球囊扩张椎体成形术联合降钙素治疗老年骨质疏松性椎体骨折的疗效

目的回顾性分析球囊扩张椎体后凸成形术联合降钙素治疗骨质疏松性椎体骨折的疗效。方法 2007年2月～2010年1月,对25例35个椎体发生骨质疏松性椎体骨折患者行球囊扩张椎体后凸成形术联合降钙素综合治疗。术中在透视机监视下采用单侧椎弓根穿刺,置入1枚可扩张球囊使骨折塌陷椎体复位,灌注骨水泥充填由球囊扩张所形成的椎体内空腔。术后每天静脉注射鲑鱼降钙素,通过观察患者术后症状改善及骨折复位情况来评估其疗效。结果所有患者随访6～32个月,平均（21.3±0.2）个月。全部患者均顺利完成手术,无症状性并发症发生。术后疼痛明显减轻或消失。术后椎体高度平均恢复率59.5%。结论球囊扩张椎体后凸成形术治疗骨质疏松性椎体骨折可有效缓解疼痛、改善功能及恢复脊柱序列,联合降钙素的应用能有效缓解骨质疏松性椎体压缩骨折引起的疼痛,是治疗骨质疏松性椎体骨折的较好微创方法之一。     

椎体后凸成形术治疗骨质疏松性椎体压缩骨折

目的探讨单球囊扩张椎体后凸成形术治疗老年骨质疏松性脊柱压缩骨折的临床疗效。方法采用单球囊双侧扩张椎体后凸成形术治疗老年骨质疏松性脊柱压缩骨折8例17椎,均为新鲜骨折,腰背部疼痛剧烈,无神经症状及体征。术前CT显示椎体后壁均完整。MRI显示骨折椎体在T1WI呈低信号,T2WI呈高信号。在X线C形臂透视下,采用经皮经椎弓根穿刺,在伤椎内先后植入同一枚球囊,扩张使椎体复位后,将含钡骨水泥注入椎体扩张所形成的空腔内。结果所有患者术后疼痛均明显缓解或消失。平均椎体前缘高度恢复50·2%±12·1%。平均灌注骨水泥5·8mL(4·5~7·6mL),1例椎体前缘发生骨水泥渗漏,未引起临床症状。所有患者均获得随访,随访时间6~48个月,平均14·5个月,未发现与手术有关的并发症出现。结论单球囊扩张椎体后凸成形术治疗老年骨质疏松性脊柱压缩骨折可以有效缓解疼痛,恢复椎体高度,疗效满意。     

PKP治疗骨质疏松性椎体压缩性骨折

目的探讨经皮球囊扩张椎体后凸成形术治疗骨质疏松性椎体压缩性骨折的临床疗效和安全性。方法2010年1月至2012年1月采用经皮球囊扩张椎体后凸成形术治疗骨质疏松性椎体压缩性骨折42例48椎,其中男10例,女32例;年龄55—86岁,平均68．1岁。在C型臂x线机引导下,经皮穿刺进针,建立工作通道后放人可扩张球囊,复位骨折、形成空腔以及充填骨水泥。观察术后疼痛症状改善、骨折复位及后凸矫正情况。结果42例患者手术均顺利完成,术后随访6～18个月,平均随访12．5个月。疼痛VAS评分由术前平均（7．6±1．8）分降低为术后的（1．9±1．2）分,椎体前缘、中部高度分别由术前的（1．63±0．43）cm、（1．52±0．42）cm增加至术后的（2．06±0．37）cm、（1．96±0．34）cm,差异有统计学意义,椎体后缘高度术前、术后差异无统计学意义。椎体矢状面Cobb角由术前平均（27．8±6．5）°,矫正为术后（16．5±5．3）°。结论经皮球囊扩张椎体后凸成形术是治疗骨质疏松性椎体压缩性骨折安全且近期疗效明显的方法。     

