Management of combined segment disease

Eighty-five of 148 inflow procedures were performed for combined segment disease. Our study shows that aortofemoral bypass is clinically and functionally superior to axillofemoral bypass in limbs with combined segment disease and hemodynamic criteria for limb salvage. The results of these two procedures are comparable for claudicant limbs. A derivative of segmental plethysmography, the predictive index, can select preoperatively those limbs that will fail to respond to aortofemoral bypass alone. Finally, either in limbs selected for aortofemoral bypass with both ischemic tissue lesions and a predictive index greater than 0.2 or in limbs selected for axillofemoral bypass with ischemic tissue lesions alone, a synchronous procedure can be performed with relatively low morbidity and excellent early functional results.     

Management of adjacent segment disease after cervical spinal fusion

Adjacent segment disease (ASD) was described after long-term follow-up of patients treated with cervical fusion. The term describes new-onset radiculopathy or myelopathy referable to a motion segment adjacent to previous arthrodesis and often attributed to alterations in the biomechanical environment after fusion. Evidence suggests that ASD affects between 2% and 3% of patients per year. Although prevention of ASD was one major impetus behind the development of motion-sparing surgery, the literature does not yet clearly distinguish a difference in the rate of ASD between fusion and disk replacement. Surgical techniques during index surgery may reduce the rate of ASD.     

Combined segment arterial disease

CSAD provides a challenge for the vascular surgeon. Patients are older, sicker, and at greater risk than are patients with unisegmental disease. Similarly, symptoms are more severe and limb loss is more frequent. A multitude of different reconstructive techniques are available, but their injudicious or untimely use can not only fail to improve the patient but can also cause limb loss or death. Their use must be predicated by a differentiation of which arterial segments are hemodynamically involved, yet this determination may not be possible even after extensive noninvasive and invasive investigation. To optimize the approach to these patients, the following principles should be employed. First, incapacitating claudication is a valid indication for a suprainguinal inflow procedure in a good-risk patient. However, indications for surgery should usually be limited to limb salvage, especially if an infrainguinal procedure is contemplated. Medical conditions such as heart failure and diabetes should be improved before arteriography. The latter should delineate the entire infrarenal arterial system, with special attention to the iliac, deep femoral, and pedal arteries. Oblique views may be of critical importance. Noninvasive hemodynamic tests should be used to confirm the need for arterial reconstruction and help delineate areas of functional stenosis. Direct pull-through pressure measurements may be required for ultimate confirmation. If proximal disease is thus defined, as proximal inflow operation should usually be sufficient unless there is extensive gangrene of the foot, in which case synchronous distal grafts may be required. If the proximal graft alone is performed, the patient must be followed closely since approximately 10% of patients may need subsequent distal reconstructions. The role of the "runoff" segments such as the deep femoral artery, popliteal trifurcation, and pedal arteries may be critical. Every effort should be made to ensure flow through these vessels. Profundoplasty alone is seldom indicated but is often a valuable adjunct to other reconstructive procedures. Lumbar sympathectomy is seldom required. PTA is becoming a valuable adjunct to treatment of CSAD, and intraoperative dilatation also has potential attributes. If such an approach is followed, lasting limb salvage with minimal morbidity should be achieved in most patients with CSAD.     

Improved quality of life by combined transplantation in Hirschsprung's disease with a very long aganglionic segment

Background/Purpose: The treatment of children with Hirschsprung's disease beginning in the proximal jejunum remains a challenge for the pediatric surgeon. These patients need a definitive parenteral nutrition, which could lead to a liver impairment. The goal of this work is to assess the quality of life after combined liver, intestine, and right colon transplantation. Methods: This is a retrospective study of 3 patients. Data regarding symptomatology, radiographic and operating findings, postoperating recovery, and quality of life were analyzed and compared with the quality of life before the transplantation. Results: The suspicion of a very long intestinal aganglionosis should be derived from the intestinal biopsies. Three combined liver, intestine, and right colon transplantation operations have been performed. The immunosuppression included steroids, tacrolimus, and azathioprine. An abdominal pull-trough (Duhamel procedure 2, Swenson procedure 1) was performed from 6 to 24 months after the transplantation. The follow-up after the transplantation ranges from 2 to 6 years. These 3 patients are completely off total parenteral nutrition with bowel movements 2 to 3 times a day. Two patients are continent day and night, and one is continent during the day only. Conclusions: Intestinal transplantation is feasible with good results even when a liver impairment needs a combined intestine and liver transplantation. The right colon transplantation, in our experience, does not impair the results. The quality of life after the transplantation is better than before. J Pediatr Surg 38:422-424.     

