Primary epidural lumbar Ewing sarcoma presenting as cauda equina syndrome in an adult patient who underwent surgical decompression: A case report

Ewing sarcoma (ES) is a rare primary neoplasm in the lumbar adult spine and may mimic a benign tumor. In this case, after a patient's three-month history of lower back pain and rapidly progressing leg numbness and weakness, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a mass in the third lumbar vertebra. At a two-month follow-up, imaging showed a fracture, compression and lesion enlargement. Decompression and fixation confirmed ES, and the patient began combined radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Two months postoperatively, residual ES was suspected on MRI. The patient underwent a second surgery, and histopathology confirmed necrosis. A six-month follow-up after the first surgery showed no tumor recurrence. This case supports the inclusion of ES in the differential diagnosis of pathologic spinal fracture. Early decompression and spinal fixation are critical for preserving neurologic and spinal functions in ES complicated by a compression fracture. Combined adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy remain the standard therapeutic strategy.     

A systematic review of combined pelvic and acetabular injuries

PurposeInjuries of both pelvic ring and acetabulum as rare very few articles are available in literature. There are no set protocols in defining the injury let alone defining early and definitive management strategies. This article is an attempt to encompass all available data to give us guidelines in managing these injuries.MethodsAn extensive literature review was carried out on PubMed/Medline, google scholar and Embase databases was done with the eligibility criteria of 1) Case series with a minimum of 20 cases. 2) The patient’s outcome reported. 3) Full article available. 4) Article in English. 5) Minimum Jadad score of 3. As per PRISMA guidelines the search was done and gradually filtered down to relevant articles which were 8 in number.ResultsThe incidence of these injuries range from 5 to 16%. The transverse acetabular fracture pattern is the commonest followed by associated both column fractures. There is equal propensity of Anteroposterior compression and lateral compression injuries. The injury mechanism appears to transmitted lateral force from the greater trochanter inwards with an implosion injury causing acetabular and pelvic injury as a continuum. The initial management is similar to managing pelvic ring injuries with focus on patient resuscitation, hemodynamic stabilization and temporary stabilization. The injury severity score and the mortality rates are comparable to isolated unstable pelvic ring injuries. Definitive management focuses on fixing the posterior pelvic ring first followed by the acetabular fracture and then the anterior pelvic ring. The displacement rates and outcome is worse than isolated acetabular injuries or pelvic injuries.ConclusionCombined Pelvic and acetabular injuries are complex injuries which need to be managed initially as we manage pelvic injury and later as we fix as an acetabular fracture meticulously.     

Subdental synchondrosis and anatomy of the axis in aging: a histomorphometric study on 30 autopsy cases

During skeletal development the two ossification centers of the odontoid process are separated from the corpus of the axis by a subdental synchondrosis. This synchondrosis is thought to close and disappear spontaneously in adolescence although this has never been studied in detail. The basis of the dens is of clinical relevance as type II dens fractures are located here. To characterize the morphological architecture of the axis with particular attention to the subdental synchondrosis, the complete axis was harvested from thirty age-matched and gender-matched patients of the three different age groups at autopsy. The subdental synchondrosis and the bone structure of the dens, the basis of the dens and the body of C2 were analyzed by radiography, histology and quantitative histomorphometry. At the macroscopic level the persistency of the subdental synchondrosis in the adult cervical spine was detected in 87% (26 of 30) of the specimens. Histomorphometry revealed a residual disc blastema with an average size of 25.8% of the sagittal depth of the basis of the dens at this level. Bony integration of the synchondrosis was poor throughout all ages. Histologically a cartilaginous matrix composition of the subdental synchondrosis persisted throughout all groups. The trabecular microarchitecture demonstrated a significant reduction of bone volume and trabecular number as well as an increased trabecular separation within the basis of the dens as compared to the corpus or the dens of C2. This histomorphometric data regarding a poor integration of the synchondrosis into the trabecular network and the reduced bone mass within the basis of the dens might offer a previously underestimated explanation for the occurrence of type II dens fractures and their association with pseudoarthrosis, respectively.Matthias Gebauer and Christian Lohse contributed equally to this study and therefore share first authorship.     