经皮椎体后凸成形术治疗骨质疏松性椎体压缩性骨折

目的评价球囊扩张椎体后凸成形术治疗老年骨质疏松椎体压缩性骨折的疗效和安全性。方法自2008年8月至2011年7月采用椎体后凸成形术治疗老年骨质疏松脊柱压缩骨折30例42椎,患者均有腰背部疼痛。取俯卧位调节手术床使椎体骨折部位过伸,达到满意的闭合复位后,经皮双侧或单侧椎弓根穿刺球囊扩张,填充骨水泥。随访观察患者的疼痛、日常功能以及影像学改变情况。根据术前和术后侧位X线片测量椎体高度、后凸畸形角度,进行统计学分析。利用Oswestry评分、视觉模拟评分（visualanaloguescale,VAS）评定临床疗效。观察有无骨水泥渗漏等并发症。结果术后随访6～24个月,平均10个月。术后伤椎处疼痛均明显缓解,VAS评分从术前平均（8．45±0．48）分降至术后平均（2．45±0．52）分,椎体高度明显恢复,后凸畸形得到矫正。随访期间疗效满意,伤椎高度无明显丢失。未出现严重的骨水泥渗漏并发症。术后椎体高度及伤椎后凸角度与术前比较有统计学差异（P〈0．05）,术后VAS及Oswestry评分与术前比较有统计学差异（P〈0．01）。结论球囊扩张椎体后凸成形术治疗骨质疏松脊柱压缩性骨折,能有效恢复椎体高度和矫正后凸畸形,能迅速缓解疼痛,减少骨折并发症,提高患者生活质量。     

球囊扩张椎体后凸成形术治疗骨质疏松性脊柱压缩性骨折

目的探讨球囊扩张椎体后凸成形术治疗骨质疏松性脊柱压缩性骨折的疗效和安全性。方法自2003年1月~2004年10月采用球囊扩张椎体后凸成形术(kyphoplasty)治疗骨质疏松性脊柱压缩性骨折18例19椎,均为新鲜骨折,腰背部疼痛剧烈,无神经症状和体征。在C型臂X线机透视下,采用经皮穿刺经两侧椎弓根在伤椎内置入2枚球囊扩张后使塌陷椎体复位后,将含钡骨水泥灌注入球囊扩张后所形成的空腔内。观察术后疼痛的改善程度,骨折复位情况及并发症。结果18例手术经过顺利,术后疼痛均有明显缓解或消失,术后24h均可下地活动,X线片示骨折后突畸形平均矫正14°(11°~17°),3例有少量骨水泥渗漏至椎体两侧,无临床症状;2例术后出现不全性肠梗阻,经非手术治疗而治愈,无其他严重并发症。结论球囊扩张椎体后凸成形术治疗骨质疏松性脊柱压缩性骨折具有创伤小、止痛效果好、安全性高,并能恢复脊柱的稳定性和正常序列。     

椎体后凸成形术治疗老年骨质疏松脊柱压缩骨折

目的探讨球囊扩张椎体后凸成形术治疗老年骨质疏松脊柱压缩骨折的疗效和安全性。方法自2000年5月～2002年6月采用椎体后凸成形术(kyphoplasty)治疗老年骨质疏松脊柱压缩骨折30例56椎,均为椎体后壁完整的疼痛性骨质疏松脊柱压缩骨折。手术过程包括经双侧椎弓根或椎弓根旁置入两枚可扩张球囊使骨折塌陷椎体复位,以及用骨水泥充填由球囊扩张所形成的椎体内空腔。观察术后症状改善及骨折复位情况,分析并发症。结果30例患者手术均顺利完成,在术后48h内疼痛均明显缓解。骨折椎体前缘和中部高度的丢失分别由术前的(13.6±2.3)mm和(9.2±1.4)mm减至术后的(4.7±1.5)mm和(3.4±1.1)mm,后凸畸形Cobb角由术前的23.4°±5.2°矫正至术后的9.2°±4.7°。1例患者术后发现少量骨水泥渗漏至椎体侧方软组织内;1例1侧术中穿刺管内出现脑脊液,当即停止该侧手术。此2例患者均未出现临床症状。未出现其他严重并发症。结论球囊扩张椎体后凸成形术作为治疗疼痛性骨质疏松脊柱压缩骨折的新型微创技术,能迅速缓解疼痛、改善功能并恢复脊柱序列。     

经皮椎体后凸成形术治疗椎体骨质疏松性骨折的复位效果观察

目的探讨经皮椎体后凸成形术(percutaneous kyphoplasty,PKP)治疗椎体骨质疏松性骨折的复位效果。方法 2004年6月～2009年2月采用PKP治疗椎体骨质疏松性骨折108例,其中多椎体骨折30例,骨折累及椎体后壁24例。局麻下扩张146个椎体,每椎注射2.5～6.5 mL,平均4.6 mL。根据术前、术后和末次随访X线片测量椎体高度和Cobb角恢复情况。结果患者术后平均随访24个月。球囊扩张程度明显大于椎体高度复位程度,术后伤椎前缘高度平均恢复2.7 mm(33.4%),伤椎中部高度平均恢复2.8 mm(丢失高度的37.8%),Cobb角平均矫正3.3°,单侧与双侧扩张无显著性差异;疼痛改善程度与复位无相关性。结论 PKP球囊在骨质疏松骨折椎体内扩张会使骨小梁压缩骨折,一般仅能使伤椎部分复位,复位程度与近期止痛效果无相关性。     

