Preoperative halo-traction in severe paralytic scoliosis

AIM: During the past decades the treatment of severe paralytic scoliosis has developed towards surgical treatment. However there is controversial discussion about the need of pre-operative Halo-traction. The aim of this study was to built two groups of patients -- one group with and another one without pre-operative Halo-traction -- and to compare the results after surgical correction of scoliotic deformity with data from literature. METHOD: Between 2000-2003 twenty-five patients with severe neuromuscular spine deformity were treated surgically. Eight patients had preoperative Halo-traction, seventeen patients underwent directly operative correction and instrumentation. The evaluation included the pre- and postoperative X-rays as well those after Halo-traction before surgery. RESULTS: In the group without Halo-traction the scoliotic angle according to Cobb was reduced from 77 degrees to 33 degrees on average (mean correction of 44 degrees [57 %]). In the group with Halo-traction scoliosis was reduced from 85 degrees to 33 degrees on average (mean correction of 52 degrees [61 %]). CONCLUSION: The preoperative Halo-traction in patients with severe neuromuscular scoliosis indeed leads to radiologically higher correction, but this is not significant (p = 0.19) and only in single cases clinically relevant. In our point of view except from specific indications Halo-traction should not be applied in general as a standard procedure.     

Transmission of impulses from pre- to postganglionic vasoconstrictor and sudomotor neurons

Transmission of impulses of pre- to postganglionic neurons supplying skeletal muscle and skin of the cat's hindlimb and tail was investigated. The objective of the study was to determine whether these postganglionic neurons can be influenced from the preganglionic side by non-nicotinic synaptic mechanisms in the lumbar sympathetic chain ganglia. The activity of the postganglionic neurons was recorded from their axons being isolated from peripheral skin and muscle nerves. (1) Vasoconstrictor neurons can be activated by muscarinic action of released acetylcholine and by a non-cholinergic synaptic mechanism. This type of non-nicotinic excitation of postganglionic vasoconstrictor neurons requires the activation of thin, probably unmyelinated preganglionic axons and considerable summation. Postganglionic sudomotor and pilomotor neurons cannot be activated in this way. (2) Ongoing activity in postganglionic vasoconstrictor neurons, but not in sudomotor neurons, can be enhanced for up to 60 min by brief trains of stimuli applied to the preganglionic site. Also this enhancement requires the activation of thin preganglionic axons. (3) Stimulation of thin preganglionic axons leads to an activation of muscle vasoconstrictor neurons via non-nicotinic synaptic mechanisms in the ganglia after complete block of nicotine transmission. (4) Postganglionic vasoconstrictor neurons and sudomotor neurons may be inhibited by a catecholaminergic autogenic mechanism in the ganglia. (5) The results indicate that integration may take place in the sympathetic chain ganglia by other than divergent and convergent processes. In this integration muscarinic actions of released acetylcholine and non-cholinergic synaptic mechanisms may be involved.     

Occurrence of a segmental kyphosis after laminectomy of C2 for an aneurysmatic bone cysts--course and treatment strategy

HISTORY: A 9-year-old girl suffered from an enlarging tumor in the lamina of the axis. After resection of the aneurysmatic bone cyst via laminectomy of C2 an anterior plate-fusion of C2/3 was done. Instead of a correctly placed ventral cervical plate, an adjacent instability of the level C3/4 with kyphosis and subluxation of the facet joints was seen at follow-up. COURSE OF TREATMENT: After reposition over a hypomochlion retention was achieved with a halo body-jacket. Two weeks later the level C3/4 was stabilized by posterior instrumentation. After almost two years the patient has no complaints and the radiological controls show correctly placed instrumentation and increasing bony fusion at the levels C2/3 and C3/4. CONCLUSION: Especially in children and adolescents laminectomy of a cervical vertebra often leads to kyphotic deformities. When using a posterior approach for surgery of intraspinal lesions or in case of tumors of the dorsal elements of the spine, the laminae and posterior structures should be preserved or, respectively, reconstructed for restoration of traction and tension mechanisms. This is of essential relevance for biomechanical stability and maintenance of the sagittal profile of the spine.     

Magnetic resonance imaging after reduction for congenital dislocation of the hip

BACKGROUND: Reliable concentric reduction of the femoral head and subsequent retention in a centred position are indispensable preconditions for the remodelling of the acetabulum in developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) and to prevent damage to the hip joint, i.e. avascular necrosis. The objective of this study is to evaluate the necessity of verifying the reduced position of the articulation in the plaster cast. METHOD: MRI was carried out in 15 infants with 21 unstable hip joints after reduction under arthrographic control and fixation in a plaster cast in the 'human' position with the hips flexed above 90 degrees and abducted to 50 degrees or 60 degrees. When the reduction was found to be inadequate-the hip still partially or completely dislocated-the plaster cast was removed, reduction repeated, a new cast applied, and MRI carried out again. RESULTS: After primary reduction, 1 of 21 hips was dislocated, and 2 showed unsatisfactory reduction. Three hip joints out of 21 (14.3%) were not fixed in the plaster cast in the optimal centred position. CONCLUSION: In view of the number of inadequate reductions in plaster casts, we recommend verifying the position of the hip joint by MRI. This MRI documentation should be established as a standard examination post-reduction.     