Management of degenerative disc disease above an L5-S1 segment requiring arthrodesis.

Clear guidelines exist for treating spondylolisthetic deformity and instability. How the surgeon handles adjacent-level degenerative disease is not as well established. Because magnetic resonance imaging now provides us with far more information on the "health" of radiographically normal intervertebral discs, the treatment of dehydrated or degenerated discs adjacent to a fusion is becoming more problematic. In this discussion, two experts discuss their approach to symptomatic lumbosacral spondolisthesis accompanied by adjacent-level disc degeneration. Drs. Herkowitz and Abraham believe strongly that the adjacent segment should be left alone, whereas Dr. Albert recommends extending the fusion in many instances.     

腰椎融合联合邻近节段K-Rod动态固定治疗腰椎退行性疾病

[目的]观察单节段腰椎后路椎间融合联合邻近节段K-Rod动态固定术治疗腰椎退行性疾病的临床疗效。[方法]回顾性分析2010年6月~2012年9月手术治疗的50例腰椎退行性疾病患者的临床资料,根据手术方式不同分为2组:单节段腰椎后路融合联合邻近节段K-Rod动态固定术组(A组)和单节段腰椎后路融合术组(B组),其中A组男14例,女11例;平均年龄(41.2±5.6)岁;B组男12例,女13例;平均年龄(47.4±5.2)岁。评估两组患者的神经改善情况、腰椎总活动度、近端邻近节段活动度及椎间隙高度情况。[结果]随访时间12~25个月,平均16.7个月。无不可逆性神经症状加重、内置物失败等并发症,临床疗效满意。在末次随访时,两组患者术后VAS及ODI评分均获得显著改善(P<0.05);A组动态固定节段的活动度术前(8.50±0.76)°,末次随访(3.45±0.49)°,存在统计学差异(P<0.05);A组动态固定节段的近端临近节段的活动度术前(7.62±0.50)°,末次随访(7.87±0.62)°,无统计学差异;B组近端临近节段活动度术前(8.20±1.13)°,末次随访(8.90±1.03)°,存在统计学差异(P<0.05);在末次随访时,两组腰椎总活动度及椎间隙高度均无统计学差异(p>0.05)。[结论]腰椎后路融合联合邻近节段K-Rod动态固定术治疗腰椎退行性疾病早期疗效明确,能够维持一定的脊柱生物学功能,并能避免相邻节段退变的进展,但远期疗效有待进一步观察。     

Adjacent segment disease after anterior cervical interbody fusion

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: There have been many follow-up studies on anterior interbody fusion for cervical nerve root and spinal cord compression, and excellent neurological outcomes have been reported. However, postoperative degenerative changes at adjacent discs may lead to the development of new radiculopathy or myelopathy. In the previous reports, the incidence of symptomatic adjacent segment disease has ranged from 7% to 15%. PURPOSE: The present study was undertaken to investigate the incidence of symptomatic adjacent segment disease after anterior cervical interbody fusion (ACIF) and to identify the factors that are related to the development of this disease. STUDY DESIGN/SETTING: This is a retrospective cohort study. PATIENT SAMPLE: A total of 112 patients were followed up clinically and radiologically for more than 2 years. OUTCOME MEASURES: Follow-up evaluation was primarily by means of clinical visits. The postoperative course of any symptoms, the findings of neurological examination and serial follow-up radiographs were performed in all patients. METHODS: The diagnosis of symptomatic adjacent segment disease was based on the presence of new radiculopathy or myelopathy symptoms referable to an adjacent level, and the presence of a compressive lesion at an adjacent level by magnetic resonance imaging or myelography. We evaluated the correlation between the incidence of symptomatic adjacent segment disease and the following clinical parameters (age at operation, sex, number of the levels fused) and radiological parameters (preoperative cervical spine alignment, preoperative range of motion of C2-C7 cervical spine, anteroposterior spinal canal diameter, preoperative existence of an adjacent segment degeneration on plain radiograph, myelography and magnetic resonance imaging [MRI]). RESULTS: Symptomatic adjacent segment disease developed in 19 of 112 patients (19%) followed. A Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed in order to follow the disease-free survival of the entire series of patients. The disease-free survival rates were 89% at 5 years, 84% at 10 years and 67% at 17 years. The incidences of indentation of dura matter on preoperative myelography or disc protrusion on MRI at the adjacent level were significantly higher in disease cases (p=.0087, .0299, respectively; chi-squared test). However, the other parameters did not show a statistically significant difference. There were seven cases (37%) who had failure of nonoperative treatment and additional operations were performed. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of symptomatic adjacent segment disease after ACIF was higher when preoperative myelography or MRI revealed asymptomatic disc degeneration at that level regardless of the number of the levels fused, preoperative alignment, spinal canal diameter or fusion alignment.     