椎体后凸成形术治疗多发性老年骨质疏松脊柱骨折

目的 探讨应用球囊扩张椎体后凸成形术(Kyphoplasty)治疗多发性老年骨质疏松性脊柱骨折的疗效和安全性。方法 治疗8例17椎多发性老年骨质疏松性脊柱骨折,患者均不伴神经损伤,术前X线及MRI检查证实多发性脊柱骨折,手术在C型臂X线机透视下进行,经皮穿刺,置入可扩张球囊于伤椎塌陷终板前下方,扩张球囊提升终板以恢复椎体高度,在持续X线监视下注入骨水泥强化椎体,同法完成各伤椎的操作。结果 8例17椎均顺利完成手术,术后无脊髓神经根受损表现,48h内疼痛均缓解。X线片复查示伤椎高度基本恢复,后凸畸形大部矫正,未发现并发症。结论 球囊扩张椎体后凸成形术治疗多发性老年骨质疏松脊柱骨折安全有效。     

经皮球囊扩张椎体后凸成形术治疗骨质疏松性脊柱压缩性骨折

目的探讨经皮球囊扩张椎体后凸成形术治疗老年性骨质疏松性脊柱压缩性骨折的疗效。方法对15例(20个椎体)患者行经皮球囊扩张椎体后凸成形术的治疗,分析患者术前术后的临床表现,X线术前术后的对比。结果具有创伤小、手术时间短、并发症少、恢复快、止痛效果好。结论经皮球囊扩张椎体后凸成形术是治疗老年性骨质疏松性脊柱压缩性骨折的理想方法。     

球囊扩张椎体后凸成形术治疗老年骨质疏松性椎体骨折

目的：探讨球囊扩张椎体后凸成形注入骨水泥治疗老年骨质疏松性椎体骨折的疗效。方法：对52例老年骨质疏松性单椎体骨折患者采用球囊扩张椎体后凸成形术治疗。在DSA透视引导下行单侧或双侧椎弓根穿刺,注入骨水泥。结果：发生骨水泥渗漏6例,术后1周腰背疼痛、后凸角度、伤椎高度、活动能力较术前明显改善（P〈0.05）,术后6个月、末次随访与术后1周,上述指标比较差异均无显著性（P〉0.05）。结论：球囊扩张椎体后凸成形注入骨水泥,不仅能够明显缓解骨质疏松性脊柱骨折导致的疼痛,而且可以部分恢复椎体高度和改善脊柱后凸畸形,有利于脊柱功能的恢复。     

Roentgenographic and biomechanical analysis of lumbar fusions: a canine model

An animal model of anterior and posterior column instability was developed to allow in vivo observation of bone remodeling and arthrodesis after spinal instrumentation. Various combinations of spinal fusions and instrumentation procedures were performed after an initial anterior and posterior destabilizing lesion was created at the L5-L6 vertebral levels in 35 adult beagles. After 6 months of postoperative observation, there was improved probability of achieving a spinal fusion if spinal instrumentation had been used. All biomechanical testing was performed after removal of instrumentation to test the inherent stiffnesses and quality of the spinal fusions. The fusions performed in conjunction with instrumentation (group V = Harrington instrumentation and posterolateral fusion; group VI = Luque instrumentation and posterolateral fusion) demonstrated the greatest axial rotation stiffnesses (group V, p less than .05); axial compressive stiffness (group V, p less than .05); and flexural stiffness (group VI, p less than .05). The results show that a spinal fusion can be more reliably achieved and will be more rigid if it is accompanied by spinal instrumentation.     

