Do Current Recommendations for Upper Instrumented Vertebra Predict Shoulder Imbalance? An Attempted Validation of Level Selection for Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis

Background

Shoulder balance for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) patients is associated with patient satisfaction and self-image. However, few validated systems exist for selecting the upper instrumented vertebra (UIV) post-surgical shoulder balance.

Questions/Purposes

The purpose is to examine the existing UIV selection criteria and correlate with post-surgical shoulder balance in AIS patients.

Methods

Patients who underwent spinal fusion at age 10–18 years for AIS over a 6-year period were reviewed. All patients with a minimum of 1-year radiographic follow-up were included. Imbalance was determined to be radiographic shoulder height |RSH| ≥ 15 mm at latest follow-up. Three UIV selection methods were considered: Lenke, Ilharreborde, and Trobisch. A recommended UIV was determined using each method from pre-surgical radiographs. The recommended UIV for each method was compared to the actual UIV instrumented for all three methods; concordance between these levels was defined as “Correct” UIV selection, and discordance was defined as “Incorrect” selection.

Results

One hundred seventy-one patients were included with 2.3 ± 1.1 year follow-up. For all methods, “Correct” UIV selection resulted in more shoulder imbalance than “Incorrect” UIV selection. Overall shoulder imbalance incidence was improved from 31.0% (53/171) to 15.2% (26/171). New shoulder imbalance incidence for patients with previously level shoulders was 8.8%.

Conclusions

We could not identify a set of UIV selection criteria that accurately predicted post-surgical shoulder balance. Further validated measures are needed in this area. The complexity of proximal thoracic curve correction is underscored in a case example, where shoulder imbalance occurred despite “Correct” UIV selection by all methods.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11420-015-9451-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

The Rise and Fall of the Secular Trend in Body Height in Sardinia: An Age-Period-Cohort Analysis

Objective Over the last century, a progressive rise in stature, known as the ‘secular trend', was documented worldwide, and especially in Sardinia, it has reached a peak in Europe. However, this situation recently ceased in several populations. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that the stature secular trend has significantly leveled off in the Sardinian younger generations.Methods Height measurements were retrieved from a database of patients undergoing digestive endoscopy, spanning generations between 1920 and 1990. Sex-specific principal component regression models were fitted to decompose stature variation into the contribution of age, period, and birth cohort.Results A steady increase in stature was observed in generations born after 1920, with an upward surge in those born after 1950. However, a significant leveling off was observed among cohorts born after 1970 among both sexes, as mean heights stabilized at 171.1 cm with a standard error(SE) of 0.9 cm among men and a mean of 160.1 cm(SE = 0.9 cm) among women.Conclusion Our findings support a significant slowdown in the secular trend of stature among the latest Sardinian generations. Several factors, including the consumption of low-quality food, lack of physical activity, and late motherhood, among others, may explain the decline in the secular trend.     

单节段颈前路椎间盘切除植骨融合术后颈椎椎间高度和整体曲率的影像学变化

目的 本研究旨在探讨单节段颈椎前路椎间盘切除减压植骨融合术(anterior cervical discectomy and fusion, ACDF)后颈椎椎间高度及颈椎整体曲度的变化。方法 回顾性分析接受单节段ACDF治疗的119名脊髓型颈椎病患者的病例及影像学资料。通过使用患者的颈椎X线平片测量融合前后椎间隙的高度。同时测量侧位片上第2颈椎至第7颈椎的Cobb角,以评估颈椎的整体曲度。通过比较术前和术后的影像学资料,以说明置入椎间融合器对颈椎椎间高度和整体曲度的影响。结果 术后神经功能JOA及Nurick评分较术前明显改善（P<0.01）。术前椎间前高度（anterior intervertebral height, AIH）和椎间后高度（posterior intervertebral height, PIH）均明显低于正常椎间高度（P<0.01）,术后AIH明显升高,恢复正常;术后PIH与术前相比同样明显增加。术后颈椎曲度[（22.36±5.07）°]较术前[（16.53±6.85）°]明显增加（P<0.01）,但是并未恢复至正常曲度。结论 ACDF手术能够完成有效的神经减压改善神经功能,并且该手术能够恢复颈椎退变节段的椎间高度及改善颈椎整体曲度。     