Postoperative spino-pelvic stereoradiography to predict adjacent segment disease

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to identify sagittal spinopelvic parameters predictive of adjacent segment disease (ASD) on postoperative whole spine weight-bearing stereoradiography.Materials and methodsA total of 84 patients with previous spinal fusion surgery and documented radiological follow-up with early weight-bearing postoperative whole spine stereoradiography (EOS® Imaging System) were retrospectively included. A pathological group of 42 patients (9 men, 33 women; mean age, 63.1 ± 11.5 [SD] years) who developed documented ASD (mean follow-up, 76.75 months; range: 31.5–158.5 months) was compared with a control group of 42 asymptomatic patients (7 men, 35 women; mean age, 60.9 ± 11.8 [SD] years) (mean follow-up, 115 months; range: 60–197 months) based on sagittal balance evaluation and routinely used spino-pelvic parameters. Comparisons were made using uni- and multivariate analyses.ResultsAt univariate analysis, patients with ASD had an anteriorly displaced sagittal vertical axis (CAM plumb line) and an inadequate lumbar lordosis (LL) in reference to pelvic incidence (PI) compared to controls. They also had higher C7 slope and C2-C7 offset. At multivariate analysis, C2-C7 offset (OR = 1.152; 95% CI: 1.056–1.256; P = 0.001) and a lack of LL (OR = 5.063; 95% CI: 1.139–22.498; P = 0.033) were significantly associated with ASD.ConclusionAnterior cervical imbalance, reflected by an increase in C2-C7 offset and insufficient restoration of LL are postoperative predictive factors of ASD on stereoradiography.     

Adjacent segment disease following expansive lumbar laminoplasty.

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: We developed the technique of expansive lumbar laminoplasty in 1981. In the procedure of laminoplasty, the spinal canal is decompressed by rotatory elevation of the laminae, and bone grafts from the spinous process and posterior iliac bone are placed on the surface of the operated laminae. Therefore, adjacent segment disease due to mechanical stress could be anticipated in the long-term follow-up. PURPOSE: To investigate the incidence of symptomatic adjacent segment disease after expansive lumbar laminoplasty, to identify the factors which are related to the development of this disease, and to discuss the treatment of this postoperative problem. STUDY DESIGN/SETTING: This is a retrospective cohort study. PATIENT SAMPLE: Seventy-one patients (53 men and 18 women with a mean age of 55.7 years) underwent expansive lumbar laminoplasty for the treatment of spinal stenosis. The average length of follow-up was 5.4 years with a range of 2 to 13 years. OUTCOME MEASURES: Follow-up evaluation was primarily by means of clinical visits. METHODS: The incidence of adjacent segment disease which resulted in the deterioration of Japanese Orthopaedic Association score was analyzed. The diagnosis of symptomatic adjacent segment disease was based on both newly developed clinical symptoms and radiological lesions at the disc levels adjacent to the lumbar laminoplasty. We evaluated the correlation between the incidence of symptomatic adjacent segment disease and the clinical parameters and radiological parameters. RESULTS: Eight patients (11%) showed deterioration in the lesions at the segment adjacent to laminoplasty. The disease-free survival rates by Kaplan-Meier survival analysis were 95.7% at 5 years, 63.1% at 10 years, and 42.1% at 13 years. The incidence of spondylolisthesis in the disease group was higher than that in the disease-free group. The preoperative range of motion of L1-L5 in the disease group was significantly higher than that in the disease-free group. In five patients in whom conservative treatment failed for adjacent segment disease, reoperations were performed and they were effective. CONCLUSIONS: It should be taken into account that adjacent segment disease occurs after expansive lumbar laminoplasty. Spondylolisthesis might be a risk factor for the disease. Although reoperation was effective, it is necessary to consider the patient's age and physical condition before choosing further surgical therapy.     