多椎体结核内固定与非内固定疗效的比较

目的　探讨多椎体结核内固定与非内固定疗效的差异 ,比较二者的优缺点。方法　总结 1990年～ 2 0 0 1年采用脊柱前路病灶清除植骨术与同时用饶氏椎体钉、Ventrofix、Z -Plate钢板、USS等器械内固定治疗胸腰椎结核病人共 12 4例。其中非内固定 6 8例 ,内固定 5 6例。观察术后植骨融合、神经恢复、畸形纠正情况及治愈率。结果　经平均 2 5年的随访证实 ,内固定植骨融合速度快于非内固定组 ,有显著性差异 ;神经功能Frankel分级二组全部得到改善 ;畸形纠正内固定组后弓角较术前平均改进 2 9°、非内固定组平均改进 5°,有显著性差异。内固定组治愈率为 10 0 % ,非内固定组治愈率为 87% ,有显著性差异。结论　脊柱结核内固定可早期重建脊柱稳定性并加速植骨融合 ;有明显改善畸形的作用 ;减少结核复发 ,在治疗多椎体结核中有重要意义     

Comparison of sprotte and Quincke needles with respect to spinal fluid leakage using artificial spinal cord

Purpose This research investigated whether the Sprotte needle causes less leakage of CSF than the Quincke needle in the artificial spinal cord. Methods The changes in intradural pressure, extradural pressure, and leaked volume of CSF were evaluated following puncture with Sprotte and Quincke needles in the artificial spinal cord. Results The decrease in intradural pressure was 9.7±1.8 mm H₂O with the Sprotte needle and 20.5±2.7 mm H₂O with the Quincke needle (P<0.05). The volume of leakage of artificial CSF was 2.0±0.3 ml with the Sprotte needle and 3.3 ±0.3 ml with the Quincke needle (P<0.01). The extradural pressure increase was 166.1±8.2 mm H₂O with the Sprotte needle and 186.8±13.2 mm H₂O with the Quincke needle (P<0.05). Conclusion The Sprotte needle produces less CSF leakage than the Quincke needle.     

胸腰椎骨折伴脊髓损伤治疗进展

脊柱骨折伴脊髓损伤的治疗，一直是脊柱外科关注的课题，随着对神经损伤的病理生理研究深入和手术方法的改进，对其治疗方法和观点也有了进一步的发展。本文就胸腰椎骨折伴脊髓损伤治疗方面的进展进行综述。     

Post operative infections of the spine: technique,indications and results of the surgical treatment - A retrospective study of 90 cases

Post operative infection in spine surgery is a well known complication. The authors studied a series of 90 patients in accordance with an homogenous strategy based on the excision of necrotic and infected tissues, associated with appropriate antibiotics.The results are analyzed according to the degree of infection (which is based on the type of germs and their associations), and type of patients, the delay in diagnosis and the anatomical extension of the infected lesions.Making a difference between superficial and deep infection is of no therapeutic value and may lead to wrong and inadequate treatment.One must separate the common infections (which are due to germs as staphylococcus aureus or others from the urinary or digestive tract), and severe infections (which are either due to a per operative massive and deep contamination, or associated with patient's poor general condition).This series is mainly about posterior approaches to the spine, with or without osteosynthesis. Technical problems for treatment depend on the site of infection, particularly at the thoracic kyphosis level, or at the lumbar level where the muscle necrosis can be extensive. At the cervical level, the infection of an anterior approach mandates a check on the respiratory and digestive tracts.Removing the osteosynthesis is not mandatory in post operative spinal infections, as it may induce severe mechanical destabilization. An anterior approach is not necessarily required in the case of a posterior infection, except with massive contamination of an anterior graft. In some cases, posterior lumbar interbody fusion can lead to the indication for anterior cage removal.Pseudarthrosis of an infected spine, initially treated to obtain fusion, is still the worst complication. In case of previous posterior infection, even a severe one, fusion can still be obtained through a secondary anterior or posterior approach for grafting, with or without osteosynthesis.In this series, there was no neurological complication due to infection.However, eight diceases occured in weak patients with neurological involvement. This points out the importance of the general treatment associated with the surgery, and the necessity of a thorough assessment. a thorough assessment.Résumé Les infections post-opératoires représentent une complication largement documentée dans le domaine de la chirurgie du rachis. Les auteurs étudient une série de 90 patients traités selon une stratégie homogène basée sur l'excision des tissus nécrosés et infectés associée à l'utilisation d'un traitement antibiotique adapté. Les résultats sont analysés en fonction du degré d'infection (basé sur le type de germe et leurs associations) de l'état des patients, du délai pour le diagnostic et de l'étendue anatomique des lésions infectieuses. L'opposition entre infection superficielle et profonde semble sans intérêt sur le plan thérapeutique et peut conduire à un traitement insuffisant ou mal adapté.Il est important de séparer les infections classiques (qui sont dûes à des germes comme le staphylocoque doré ou d'autres germes provenant de la sphère urinaire ou digestive) et les infections sévères (qui sont soit dûes à une contamination per-opératoire massive et profonde ou associées à des patients dont létat général est déficient).Cette série est principalement basée sur les abord postérieurs du rachis avec ou sans ostéosynthèse. Les problèmes techniques pour le traitement dépendent du site de l'infection: aux niveaux thoracique et lombaire, la nécrose musculaire peut être très extensive. Au niveau cervical, l'infection d'un abord antérieur impose de vérifier l'intégrité du tractus aéro-digestif.L'ablation initiale du matériel n'est pas nécessaire dans beaucoup de cas d'infections post-opératoires car elle peut induire des destabilisations sévères et des complications mécaniques supplémentaires. Un abord antérieur n'est pas forcément nécessaire en cas d'infection postérieure mises à part les contaminations massives d'une greffe antérieure ou une infection d'une cage intervertébrale réalisée pour une fusion intersomatique par voie postérieure.La pseudarthrose des greffes sur un rachis infecté qui a été traité initialement pour obtenir une fusion reste encore la plus sévère des complications. Dans les cas d'infections postérieures même sévères, la fusion peut être encore obtenue secondairement grâce à un abord antérieur ultérieur ou même un abord postérieur pour des greffes complémentaires avec ou sans ostéosynthèse.Dans cette série, les auteurs ne signalent aucune complication neurologique dûe à l'infection. Néanmoins, 8 décès sont à déplorer chez des patients fragiles avec signes neurologiques initiaux. Ceci souligne l'importance du traitement général associé à la chirurgie et la nécessité d'un bilan complet de ces malades.EBJIS Congress, Leuven     

