Modified transcorporeal anterior cervical microforaminotomy for cervical radiculopathy: a technical note and early results

A prospective analysis of the first twenty patients operated for cervical radiculopathy by a new modification of transcorporeal anterior cervical foraminotomy technique. To evaluate early results of a functional disc surgery in which decompression for the cervical radiculopathy is done by drilling a hole in the upper vertebral body and most of the disc tissue is preserved. Earlier approaches to cervical disc surgery either advocated simple discectomy or discectomy with fusion, ultimately leading to loss of motion segment. Posterior foraminotomy does not address the more common anterior lesion. Twenty patients suffering from cervical radiculopathy not responding to conservative treatment were chosen for the new technique. Upper vertebral transcorporeal foraminotomy was performed with the modified technique in all the patients. All the patients experienced immediate/early relief of symptoms. No complications of vertebral artery injury, Horner’s syndrome or recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy were noted. Modified transcorporeal anterior cervical microforaminotomy is an effective treatment for cervical radiculopathy. It avoids unnecessary violation of the disc space and much of the bony stabilizers of the cervical spine. Short-term results of this technique are quite encouraging. Longer-term analysis can help in outlining the true benefits of this technique.     

Inferiorly Migrated Disc Fragment at T1 Body Treated by T1 Transcorporeal Approach

Upper thoracic vertebral bodies are difficult to access using standard anterior approaches. It may require sternotomy and claviculectomy, which carries significant possibility of morbidities. We report a case of inferiorly migrated cervicothoracic junction disc treated successfully by anterior upper-vertebral transcorporeal approach. This specific technique obviated the need of sternotomy, created favorable working space and saved the motion segment at cervicothoracic junction. This report is the first transcorporeal approach to a disc fragment at T1-2 space without fusion.     

微创前路经上位椎体椎间孔减压术治疗神经根型颈椎病

【摘要】 目的：探讨微创前路经上位椎体椎间孔减压术治疗神经根型颈椎病的有效性。方法：2008年7月~2010年7月12例单侧神经根型颈椎病患者在延边大学医院接受微创前路经上位椎体椎间孔减压术。其中男7例,女5例,年龄为35~68岁,平均49岁。椎间孔狭窄部位：C5/6 4例,C6/7 5例,C7/T1 3例。软性髓核突出3例,钩椎关节骨质增生7例,突出的髓核钙化2例。均行前路手术,术中采用脊柱手术专用显微镜,在病变上位椎体确定钻孔起始部位,利用高速钻石气钻磨出一约6mm直径的通路达到病变区域,减压椎间孔。观察术前及末次随访时上肢放射性疼痛的VAS评分、颈椎功能障碍指数（NDI）及病变水平椎间盘高度。结果：手术时间为56~110min,平均86±6min;术中失血量为40~120ml,平均92±8ml。无椎动脉损伤、贺纳氏综合征、喉返神经损伤等并发症。术后随访时间为12~23个月,平均15.8±1.3个月。术前上肢疼痛VAS评分为8.5±0.5分（7~10分）,末次随访时为1.4±0.2分（0~3分）,两者比较有显著性差异（P<0.05）;术前NDI为26.4±1.3分（22~31分）,末次随访时为4.2±0.6分（3~8分）,两者比较有显著性差异（P<0.05）,改善率为84.1%;术前病变水平椎间盘高度为5.4±0.7mm（4.2~6.1mm）,末次随访时为4.9±0.7mm（3.6~5.8mm）,两者比较无显著性差异（P>0.05）。术后满意度为100%。结论：微创前路经上位椎体椎间孔减压术可减少对椎间盘的损伤,是治疗单侧神经根型颈椎病的有效手术方法。     

Outcomes and technical issues of transcorporeal anterior cervical microforaminotomy in patients with cervical brachialgia

IntroductionTranscorporeal anterior cervical microforaminotomy is a motion-preserving surgery. It addresses directly to the prolapsed disc in contrast to posterior laminoforaminotomy and does not affect facet joints; in the transuncal approach, there is a chance of vertebral artery injury and it also decreases disc height; hence, may alter the motion of that segment.ObjectiveAim is to assess the outcome of surgery and its effectiveness.MethodsA total of 40 patients were observed retrospectively of which 33 were male and 7 were female. A single study of transcorporeal anterior cervical microforaminotomy was analyzed in a private hospital (Comfort Hospital), Dhaka, Bangladesh. Patients having pure brachialgia who were not relieved by conservative treatment over 6–8 weeks in cervical disc prolapse were included in the study. Patients having more than one level of disease, features of myelopathy, or instability were excluded from the study.ResultsAll patients were pain-free postoperatively, although after one to two months 2 out of 40 patients developed brachialgia and required anterior cervical discectomy and fusion.ConclusionTranscorporeal microforaminotomy for brachialgia is a safe and effective approach that is motion preserving and minimally invasive as well.     

