Minimally invasive surgical closure of a spinal dural arteriovenous fistula

OBJECTIVE AND IMPORTANCE: The treatment of a spinal dural arteriovenous fistula (DAVF) via a minimally invasive approach utilizing a tubular retraction system is described. CLINICAL PROBLEM: Spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas are treated by either direct surgical obliteration or endovascular embolization to close the fistula. Surgical treatment traditionally requires a full or hemi-laminectomy with intradural exposure and obliteration of the draining vein of the fistula. TECHNIQUE: Surgical treatment is performed via a targeted, minimally invasive approach to close the draining vein of the DAVF intradurally utilizing a tubular retraction system. CONCLUSION: Surgical treatment of spinal DAVFs can be performed in a targeted, minimally invasive manner with a short operative time and minimal tissue disruption.     

Minimally invasive transmuscular approach for the treatment of benign intradural extramedullary spinal cord tumours: Technical note and results

BackgroundMinimally invasive surgery has expanded over the past two decades and was initially used for the treatment of lumbar disc herniation. Later, this approach was used to treat other spine pathologies, as well as to perform spinal fusion and extended spinal decompression. In this study, we report our experience regarding the use of a minimal surgical approach in the treatment of intradural extramedullary spinal cord tumours.MethodsBetween January 2008 and July 2013, 18 patients with an intradural extramedullary tumour were included in the study (13 thoracic, 4 lumbar and one cervical tumours). The mean age was 59 years. We operated on 11 meningiomas, 6 neurinomas and one ependymoma. All patients underwent minimally invasive surgery using a tubular retractor system to perform a hemilaminectomy in order to access the spinal canal. Fifteen patients had a neurological deficit and 7 suffered from radicular pain prior to surgery.ResultsGross completed resection was performed in all patients. Mean time of surgery was 95 min. Blood loss was less than 200cc. Fifteen patients out of 18 were able to get up the day after surgery. Mean hospital stay was 6 days. There were no complications.ConclusionA minimal surgical approach using a tubular retractor permits an effective resection of intradural extramedullary tumours. This procedure may be a useful tool to decrease the risk of secondary spine instability and postoperative kyphosis, and could also be used for spinal junctions and in fragile patients.     

Anterolateral approach for cervical spinal cord tumors via an anterior microforaminotomy: technical note.

A cervical spinal cord tumor located anteriorly to the spinal cord is conventionally approached through an anterior vertebrectomy followed by bone-graft reconstruction. In order to make a surgical approach minimally invasive, an anterior microforaminotomy technique is used for removal of a tumor located anterior to the spinal cord. When the senior author's experience increased with anterior microforaminotomy for cervical radiculopathy and myelopathy, it was observed that intradural pathology could also be taken care of through the anterior microforaminotomy which did not require bone fusion or postoperative immobilization. For tumor resection, the anterior foraminotomy is made like a flask-shaped hole, with a smaller outer opening similar to that for radiculopathy but incorporating a larger inner opening to accommodate the extent of the tumor in a longitudinal and transverse dimension. The surgical technique is described with two illustrated patients. Postoperatively, the patients did not require a cervical brace. Although their postoperative discomfort was minimal, they were kept in the hospital overnight postoperatively. Spinal stability was well maintained 6 weeks postoperatively. Postoperative imaging of the spine confirmed resection of the tumors. Anterior microforaminotomy is a minimally invasive microsurgical technique which can provide safe and successful removal of tumors located anteriorly to the spinal cord.     

Minimal access spinal technologies: state-of-the-art, indications, and techniques

Minimal access spinal technologies aim primarily at minimizing the trauma associated with surgical exposure of the spine. They owe their existence mainly to recent progress in optical and imaging devices and to the development of instrumentations specifically designed for insertion via minimally invasive approaches. No published scientific studies have proved that minimally invasive techniques are superior over standard techniques. However, patients benefit from the decreased postoperative pain, shorter hospital stay, and expedited return to normal activities. Finally, minimal access spinal technologies are evolving at a fast pace. Progress is being made in defining the indications, and assessable results have been obtained for a number of lesions. This article describes the main techniques and highlights the beneficial effects on patient comfort.     