儿童无骨折脱位型胸腰髓损伤的临床分析

目的：通过对６例儿童无骨折脱位型胸腰段脊髓损伤的病例分析,进一步认识本病。方法：本组６例全部为胸腰段脊髓损伤。其中不完全脊髓损伤５例,完全性脊髓损伤１例,根据Ｆｒａｎｋｅｌ脊髓损伤分类法：Ａ级１例,Ｂ级２例,Ｃ级３例。保守治疗５例,手术治疗１例。结果：经６个月￣９年１０个月随访,４例完全恢复,１例参照Ｆｒａｎｋａｌ分级法,半年后由入院时的Ｂ级恢复至Ｅ级,１例完全性脊髓损伤病儿无恢复。结论：如何治疗     

Morphometric effects of acute shortening of the spine: the kinking and the sliding of the cord,response of the spinal nerves

Spinal shortening is performed for a wide spectrum of diseases. This study was designed to investigate the morphologic effects of shortening on the spinal cord, to enlighten the amount and direction of the sliding of the cord, the alteration of the angles of the roots, and to identify the appropriate laminectomy length. Total vertebrectomy of T12 was applied to ten sheep models after spinal instrumentation. Gradual shortening was applied to five sheep; then, the degree and direction of the sliding of the spinal cord and the angles of the adjacent roots were measured. On five other sheep, additional sagittal sectioning was performed via excision of the pedicles. Measurements were taken at different laminectomy lengths to record kinking of the spinal cord with gradual shortening. The mean sliding of the spinal cord was 9 mm cranially and 7.8 mm caudally. T11 spinal nerves became more vertical caudally, and T12 spinal nerves achieved an ascending position with gradual shortening. Both T11 and T12 spinal nerves were sharply bent in the foramen and on the pedicle of T13, respectively. In full-length shortening, the mean kink of the spine in the sagittal plane was 92.4° for two levels of hemi-laminectomies, 24.6° for complete laminectomy of T11 with hemilaminectomy of T13, and 20.2° for two levels of complete laminectomies. The slippage of the cord is dominant in the earlier stages and kinking is dominant in later stages of shortening. Increasing the laminectomy length by only a half or one level prevents excessive kinking and compressions at the upper and lower margins of the laminectomy. In the later stages of shortening, the spinal nerves near the vertebrectomy site are at risk because of the sharp bending of the nerves. This study describes the mechanism of the sliding and kinking of the cord due to gradual shortening of the spine, which might be useful in spinal surgery procedures. It also states that it is possible to avoid excessive kinking by planning the appropriate technique of laminectomy style in full-length shortening. This study has been approved by Institutional Review Board by sentence number 1150 on 26 April 2006.     