Salvage of a failed valgus osteotomy for non-union of an unstable pertrochanteric fracture

Salvage of a failed valgus osteotomy for nonunion of an unstable pertrochanteric fracture is reported. A valgus intertrochanteric osteotomy was performed for a failed sliding hip screw fixation of an unstable pertrochanteric fracture at another institution. Four months following osteotomy, the fracture was still un-united with two distal screws of the hip plate broken and a coxa vara deformity. Reconstruction was performed with a nine-hole 95° angle blade plate and cancellous bone graft, because the insufficient fixation of the distal fragment was considered to be the main reason for failure. The osteotomy was healed at six months post-surgery and the patient reported complete resolution of symptoms. Intertrochanteric valgus osteotomy is an effective procedure for mal-union and non-union of pertrochanteric fracture but stable fixation is required for a good result. The blade of the angle plate offers good purchase of the proximal fragment and secures it under rotational and bending stresses. We recommend that distal fragments should be fixed with at least seven cortices for this type of osteotomy.     

经皮椎弓根技术治疗胸腰椎骨折的临床探讨

目的:探讨微创经皮椎弓根螺钉内固定手术治疗胸腰椎骨折的可行性及其疗效。方法:20例胸腰椎骨折病例,男13例,女7例;年龄28~65岁,平均48·2岁。其中16例损伤平面以下无神经功能损害、无双下肢和大小便障碍;4例有不同程度的脊髓损伤,按Frankel分级:C级1例,D级3例。在C形臂X线的定位下确定需要固定的椎弓根根部,做4个1·5cm长的切口,固定与复位均在4个小切口内完成。结果:所有病例均获随访,时间9~18个月,平均15个月。术后患者椎体高度均有不同程度恢复,椎体后凸畸形获得不同程度矫正。手术时间约1·5h,出血量约80ml。结论:微创经皮椎弓根螺钉内固定手术操作简便、安全可靠,具有创伤小、出血少、疼痛轻、恢复快、住院时间短等优点。     

AO钢板内固定治疗跟骨骨折

目的 探讨复杂跟骨骨折治疗方法及AO钢板内固定价值.方法 应用AO钢板治疗累及距下关节的跟骨骨折24例,术中注意关节面复位和Bohler角的恢复.结果 24例病人经12～24个月随访,按照Fernandez评定标准:24例跟骨SandersⅡ-Ⅳ型骨折病人有18足评为优良.结论 距下关节面的复位和Bohler角的恢复,牢固的内固定和术后足够长时间的负重限制是成功的关键.     

空心螺钉治疗股骨颈骨折术后并发症的分析

目的探讨影响空心螺钉治疗股骨颈骨折术后早期并发症及中晚期股骨头缺血性坏死的因素。方法对1994年1月～2004年1月间应用空心螺钉治疗的116例股骨颈骨折患者进行回顾性总结,将患者性别、年龄、骨折类型、骨折复位情况、外伤至手术时间与骨折术后早期并发症及中晚期股骨头缺血性坏死间的关系进行统计学分析。结果116例患者获平均(3．2±2．5)年(1～11年)随访。术后早期并发症包括：骨折内固定失败6例,骨折周围再骨折2例,感染2例,下肢深静脉血栓6例。年龄是引起骨折术后早期并发症的主要因素之一；骨折术后早期并发症还与骨质情况及内固定技术有关。本组16例出现股骨头缺血性坏死,其坏死率为13．8%。造成股骨头缺血性坏死的因素主要是骨折类型,其次为骨折复位情况。结论①年龄大于60岁的患者股骨颈骨折术后早期并发症相对多。②对于骨折移位严重的高龄患者,建议行人工关节置换术。③内固定术应尽可能解剖复位、坚强牢靠,以减少术后股骨头缺血性坏死的发生。