Minimally invasive spine surgery for the treatment of adult degenerative deformity

The treatment of adult spinal deformity using minimally invasive surgery aims to decrease the morbidity associated with open correction in this traditionally elderly patient population. These techniques are continually evolving and allow decompression, fusion, and instrumentation to be performed with minimal soft tissue disruption, low rates of infection, and reliable surgical correction. Each approach and procedure has its own technical challenges and specific risks. We will provide an overview of multiple minimally invasive approaches for the treatment of adult spinal deformity correction.     

Minimally invasive tubular retractor system for adequate exposure during surgical obliteration of spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas with the aid of indocyanine green intraoperative angiography

Effective surgical obliteration of spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas (DAVFs) traditionally requires laminectomy or hemilaminectomy to allow intradural exposure and occlusion of the draining vein. The authors present successful treatment of a spinal DAVF by using a tubular retractor system to provide minimally invasive exposure at the L5-S1 level adequate for both microsurgical treatment and intraoperative indocyanine green angiography.     

Minimally invasive cardiac surgery

Cardiac surgery has been the last of the surgical specialties to embrace the principles of minimal invasiveness. The complexity and invasiveness of the procedures have presented both a problem and an opportunity to make the procedures less invasive. Beginning with initial attempts at coronary artery bypass surgery through limited access with and without robotics, a number of other cardiac procedures currently are being performed by minimally invasive approaches. These include mitral valve repair, transapical aortic valve implant, limited access, and totally endoscopic pulmonary vein isolation for the treatment of atrial fibrillation and the treatment of aortic aneurysmal disease by thoracic endografting. The experience with less invasive surgery in other specialties has served as cross-fertilization for minimally invasive cardiac surgery.     

Extracranial radiosurgery—applications in the management of benign intradural spinal neoplasms

Stereotactic radiosurgery has enabled the delivery of higher doses of radiation and decreased fractionation due to improved accuracy. Spinal radiosurgery has been increasingly utilized for the management of metastatic extradural spinal disease. However, surgical resection remains the primary treatment strategy for intradural spinal tumors. Preliminary evidence suggests that radiosurgical ablation with stereotactic radiation for intradural spinal lesions may be efficacious in certain clinical scenarios. Local tumor control, pain relief, and improvement in neurologic function with minimal morbidity have been reported in short-term follow-up. However, long-term efficacy of radiosurgery in the management of intradural spinal neoplasms necessitates further validation. As extracranial radiosurgery is a newly evolving modality, a continuative review of the current literature is appropriate. Until a standardized therapeutic window of safety and efficacy can be determined, the recommendation of radiosurgical applications for benign spinal tumors should be reserved for carefully selected cases.     

微创经椎间孔腰椎椎体间融合术的研究进展

腰椎融合是目前治疗腰椎退变性疾病、腰椎不稳及椎间盘源性等疾病的主要手段.经椎间孔腰椎间融合术(transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion,TLIF)是近年发展起来的新型的腰椎融合术,而随着微创脊柱外科(minimally invasive spinal surgery,MISS)的进步,微创TLIF技术也得到了快速的发展,相对传统开放TLIF又有了更进一步的优势.作者就微创TLIF的适应证与禁忌证,手术方式,发展与优势及微创手术辅助器械等方面的研究现状作一综述.     

The Role of Minimally Invasive Surgery in Multifocal Renal Cell Carcinoma

Surgical excision remains the reference standard for treatment of localized renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Laparoscopic and robotic minimally invasive extirpative approaches are being increasingly employed in current urologic practice. Multiple tumors in the same kidney present a unique set of challenges for minimally invasive surgeons. As such, we review recent literature regarding minimally invasive nephron-sparing surgery in patients with synchronous, ipsilateral, multifocal renal tumors. As the experience with these complex operations grows, perioperative, short-term functional and oncologic outcomes appear comparable to traditional open nephron-sparing surgery. Data on surgical approaches to patients with synchronous, ipsilateral, multifocal RCC are emerging. Short-term results suggest minimally invasive nephron-sparing surgery is safe, feasible, and should be considered as a potential treatment option for patients who present with multiple tumors in the same renal unit.     