创伤性上升性脊髓缺血损伤

脊椎损伤后,脊髓损伤平面上升较为少见。作者报告了５例,其中Ｔ１０－１１骨折脱位２例：１例于伤后２周内,截竣平面上升至Ｃ２,呼吸麻痹死亡,１例上升至颈部脊髓,双上肢无力;另３例为Ｔ１２骨折２例,Ｌ３骨折１例：其中截竣平面上升至Ｔ９至１例,Ｔ８者２例。５例患者双下肢皆呈软竣,１例死亡患者尸检见脊髓完整,Ｔ９－１０段脊髓前后动静脉血栓,其向上至Ｃ３,向下至Ｓ１,脊髓前血管、中央血管、髓内小血管多处 栓,     

A thoracic and lumbar spine injury severity classification based on neurologic function grade, spinal canal deformity, and spinal biomechanical stability

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Current well regarded thoracic and lumbar spine injury classifications use mechanistic and anatomical categories, which do not directly rely on quantifiable management parameters. Their clinical usefulness is not optimal. PURPOSE: Formulate an injury severity based classification. STUDY DESIGN/SETTING: This retrospective investigation studied patients who suffered thoracic and lumbar spine injuries, and examined the following three quantifiable parameters: 1) neurologic function grade; 2) spinal canal deformity; 3) biomechanical stability. These parameters are the primary clinical indications for management decisions. PATIENT SAMPLE: One hundred twenty-six consecutive patients with spinal trauma admitted to a level 1 tertiary trauma center from January 1997 to November 2005 were enrolled in this study. OUTCOME MEASURES: Spine injury severity was independently scored on three parameters: 1) neurologic function impairment grade according to the modified Frankel grading method and the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) function scale; 2) spinal canal deformity from translation and intrusion, measured as percent canal cross-sectional area compromise; 3) failure of five possible biomechanical functions in Denis's three anatomic columns, and a sixth group of unstable deformities. All three columns contribute to tensile function. Only the anterior and middle columns provide compression load-bearing function. A combination of three or more column biomechanical function failure or an unstable deformity renders the injury unstable. METHODS: Five fellowship-trained spine surgeons from one institution took part in the study. Hospital medical records, including admission history and physical examination, discharge summary, and operative report (if surgery was performed), were examined for neurologic deficit. Plain radiographs, computed tomographic scans and magnetic resonance imaging were assessed for canal compromise and biomechanical function status. RESULTS: Injuries were located from T3 to L5, 58% of which were at the thoracolumbar junction (T11-L2). Neurologic impairment occurred in 45% (57/126) of patients, with 19 complete paraplegias (Frankel grade A). The average spinal canal cross-sectional area compromise was 56.1% in neurologically impaired and 14.2% for patients who where neurologically intact. The number of tensile element failure patients in neurologically impaired versus intact are as follow: tri-columns 22/4; two columns 16/8; one column 11/17; all columns intact 8/40. Load-bearing element failed in 55/57 neurologically impaired and 63/69 intact patients. Sixty-seven patients had spinal reconstructive surgery. Their average instability profile score was 4.4 out of 6, and canal compromise score was 3.3 out of 5. CONCLUSIONS: A clinically useful thoracic and lumbar spine injury classification should be based on parameters that are the primary indications for management decisions. The same parameters should be injury severity quantifiable as to guide treatment. In this study we introduced spinal canal deformity and column biomechanical functions as quantifiable parameters in thoracic and lumbar injury severity classification. Validation of this method is beyond the scope of this preliminary study.     

Experimental determination of the effect of progressive sharp-angle spinal deformity on the spinal cord

Neurological deficit is a serious though not well-known complication associated with spinal deformity. Sharp-angle kyphosis may be congenital, traumatic, degenerative, infectious, or iatrogenic in origin. Many kyphotic deformities are underestimated, thus leading to severe neurological deficit. In order to determine exactly what procedures of angulation the patients should undergo to stabilize the spine, which are major operations, the authors analyzed in an experimental model the effects of progressive sharp angulation on the anatomy of spinal canal and cord. We found that sharp anterior angulation of 50° causes ante rior-posterior stenosis and the dura will touch the spinal cord. At 90° of angulation, the spinal cord will be squeezed and the pressure in the canal will be double what it was initially, probably leading to ischemia. The experimental confirmation (determination) of these angulations allows the physician in charge to define early in the treatment program when a surgical stabilization procedure should be included, before the angulation causes any neurological damage.