New progress in adjacent segment degeneration/disease

Adjacent segment degeneration/disease (ASD) has been generally accepted as a long‐term complication after spinal surgery. Although the incidence of ASD is not very high, it is gradually recognized to be a very important factor in evaluation of the long‐term effect of spinal fusion. There are many views concerning pathogenic factors and ways of prevention and treatment. The authors review and discuss the current research and this article will describe recent advances in ASD.     

颈椎前路椎间融合术后邻近节段的病变研究

[目的]研究颈椎前路椎间融合术后症状性邻近节段病变的发生率以及预测其发生的因素。[方法]112例颈椎间盘突出症或颈椎病接受颈椎前路椎体问融合术患者，行术后症状的评价，神经学检查及系列放射学检查，分析症状性邻近节段病变的发生率与临床和影像学参数的关系。症状性邻近节段病变的发生率通过Kaplan-Meier生存分析法进行统计，各参数与症状性邻近节段病变的发生率之间的关系通过u检验和t检验分析。[结果]随访时间2—19a，平均9．4a。112例患者中有19例（17％）出现了症状性邻近节段病变，其中男12例，女7例。Kaplan-Meier生存分析法分析未出现症状邻近节段病变的患者比率，5a时比率为89％，10a时为84％，17a时为67％。出现症状性邻近节段病变的病例中，术前脊髓造影上邻近节段硬膜有明显压迹或MRI上邻近节段椎间盘突出的发生率明显高于未出现症状性邻近节段病变的病例（P分别为0．0087及0．0299，双样本t检验）。而其他参数没有显著性差异。7名患者因保守治疗无效而进行了手术。[结论]当术前脊髓造影或MRI显示该节段存在无症状性椎间盘退变时，颈椎前路椎体间植骨融合术后症状性邻近节段病变的发生率明显高，与融合的节段数、术前颈椎曲度、椎管的直径或融合节段的曲度都无关。     

Management of combined vascular malformations

Like single-channel-type vascular malformations, combined lesions are categorized as slow-flow and fast-flow lesions. Many of the combined vascular malformations are associated with soft tissue and skeletal hypertrophy. This article discusses the diagnosis, management, and treatment of patients with capillary lymphaticovenous malformation, capillary-arteriovenous malformation, and capillary-arteriovenous fistulas and congenital lipomatous overgrowth, vascular malformations, epidermal nevi, and skeletal anomalies syndrome.     

Management of recurrent sinus disease in children with cystic fibrosis: a combined approach.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether a combined approach (CA) consisting of functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS), Caldwell-Luc operation, and medial maxillectomy is beneficial for children with cystic fibrosis (CF) with refractory sinonasal disease previously treated with endoscopic procedures alone. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective review and comparison of outcomes of CA and FESS alone for each CF patient. Outcomes measured: sinonasal symptoms, endoscopic findings, number of hospitalizations, antibiotic courses, and forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1). SETTING: Referral hospital. RESULTS: Fifteen children underwent CA between 1996 and 2000 (7 males, 8 females; 13.8 years mean age; 42 months average follow-up period). Significant decrease in number of hospitalizations and intravenous antibiotic courses, with increased mean FEV1 (from 70.2% preoperation to 89.3% postoperation, P < 0.0001) were found. Marked clinical improvement persisted for several years. CONCLUSION: Applying the CA after multiple failed endoscopic procedures in CF patients reduced morbidity and resulted in successful management of sinonasal disease. CA is suggested after multiple failed endoscopic procedures. Further studies of CA as a first-line procedure for difficult sinus cases in children with CF is recommended. EBM rating: C-4.     