Shaeer’s Punch Technique: Transcorporeal Peyronie’s Plaque Surgery and Penile Prosthesis Implantation

BackgroundPenile prosthesis implantation in cases of severe Peyronie’s disease may require plaque excision/incision and grafting, which may require mobilization of the neurovascular bundle or urethra, posing the risks of penile hyposensitivity or urethral injury, and is time-consuming, possibly increasing infection risk.AimEvaluating transcorporeal debulking of Peyronie’s plaques by “Shaeer’s punch technique.”MethodsPenile prosthesis implantation and punch technique (PPI-Punch) was performed for 26 patients. After corporotomy and dilatation, Peyronie’s plaques were punched out from within the corpora cavernosa using the punch forceps, and then a penile prosthesis was implanted. Comparison to a matching retrospective group of 18 patients operated upon by plaque excision-grafting and penile prosthesis implantation was performed.OutcomesThe study outcomes were straightness of the erect penis, complication, satisfaction with length on a 5-point scale, the International Index of Erectile Function-5, and the Erectile Dysfunction Inventory of Treatment Satisfaction questionnaire.ResultsAverage preoperative curvature angle was 58.1 ± 11.7 in the Punch group and 58 ± 14.8 in the excision-grafting group, p=0.99. After surgery, all patients had a straight penis. No tunical perforations, urethral injuries, or extrusions were noted. Average additional operative time for Punch technique ranged from 5 to 10 minutes (7.3 ± 1.7), in contrast to the excision-grafting group where plaque surgery duration was 50.8 minutes ± 11.1, an 85% difference, p < 0.0001. Septal plaques in the latter group could not be removed. In the PPI-Punch group, penile sensitivity was preserved in all patients, compared with the excision/grafting group, with 7 of 18 patients reporting hyposthesia of the glans. Infection occurred in 1 of 26 patients in the PPI-Punch group, compared with 2 of 18 patients in the excision/grafting group. Satisfaction with length on a 5-point scale was 3.8 ± 0.9 in the punch group, versus 3.1 ± 1.1 in the excision-grafting group, p=0.009.Clinical ImplicationsThe proposed technique is minimally invasive and prompt, possibly decreasing the known complications of plaque surgery and PPI including sensory loss.Strengths & LimitationsOne limitation is the inability to accurately measure preoperative erect length in patients with erectile dysfunction with poor response to intracavernous injections.ConclusionShaeer’s punch technique is a minimally invasive procedure for transcorporeal excavation of Peyronie’s plaques before penile prosthesis implantation, omitting the need for mobilization of the neurovascular bundle or spongiosum, and hence, there is low or no risk for nerve or urethral injury and brief plaque surgery time.Shaeer O, Soliman Abdelrahman IF, Mansour M, et al. Shaeer’s Punch Technique: Transcorporeal Peyronie’s Plaque Surgery and Penile Prosthesis Implantation. J Sex Med 2020;17:1395–1399.     

经椎体入路经皮内镜下颈椎间盘髓核摘除术的可行性研究

目的：探讨经椎体入路在经皮内镜下进行颈椎间盘髓核摘除神经减压的可行性。方法2014年3—9月,选取4具新鲜冰冻尸体标本进行前瞻性研究,男女各2具,年龄50~70岁。术前CT检查确定手术靶点和设计骨性通道,经C4、C5、C6、C7椎体入路手术各1具。于血管鞘和气管食管鞘之间进行椎体穿刺,置入工作外鞘于椎体内,镜下磨钻磨除骨质建立骨性通道,经皮内镜直视下去除突出的髓核及骨赘。记录手术时间、透视曝光次数,术后CT检查解剖术区相应组织结构。结果4具尸体均完成经椎体入路的经皮内镜下颈椎间盘髓核摘除术操作,C4和C5骨性通道方向为前上至后下,C6和C7为前下至后上。手术时间分别为92、73、65和60 min,平均72．5 min;术中透视次数24、21、19和18次,平均20．5次。术后CT检查证实骨性通道完整,椎体无骨折塌陷。结论经椎体入路在经皮内镜下进行颈椎间盘髓核摘除脊髓与神经根减压是可行的,该手术方式值得临床进一步研究应用。