The pelvic girdle and spine vertebral column work as a long chain influenced by pelvic tilt. Spinal deformities or other musculoskeletal conditions may cause patients to compensate with excessive pelvic tilt, producing alterations in the degree of lumbar lordosis and subsequently causing pain. The objective of this study is to assess the effect of open and closed chain anterior or posterior pelvic tilt on lumbar spine kinematics using an in vitro cadaveric spine model. Three human cadaveric spines with intact pelvis were suspended with the skull fixed in a metal frame. Optotrak 3D motion system tracked real-time coordinates of pin markers on the lumbar spine. A force-torque digital gage applied consistent force to standardize the acetabular or sacral axis’ anterior and posterior pelvic tilt during simulated open and closed chain movements, respectively. In closed chain PPT, significant differences in relative intervertebral compression existed between L1/L2 [-2.54 mm] and L5/S1 [-11.84 mm], and between L3/L4 [-2.78 mm] and L5/S1 [-11.84 mm] [p <.05]. In closed chain APT, significant differences in relative intervertebral decompression existed between spinal levels L1/L2 [2.87mm] and L5/S1[24.48 mm] and between L3/L4 [2.94 mm] and L5/S1 [24.48 mm] [p <.05]. In open chain APT, significant differences in relative intervertebral decompression existed between spinal levels L4/L5 [1.53mm] and L5/S1 [25.14 mm] and between L2/L3 [1.68 mm] and L5/S1 [25.14 mm] [p<.05 for both]. Displacement during closed chain PPT was significantly greater than during open chain PPT, whereas APT showed no significant differences. In PPT, open chain pelvic tilts did not produce as much lumbar intervertebral displacement compared to closed chain. In contrast, APT saw no significant differences between open and closed chain. Additionally, results illustrate the increase in lumbar lordosis during APT and the loss of lordosis during PPT

Mechanical failure of spine posterior fixation in the lumbar region Is suspected to occur more frequently when the sagittal balance is not properly restored. While failures at the proximal extremity have been studied in the literature, the lumbar distal junctional pathology has received less attention. The aim of this work was to investigate if the spinopelvic parameters, which characterize the sagittal balance, could predict the mechanical failure of the posterior fixation in the distal lumbar region. All the spine surgeries performed in 2017-2019 at Rizzoli Institute were retrospectively analysed to extract all cases of lumbar distal junctional pathology. All the revision surgeries performed due to the pedicle screws pull-out, or the breakage of rods or screws, or the vertebral fracture, or the degenerative disc disease, in the distal extremity, were included in the junctional (JUNCT) group. A total of 83 cases were identified as JUNCT group. All the 241 fixation surgeries which to date have not failed were included in the control (CONTROL) group. Clinical data were extracted from both groups, and the main spinopelvic parameters were assessed from sagittal standing preoperative (pre-op) and postoperative (post-op) radiographs with the software Surgimap (Nemaris). In particular, pelvic incidence (PI), sagittal vertical axis (SVA), pelvic tilt (PT), T1 pelvic angle (TPA), sacral slope (SS) and lumbar lordosis (LL) have been measured. In JUNCT, the main failure cause was the screws pull-out (45%). Spine fixation with 7 or more levels were the most common in JUNCT (52%) in contrast to CONTROL (14%). In CONTROL, PT, TPA, SS and PI-LL were inside the recommended ranges of good sagittal balance. For these parameters, statistically significant differences were observed between pre-op and post-op (p<0.0001, p=0.01, p<0.0001, p=0.004, respectively, Wilcoxon test). In JUNCT, the spinopelvic parameters were out of the ranges of the good sagittal balance and the worsening of the balance was confirmed by the increase in PT, TPA, SVA, PI-LL and by the decrease of LL (p=0.002, p=0.003, p<0.0001, p=0.001, p=0.001, respectively, paired t-test) before the revision surgery. TPA (p=0.003, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test) and SS (p=0.03, unpaired t-test) differed significantly in pre-op between JUNCT and CONTROL. In post-op, PI-LL was significantly different between JUNCT and CONTROL (p=0.04, unpaired t-test). The regression model of PT vs PI was significantly different between JUNCT and CONTROL in pre-op (p=0.01, Z-test). These results showed that failure is most common in long fused segments, likely due to long lever arms leading to implant failure. If the sagittal balance is not properly restored, after the surgery the balance is expected to worsen, eventually leading to failure: this effect was confirmed by the worsening of all the spinopelvic parameters before the revision surgery in JUNCT. Conversely, a good sagittal balance seems to avoid a revision surgery, as it is visible is CONTROL. The mismatch PI-LL after the fixation seems to confirm a good sagittal balance and predict a good correction. The linear regression of PT vs PI suggests that the spine deformity and pelvic conformation could be a predictor for the failure after a fixation

