、旋转方向上的ROM分别为FE/Intact的60.5％、70％、66.7％、62.5％;FE/AOSF+cage+ACFSP在各方向的ROM分别为FE/Intact的118.4％、123.3％、148.1％、175％;FE/cage+ACFLP在各方向上的ROM分别为FE/Intact的123.7％、143.3％、122.2％、137.5％。FE/AOSF+cage+ACFLP稳定性最强,骨折端位移最小;FE/AOSF+cage+ACFSP稳定性较差,其在侧屈和旋转方向上ROM及骨折端位移最大;FE/cage+ACFLP在前屈及后伸方向上提供的稳定性最差,骨折端的位移最大。结论：FE/AOSF+cage+ACFLP固定可为枢椎椎体横行骨折合并Hangman骨折提供较强的生物力学稳定性,达到固定融合C2~C3节段和骨折断端以重建上颈椎稳定性的目的。     

Cervical zygapophysial (facet) joint pain: effectiveness of interventional management strategies

Diagnostic facet joint nerve blocks have been utilized in the diagnosis of cervical facet joint pain in patients without disk herniation or radicular pain due to a lack of reliable noninvasive diagnostic measures. Therapeutic interventions include intra-articular injections, facet joint nerve blocks and radiofrequency neurotomy. The diagnostic accuracy and effectiveness of facet joint interventions have been assessed in multiple diagnostic accuracy studies, randomized controlled trials (RCTs), and systematic reviews in managing chronic neck pain.

This assessment shows there is Level II evidence based on a total of 11 controlled diagnostic accuracy studies for diagnosing cervical facet joint pain in patients without disk herniation or radicular pain utilizing controlled diagnostic blocks. Due to significant variability and internal inconsistency regarding prevalence in a heterogenous population; despite 11 studies, evidence is determined as Level II. Prevalence ranged from 36% to 67% with at least 80% pain relief as the criterion standard with a false-positive rate ranging from 27% to 63%.

The evidence is Level II for the long-term effectiveness of radiofrequency neurotomy and facet joint nerve blocks in managing cervical facet joint pain. There is Level III evidence for cervical intra-articular injections.     

终板环在颈椎前路椎体次全切除植骨融合术中防止钛网沉陷的临床价值

目的：探讨使用终板环对颈椎前路椎体次全切除植骨融合术后钛网沉陷及临床效果的影响。方法：对2008年2月至2011年2月采用颈椎前路椎体次全切除植骨融合术治疗的71例脊髓型颈椎病患者进行回顾性分析,男38例,女33例;年龄39-74岁,平均53.8岁。根据术中是否使用终板环将71例患者分为终板环使用组（33例）及无终板环使用组（38例）。比较两组手术前后的影像学资料及临床疗效。影像学评价指标为融合节段前凸角度（Cobb角）及融合节段椎体间前缘高度（Da）、后缘高度（Dp）及平均高度（Dm）,用以评估钛网沉陷情况;临床疗效评价指标为JOA评分,观察改善率,并记录术后症状及Odom分级。结果：71例患者的随访时间为13-34个月,平均19.5个月。影像学评价：两组患者术前及术后1周融合节段Cobb角、平均椎体间高度差异均无统计学意义（P〉0.05）。术后1年,融合节段Cobb角终板环使用组为（9.4±3.8）°,无终板环使用组为（7.5±3.9）°,差异有统计学意义（P〈0.05）;Dm终板环使用组为（57.3±2.2）mm,无终板环使用组为（55.2±2.6）mm,差异有统计学意义（P〈0.05）;沉陷的发生率终板环组为57.6%,无终板环使用组为78.9%,差异有统计学意义（P〈0.05）。临床疗效评价：两组患者术前术后在JOA评分及改善率上差异均无统计学意义（P〉0.05）。术后1年,90.9%的终板环使用组患者及89.5%的无终板环使用组患者Odom评分获得很好或较好结果。结论：终板环的使用可在一定程度上降低钛网沉陷的发生率及其程度。     

前路减压n-HA/PA66支撑体植骨融合术治疗下颈椎骨折脱位的临床观察

目的：探讨前路减压、纳米羟基磷灰石／聚酰胺66（n-HA／PA66）支撑体植骨融合内固定术治疗下颈椎骨折脱位的中期临床效果。方法：回顾性分析2008年1月至2010年12月应用n-HA／PA66支撑体行植骨融合术治疗的42例下颈椎骨折脱位患者的临床资料,其中男29例,女13例;年龄20～65岁,平均46．8岁。损伤节段：C35例,C414例,C,12例,C67例,C74例。伤后神经功能损伤按Frankel分级：A级4例,B级11例,C级13例,D级9例,E级5例。28例行前路伤椎次全切减压,14例行椎问盘切除减压。根据FrankeⅠ分级评估神经功能恢复程度;依据疼痛视觉评分（VAS）评价临床症状改善情况;通过颈椎侧位X线片评估融合节段高度以及前凸角度;通过三维CT评估支撑体位置、外形以及植骨块融合情况。结果：42例均获随访,时间3-5．2年,平均4．1年。术后神经功能Frankel分级：A级2例,B级3例,C级11例,D级8例,E级18例,较术前明显改善（Z=-4．845,P〈0．001）。术后3d及朱次随访时VAS评分分别为2．6±1．8和1．3±1．0,均较术前改善（P〈0．05）。无支撑体脱出、塌陷、破裂等情况出现。末次随访时,1例患者（2．4％）支撑体轻微移位（〈2mm）,总体植骨融合率为97．6％（40／41）。患者术后融合节段高度及前凸角度较术前有明显提高（P〈0．001）,但术后各时间点之间差异无统计学意义（P〉0．05）。支撑体下沉距离平均为（1．5±1．1）mm,下沉率（下沉距离〉3m）为4．8％。结论：n-HA／PA66支撑体能有效恢复及维持融合节段生理高度及弧度,促进植骨融合,方便术后手术节段的影像学观察,是一种较为理想的颈椎前路支撑植骨材料。