Midline ventral intradural schwannoma of the cervical spinal cord resected via anterior corpectomy with reconstruction: technical case report and review of the literature

OBJECTIVE AND IMPORTANCE: Spinal cord schwannomas are intradural nerve sheath tumors that almost universally occupy a dorsolateral, lateral, or ventrolateral position. Therefore, resection of these lesions typically proceeds via a posterior or posterolateral approach. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: We present a case of a midline ventral intradural schwannoma of the cervical spinal cord causing myelopathy. To the best of our knowledge, no previous reports specifically discuss purely midline ventral intradural schwannomas. INTERVENTION: Resection of the tumor was performed via an anterior cervical corpectomy with spinal arthrodesis and fixation. We review possible causes for such an anomalous location for schwannoma as well as the advantages and disadvantages of various surgical strategies for removing the tumor. CONCLUSION: This case exemplifies the usefulness of anterior approaches to the cervical spine in treating unusual intradural spinal cord tumors.     

Totally laparoscopic abdominal aortic aneurysm repair.

Current experience with totally laparoscopic aortic aneurysm repair is reviewed with particular attention to the techniques of surgery. Vascular surgery has been slow to enter the field of minimally invasive surgery because of the unique difficulties of managing arterial anatomy with minimal access techniques. Laparoscopic instrumentation has undergone a stunning evolution, and surgeon experience with minimally invasive surgery has grown exponentially. This dramatic revolution has allowed several groups to perform laparoscopic aortic vascular surgery. The surgical approach that each group has taken has varied. The approaches have included both laparoscopically assisted and totally laparoscopic aortic surgery with both transperitoneal and retroperitoneal approaches to the aorta. A review of these varied techniques will be discussed and include our experience with totally laparoscopic aortic surgery. This experience includes both transperitoneal and retroperitoneal approaches to infrarenal aortic aneurysms. An extended discussion of our surgical technique for aneurysm bypass is included. Patient selection, patient positioning, and trocar placement are described. The pattern of surgery for both techniques is enumerated, and postoperative care is discussed. However, the world experience with minimally invasive vascular surgery remains small, therefore a wider acceptance will require a prospective, randomized trial that shows an equally as safe surgical approach as provided open vascular surgery. With its acceptance, minimally invasive vascular surgery should show the patient benefits that befall minimally invasive surgery patients.     

Value analysis of minimally invasive spine surgery

The purpose of this article is to acquaint readers with the current methodology and evidence on outcome assessment and economic value for minimally invasive spinal surgical procedures. This article will review the standardized outcome measures, calculations of direct and indirect costs, quality-adjusted life years, and economic comparisons of spinal surgical procedures. The available literature suggests that minimally invasive spine surgery is cost effective; however, further research is needed to better assess the longer-term outcomes and cost–utility benefits of minimally invasive spinal interventions in comparison to open surgical approaches.     

Minimally invasive surgery for the lumbar spine

Minimally invasive spine surgery is a rapidly developing field that has the potential to decrease surgical morbidity and improve recovery compared to traditional spinal approaches. Minimally invasive approaches have been developed for all regions of the spine, but have been best documented for degenerative conditions of the lumbar spine. Lumbar decompression and lumbar interbody fusion are two of the most well-studied minimally invasive surgical approaches. This article will review both the rationale and technique for minimally invasive lumbar decompression and for a minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF).     