Risk factors for adjacent segment disease after lumbar fusion

The incidence of adjacent segment problems after lumbar fusion has been found to vary, and risk factors for these problems have not been precisely verified, especially based on structural changes determined by magnetic resonance imaging. The purpose of this retrospective clinical study was to describe the incidence and clinical features of adjacent segment disease (ASD) after lumbar fusion and to determine its risk factors. We assessed the incidence of ASD in patients who underwent lumbar or lumbosacral fusions for degenerative conditions between August 1995 and March 2006 with at least a 1-year follow-up. Patients less than 35 years of age at the index spinal fusion, patients with uninstrumented fusion, and patients who had not achieved successful union were excluded. Of the 1069 patients who underwent fusions, 28 (2.62%) needed secondary operations because of ASD and were included in this study. In order to identify the risk factors, we matched a disease group and a control group. The disease group consisted of 26 of the 28 patients with ASD, excluding the 2 patients for whom we did not have initial MRI data. Each patient in the disease group was matched by age, sex, fusion level and follow-up period with a control patient. The assumed risk factors included disc and facet degeneration, instability, listhesis, rotational deformity, and disc wedging. The mean age of the 28 patients with ASD requiring surgical treatment was 58.4 years, which did not differ significantly from that of the population in which ASD did not develop (58.2 years, p = 0.894). Of the 21 patients who underwent floating fusion, only 1 developed distal ASD. Facet degeneration was a significant risk factor (p < 0.01) on logistic regression analysis. The incidence of distal ASD was much lower than that of proximal ASD. Pre-existing facet degeneration may be associated with a high risk of adjacent segment problems following lumbar fusion procedures.     

颈椎前路融合术后发生症状性邻近节段退变的临床研究

目的:探讨分析与颈椎前路融合术后发生症状性邻近节段退变相关的因素。方法:自2001年3月-2006年7月共收治354例颈椎病患者,获得随访的263例,其中男185例,女78例,手术时年龄35~76岁,平均51岁,其中神经根型颈椎病54例,脊髓型颈椎病183例,合并两者的有26例。所有患者均接受前路减压、自体髂骨植骨、前路钢板内固定。根据门诊随访,综合评估所有患者的术后临床表现、神经系统及术前术后影像学表现,评价对象包括年龄,性别,融合椎体数,术前颈椎的曲度、活动度,椎管的前后径以及邻近节段的椎间盘突出和椎体前缘骨赘形成等,并根据随访时的侧位X线片将头尾两端邻近椎间隙的骨赘形成程度分为4级,统计学分析引起症状性邻近节段退变的相关因素以及邻近节段退变与骨赘形成程度的关系。结果:263例患者中有39例(14.8%)出现了症状性邻近节段病变,其中男23例,女16例,手术时年龄42~65岁,平均55岁,从手术后到出现邻近节段病变的时间为4~11年,出现邻近节段病变的平均年龄为61岁。这些症状表现为原有颈椎病症状部分或完全缓解后再次出现与邻近节段椎间盘突出相对应的神经症状与体征,而在原手术节段没有脊髓受压的表现。术前脊髓MRI上邻近节段硬膜有压迹或融合节段头侧邻近节段椎间盘低信号的患者,术后发生症状性邻近节段退变的概率明显高于未出现症状的患者,而年龄,性别,融合椎体数,术前颈椎的曲度,活动度,椎管的前后径等研究对象与症状性邻近节段退变没有明显的相关性(P>0.05)。对于发生症状性邻近节段退变的患者,有26例(67%)钢板头端邻近节段发生了骨化,与尾端骨化相比,P<0.01,骨化程度随临床症状的加重而加重。结论:对于因颈椎病而行颈椎前路融合钢板内固定的患者,术前脊髓MRI示有邻近节段硬膜有压迹或融合节段头侧邻近节段椎间盘退变表现者,术后容易发生症状性邻近节段退变,这种退变在侧位X线上可表现钢板头端邻近椎间隙骨化。     

Management of combined pancreatoduodenal injuries.

From 1969 to 1985, 129 patients with combined pancreatoduodenal injuries were treated at one urban trauma center. A total of 104 patients (80.6%) had penetrating wounds, and multiple visceral and vascular injuries were usually associated with the pancreatoduodenal injury. Primary repair or resection of one or both organs coupled with pyloric exclusion and gastrojejunostomy (68 patients) and drainage was used in 79 patients (61.2%) in the entire study and in 59% (36 of 61) of all patients treated since 1976. Simple primary repair of one or both organs and drainage was performed in 31 patients (24%), whereas the remaining 19 patients (14.8%) had pancreatoduodenectomies (13 patients) or no repair before exsanguination (six patients). Major pancreatoduodenal complications occurring in the 108 patients surviving more than 48 hours included pancreatic fistulas (25.9%), intra-abdominal abscess formation (16.6%), and duodenal fistulas (6.5%). The overall mortality rate for the study was 29.5% (38 of 129). The acute mortality rate with these injuries will remain high secondary to injuries to associated organs and vascular structures. The morbidity and late mortality rates related to the moderate to severe pancreatoduodenal injury itself can be decreased by the addition of pyloric exclusion and gastrojejunostomy to the primary repairs.