Use of knee height for the estimation of stature in elderly Turkish people and their relationship with cardiometabolic risk factors

The determination of the approximately truest value in height measurement is important in many fields, but it is difficult to perform true measurements, especially in the elderly individuals. We planned to investigate the following items in geriatric Turkish population: to calculate the decrease in height with advancing age by using the standing height measurement and estimated height derived from the knee height; to evaluate the significance of difference between the two measurement methods in the calculation of body mass index (BMI) and waist/height ratio (WHtR); to determine the cut-off value of WHtR according to estimated height in elderly individuals. We studied 551 cases aged between 19 and 97 years. Knee height was measured using a sliding caliper in a sitting position. Linear regression analysis was carried out to derive predictive equations for the estimation of stature with adults (≤50 years of age) according to the gender. This equation was then used to estimate height among elderly subjects. Of the cases, 60.3% were <60 years (mean: 48.75 ± 7.50); 39.7% of the cases were >60 years (mean: 69.51 ± 7.12). Estimated BMI (EBMI) measurements in the females and males >60 years were in average 1.23 kg/m² and 0.92 kg/m² higher than their real BMIs, respectively. EBMI measurements in the females <60 years were 0.32 kg/m² higher than their real BMIs (p < 0.01). There is a statistically significant difference between WHtR in the females of both age groups, and in the males >60 years, as compared to our estimated WHtR (EWHtR) measurements (p < 0.01). The cut-off point of WHtR was 0.61 and 0.58 in the female and male cases of >60 years in our study, respectively. WHtR seemed to be a better anthropometric index that could predict most cardiometabolic risk factors in our study. EWHtR emerged to be a better cardiometabolic risk index especially in the elderly group.     

The role of single immediate loading implant in long class IV Kennedy mandibular partial denture

Background: The treatment of long‐span Kennedy class IV considers a prosthodontic challenge. This study evaluated the integrity of principle abutments in long Kennedy class IV clinically and radiographically, when rehabilitated with conventional metallic partial denture as a control group and mandibular partial overdentures supported with single immediately loaded implant in symphyseal as a study group. Material and Methods: Twelve male patients were divided randomly allotted into two equal groups. First group patients received removable metallic partial denture, whereas in the second group, patients received partial overdentures supported with single immediately loaded implant in symphyseal region. The partial dentures design in both groups was the same. Long‐cone paralleling technique and transmission densitometer were used at the time of denture insertion, 3, 6, and 12 months. Gingival index, bone loss, and optical density were measured for principle abutments during the follow‐up. Results: A significant reduction in bone loss and density were detected in group II comparing with group I. Gingival index had no significant change (p‐value < 0.05). Conclusion: A single symphyseal implant in long span class IV Kennedy can play a pivotal role to improve the integrity of the principle abutments and alveolar bone support.     

Secular Changes in the Morphology of the Skull in Swedish Men

Three hundred and twelve Swedish inductees (average age 18.7 years) were compared with skulls from men aged 18–25 who had died in 1810 regarding skull morphology and the dimensions of the dental arches.

The skull morphology was analysed roentgen-cephalornetrically with profile and postero-anterior roentgenograms. the sizes of the dental arches were measured on casts and directly on the skulls.

The cranium was found to be larger in the inductees than in the skull material. the cranial base was more cnrved in the inductees, which also showed more maxillary alveolar prognathism, proclination of the upper incisors and larger gonion angle. the width of the dental arches between the first molars was smaller in the present day material, while the length of the dental arches was longer.

The results show that parallel to the secular increase in body height there is also secularisation of the morphology of the cranium, including changes also in the cranial base, which suggests a change in the genetic constitution of the population in western Sweden during the last 160 years.