脊柱转移性肿瘤外科治疗相关问题探讨

以外科为主导的多学科综合治疗模式已成为脊柱转移性肿瘤治疗的综合策略和整体观念,但脊柱转移性肿瘤的手术治疗不同于脊柱原发恶性肿瘤,手术只是多学科综合治疗模式当中的一个环节。因此,脊柱转移性肿瘤的外科治疗策略应首先立足于患者的生存评估,综合评估转移瘤的脊柱稳定性破坏、脊髓神经功能障碍、肿瘤生物学特点,制定适度的外科手术干预级别。应重视脊柱转移性肿瘤的微创治疗,结合放疗新技术、新辅助化疗、靶向治疗等内科治疗的进展,制定个体化、阶梯化的综合治疗模式,以缓解患者疼痛、重建脊柱稳定、避免瘫痪。在改善患者生存、增加局部肿瘤控制率和可能提高生存时间的同时,尽可能避免过度手术。     

Robot-assisted retroperitoneal partial nephrectomy: technique and perioperative results

Abstract Growing evidence supports the use of nephron-sparing techniques for the management of appropriately selected renal masses up to 7?cm. Compared with the surgical standard of open partial nephrectomy, minimally invasive approaches have demonstrated equivalent cancer control with reduced patient morbidity. Robot assistance has the potential to provide patients and physicians greater access to minimally invasive nephron-sparing surgery. We describe a robot-assisted retroperitoneal approach for the management of posterior renal masses. Our early results suggest reduced perioperative morbidity with the ability to manage more complex tumors.     

Minimally invasive spinal surgery

Minimally invasive surgery offers quicker recovery and less morbidity for our patients through smaller surgical wounds and less tissue trauma. Although minimally invasive surgery has progressed in other fields of surgery for many years, spine surgeons have not previously embraced this philosophy for the various reasons discussed. However, minimally invasive spinal surgery has gained much interest in recent years. With the advent of new instrumentation, technology, and techniques, the promise of minimally invasive surgery in the spinal arena has become a reality. With the use of the microscope, navigational tools, newly developed canula for retraction, and image-guided percutenous pedicle screw systems, we can accomplish the same surgical procedures as currently used through smaller wounds and with greater precision. Nevertheless, all new technology does offer us an initial challenge of steep learning curves. Minimally invasive should not equate to minimal and inadequate treatment for our patients. Furthermore, careful analysis of this new technique is underway to assess its true advantages as compared with our current and proven techniques.     

Emerging directions in motion preservation spinal surgery

In this review, we focus on novel surgical techniques and spinal arthroplasty systems inactive development. First, we discuss systems that allow for minimally invasive approaches to the lumbar disc space: (1) lateral approaches, (2) posterior approaches,and (3) oblique approaches. These techniques offer the potential for a minimally invasive lumbar arthroplasty system. Second, we discuss novel facet replacement technology. The facet joints, with the intervertebral disc, comprise the three-joint complex of the spinal unit. Facet joint health is thus crucial to proper disc biomechanics and function. Finally,we discuss dynamic neutralization of the lumbar spine with an artificial posterior tension band device. This allows for a certain degree of immobilization without fusion. Minimally invasive surgical approaches, facet arthroplasty, and posterior tension band devices may be the future of motion preservation spinal surgery.     

Use of topically applied rt-PA in the evacuation of extensive acute spinal subdural haematoma

Spontaneous spinal subdural haematoma is a rare cause of spinal cord compression, usually confined to a few vertebral levels. When the haematoma extends over several spinal segments, surgical decompression is a major undertaking. Recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) has previously been used in a number of surgical procedures, but not in the setting of acute spinal subdural haematoma. A minimally invasive technique of decompression, using topical rt-PA, is presented in two patients with extensive spinal intradural haematoma. Two patients receiving long-term anticoagulation therapy presented with acute-onset back pain progressing to paraparesis. Magnetic resonance imaging of the spine demonstrated spinal subdural haematomas extending over 15 vertebral levels in one patient and 12 in the other. An angiography catheter was introduced into the subdural space through a limited laminectomy. Thrombolysis and evacuation of haematoma was then achieved by intermittent irrigation of the subdural space with rt-PA, followed by saline lavage. Postoperative imaging demonstrated satisfactory decompression in both patients. There was significant improvement of neurological function in one patient. Topical application of rt-PA for spinal subdural haematoma allows evacuation of the haematoma through a limited surgical exposure. Decompression of the subdural space by this minimally invasive technique may be advantageous over extensive surgery by minimising surgical exposure, reducing postoperative pain and risk of neuronal injury. This technique may be useful in patients presenting with compression extending over several vertebral levels or poor surgical candidates.