Surgical management and outcomes of patients with bone metastases in germ cell tumors: A case series

Objective

To report perioperative and oncological outcomes of patients with nodal and bone involvement treated with postchemotherapy retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (PC-RPLND) and simultaneous bone resection (BR).

Epiphysenlösung

Slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) is a common hip disorder in adolescence and should be diagnosed and treated surgically as soon as possible. The etiology, biomechanical, biochemical and hereditary factors are still under investigation. The classification of SCFE is based on the acuteness, clinical and radiomorphological findings. Avascular necrosis of the epiphysis (AVN) and chondrolysis occur more often in operated than in non-operated patients. Medium and long-term sequelae of SCFE are loss of function and degenerative joint disease due to femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) or consequences from complications such as AVN and chondrolysis. For mild slips the long-term prognosis is better than for moderate or severe slips. Higher grade unstable SCFE may benefit from reduction while in chronic slips corrective osteotomy may be indicated. Traditional osteotomy procedures, such as Imhäuser or Southwick intertrochanteric osteotomy are safe procedures but correct the deformity distant from the site of the deformity. The surgical dislocation with modified Dunn osteotomy according to Ganz allows the preparation of an extended retinacular soft tissue flap and offers an extensive subperiosteal exposure of the circumference of the femoral neck before reducing the slipped epiphysis anatomically. In cases of FAI due to mild deformities restoration of the head-neck offset via hip arthroscopy or surgical dislocation should be considered before higher grade cartilage damage occurs.     

Midterm results following revision surgery in clubfeet

Relapse rates of surgically treated clubfeet are about 25%. We reviewed 43 patients (57 feet) treated for relapsed clubfoot deformity between 1992 and 2001 in our department. The average age of the patients at the time of revision surgery was 5.1 years, the mean follow-up was 6.6 years. Surgical therapy was performed using an algorithm according to age groups. The mean Atar score at follow-up was 77 points, representing a good outcome. Out of 57 feet, 20 (35%) were rated excellent, 24 (42%) good, 5 (9%) fair, and 8 (14%) poor. The number of previous surgical interventions had no influence on the outcome. Using an age related surgical algorithm, good postoperative results could be achieved in most of our patients, thus improving their functional situation. This emphasises the usefulness of the proposed algorithm in the difficult situation of recurrent clubfoot, while thorough analysis of the underlying deformity remains essential.     

Cortical somatosensory-evoked potentials during spine surgery in patients with neuromuscular and idiopathic scoliosis under propofol-remifentanil anaesthesia

BACKGROUND: Intraoperative monitoring of the spinal cord via cortical somatosensory-evokedpotentials (SSEP) is a routine during spinal surgery. However,especially in neuromuscular scoliosis, the reliability of corticalSSEP has been questioned. Therefore, we compared the feasibilityof cortical SSEP in idiopathic and neuromuscular scoliosis usinganaesthetics known to have only minimal effect on SSEP recordings. METHODS: Total intravenous anaesthesia with propofol and remifentanilas continuous infusion was standardized for all the patients.Median and tibial nerve cortical SSEP were monitored in 54 patientswho underwent surgery for spinal deformity. Twenty-seven hadidiopathic scoliosis and 27 had neuromuscular scoliosis. Theportion of reproducible results and intraoperative changes werecompared between the groups. RESULTS: In both groups, cortical SSEP could be monitored with sufficientreliability. Only in two patients with idiopathic and four patientswith neuromuscular scoliosis no reproducible traces could beobtained. The amplitudes in patients with neuromuscular scoliosiswere lower than in those with idiopathic scoliosis, but notstatistically significant. There were no postoperative neurologicaldeficits. The number of false positive and true positive didnot differ between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Assessment of cortical SSEP during spine surgery was equallyeffective and reliable in patients with neuromuscular scoliosisand in patients with idiopathic scoliosis, possibly as a resultof propofol–remifentanil anaesthesia.     

Stimulating catheter as a tool to evaluate peripheral nerve function during hip rotationplasty

OBJECTIVE: Stimulating catheters have been introduced into clinical practice to confirm perineural localization of the catheters. The muscular twitch induced over the catheter may be used to evaluate nerve function intraoperatively. Therefore, the function of the sciatic nerve was evaluated during major cancer surgery of the femur. CASE REPORT: A 7-year-old boy (29 kg) was scheduled for hip rotationplasty for resection of an osteosarcoma of the left femur under general anesthesia and postoperative pain therapy with an epidural stimulating catheter. In hip rotationplasty the femur is resected, the lower limb and foot are rotated 180 degrees and the tibia plateau is attached to the pelvic acetabulum to form a new hip joint. During preparation of the left thigh and the sciatic nerve, motor responses to stimulation of the catheter were preserved, but the stimulation threshold increased. After vascular anastomosis the foot remained cold, therefore ropivacaine was applied epidurally and subsequently a warming of the foot was observed. At the end of the operation, the patient was free of pain, a good capillary pulse of the leg was observed, and the patient was able to move the foot and toes of the rotated leg. CONCLUSIONS: The use of epidural stimulating catheters as a tool to monitor nerve function is a novel and simple procedure to monitor nerve function intraoperatively and to enable good postoperative pain control.