Using deep learning and image processing technology, a standardized automatic quantitative analysis systerm of lumbar disc degeneration based on T2MRI is proposed to help doctors evaluate the prognosis of intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration. A semantic segmentation network BianqueNet with self-attention mechanism skip connection module and deep feature extraction module is proposed to achieve high-precision segmentation of intervertebral disc related areas. A quantitative method is proposed to calculate the signal intensity difference (SI) in IVD, average disc height (DH), disc height index (DHI), and disc height-to-diameter ratio (DHR). According to the correlation analysis results of the degeneration characteristic parameters of IVDs, 1051 MRI images from four hospitals were collected to establish the quantitative ranges for these IVD parameters in larger population around China. The average dice coefficients of the proposed segmentation network for vertebral bodies and intervertebral discs are 97.04% and 94.76%, respectively. The designed parameters of intervertebral disc degeneration have a significant negative correlation with the Modified Pfirrmann Grade. This procedure is suitable for different MRI centers and different resolution of lumbar spine T2MRI (ICC=.874~.958). Among them, the standard of intervertebral disc signal intensity degeneration has excellent reliability according to the modified Pfirrmann Grade (macroF1=90.63%~92.02%). we developed a fully automated deep learning-based lumbar spine segmentation network, which demonstrated strong versatility and high reliability to assist residents on IVD degeneration grading by means of IVD degeneration quantitation

The use of intraoperative navigation and robotic surgery for minimally invasive lumbar fusion has been increasing over the past decade. The aim of this study is to evaluate postoperative clinical outcomes, intraoperative parameters, and accuracy of pedicle screw insertion guided by intraoperative navigation in patients undergoing lumbar interbody fusion for spondylolisthesis. Patients who underwent posterior lumbar fusion interbody using intraoperative 3D navigation since December 2021 were included. Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and Short Form Health Survey-36 (SF-36) were assessed preoperatively and postoperatively at 1, 3, and 6 months. Screw placement accuracy, measured by Gertzbein and Robbins classification, and facet joint infringement, measured by Yson classification, were assessed by intraoperative Cone Beam CT scans performed at the end of instrumentation. Finally, operation time, intraoperative blood loss, hospital stay, and screw insertion time were evaluated. This study involved 50 patients with a mean age of 63.7 years. VAS decreased from 65.8±23 to 20±22 (p<.01). ODI decreased from 35.4%±15 to 11.8%±14 (p<.01). An increase of SF-36 from 51.5±14 to 76±13 (p<.01) was demonstrated. The accuracy of “perfect” and “clinically acceptable” pedicle screw fixation was 89.5% and 98.4%, respectively. Regarding facet violation, 96.8% of the screws were at grade 0. Finally, the average screw insertion time was 4.3±2 min, hospital stay was 4.2±0.8 days, operation time was 205±53 min, and blood loss was 169±107 ml. Finally, a statistically significant correlation of operation time with hospital stay, blood loss and placement time per screw was found. We demonstrated excellent results for accuracy of pedicle screw fixation and violation of facet joints. VAS, ODI and SF-36 showed statistically significant improvements from the control at one month after surgery. Navigation with intraoperative 3D images represents an effective system to improve operative performance in the surgical treatment of spondylolisthesis

Lateral lumbar interbody fusion (LLIF) has biomechanical advantages due to the preservation of ligamentous structures (ALL/PLL), and optimal cage height afforded by the strength of the apophyseal ring. We compare the biomechanical motion stability of multiple levels LLIF (4 segments) utilising PEEK interbody 26mm cages to stand-alone cage placement and with supplemental posterior fixation with pedicle screw and rods. Six lumbar human cadaver specimens were stripped of the paraspinal musculature while preserving the discs, facet joints, and osteoligamentous structures and potted. Specimens were tested under 5 conditions: intact, posterior bilateral fixation (L1-L5) only, LLIF-only, LLIF with unilateral fixation and LLIF with bilateral fixation. Non-destructive testing was performed on a universal testing machine (MTS Systems Corp) to produce flexion-extension, lateral-bending, and axial rotation using customized jigs and a pulley system to define a non-constraining load follower. Three-dimensional spine motion was recorded using a motion device (Optotrak). Results are reported for the L3-L4 motion segment within the construct to allow comparison with previously published works of shorter constructs (1-2 segments). In all conditions, there was an observed decrease in ROM from intact in flexion/extension (31%-89% decrease), lateral bending (19%-78%), and axial rotation (37%-60%). At flexion/extension, the decreases were statistically significant (p<0.007) except for stand-alone LLIF. LLIF+unilateral had similar decreases in all planes as the LLIF+bilateral condition. The observed ROM within the 4-level construct was similar to previously reported results in 1-2 levels for stand-alone LLIF and LLIF+bilateral. Surgeons may be concerned about the biomechanical stability of an approach utilizing stand-alone multilevel LLIF. Our results show that 4-level multilevel LLIF utilizing 26 mm cages demonstrated ROM comparable to short-segment LLIF. Stand-alone LLIF showed a decrease in ROM from the intact condition. The addition of posterior supplemental fixation resulted in an additional decrease in ROM. The results suggest that unilateral posterior fixation may be sufficient

Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is the most common cause of disability worldwide, and lumbar spine fusion (LSF) is often chosen to treat pain caused by advanced degenerative disease when clinical treatment failed certain cases, the post-surgical outcomes are not what was expected. Several studies highlight how important are. In psychological variables during the postoperative spine surgery period. The aim of this study is to assess the role of preoperative depression on postoperative clinical outcomes. We included patients who underwent LSF since December 2021. Preoperative depression was assessed administering Beck Depression Inventory questionnaire (BDI). And pain and disability were evaluated at 1, 3, and 6 months, administering respectively Visual Analogic Scale (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). As statistical analysis Mann-Whitney test was performed. We included 46 patients, 20 female (43,5%) and 26 male (56,5%) with an average age of 64,2. The population was divided in two groups, fixing the BDI cut-off point at 10. Patients with BDI < 10 points (N=28) had normal mental health status, instead patients with BDI > 10 points (N=16) had depressive disorders. At 3 months patients with healthy mental status reported statistically significant reduction of pain (U = 372,5, p = .006) and improvement of disability but without statistical significancy (U = 318, p = 0,137). At 6 months patients without psychological disease reported statistically significant reduction of pain (U = 342, p = 0,039) and disability (U = 372,5, p = 0,006). This study demonstrates the correlation between pre-existing depressive state and poorer clinical outcomes after spine surgery. These results are consistent with the literature. Therefore, during the surgical decision making it is crucial to take psychological variables into account in order to predict the results after surgery and inform patients on the potential influence of mental status

With the increase in the elderly population, there is a dramatic increase in the number of spinal fusions. Spinal fusion is usually performed in cases of primary instability. However it is also performed to prevent iatrogenic instability created during surgical treatment of spinal stenosis in most cases. In literature, up to 75% of adjacent segment disease (ASD) can be seen according to the follow-up time. 1. Although ASD manifests itself with pathologies such as instability, foraminal stenosis, disc herniation or central stenosis. 1,2. There are several reports in the literature regarding lumbar percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic interventions for lumbar foraminal stenosis or disc herniations. However, to the best our knowledge, there is no report about the treatment of central stenosis in ASD. In this study, we aimed to investigate the short-term results of unilateral biportal endoscopic decompressive laminotomy (UBEDL) technique in ASD cases with symptomatic central or lateral recess stenosis. The number of patients participating in the prospective study was 8. The mean follow-up was 6.9 (ranged 6 to 11) months. The mean age of the patients was 68 (5m, 3F). The development of ASD time after fusion was 30.6 months(ranged 19 to 42). Mean fused segments were 3 (ranged 2 to 8). Preoperative instability was present in 2 of the patients which was proven by dynamic lumbar x-rays. Preoperative mean VAS-back score was 7.8, VAS Leg score was 5.6. The preoperative mean JOA (Japanese Orthopaedic Association) score was 11.25. At 6th month follow-up, the mean VAS back score of the patients was 1, and the VAS leg score was 0.5. This improvement was statistically significant (p = 0.11 and 0.016, respectively). The mean JOA score at the 6th month was 22.6 and it was also statistically significant comparing preoperative JOA score(p = 0.011). The preoperative mean dural sac area measured in MR was 0.50 cm2, and it was measured as 2.1 cm. 2. at po 6 months.(p = 0.012). There was no progress in any patient's instability during follow-up. In orthopedic surgery, when implant related problems develop in any region of body (pseudoarthrosis, infection, adjacent fracture, etc.), it is generally treated by using more implants in its final operation. This approach is also widely used in spinal surgery. 3. However, it carries more risk in terms of devoloping ASD, infection or another complications. In the literature, endoscopic procedures have almost always been used in the treatment of ventral pathologies which constitute only 10%. In ASD, disease devolops as characterized by wide facet joint arthrosis and hypertrophied ligamentum flavum in the cranial segment and it is mostly presented both lateral recess and santal stenosis symptoms (39%). In this study, we found that UBEDL provides successful results in the treatment of patients without no more muscle and ligament damage in ASD cases with spinal stenosis. One of the most important advantages of UBE is its ability to access both ventral and dorsal pathologies by minimally invasive endoscopic aproach. I think endoscopic decompression also plays an important role in the absence of additional instability at postoperatively in patients. UBE which has already been described in the literature given successful results in most of the spinal degenerative diseases besides it can also be used in the treatment of ASD. Studies with longer follow-up and higher patient numbers will provide more accurate results

Due to well-known disadvantages of the autologous bone graft, many alternatives have been studied for a reliable spinal fusion. Herein, we aimed to investigate the effects of human recombinant epidermal growth factor (EGF) on posterolateral lumbar fusion in a rat model. 36 male SD rats underwent posterolateral fusion at L4-5 level. They were randomly assigned to 3 groups: Sham control group, Hydoxyapatite β-tricalcium phosphate (HA/β-TCP) group and HA/β-TCP + EGF group. Rats were euthanized at 8 weeks post-surgery. 6 rats from each group were selected for manual palpation examination, micro-computed tomography analysis and histologic analysis; and the rest was used for biomechanical analysis. Based on manual palpation, there was no fusion in the sham control group. Fusion rate was 33.3% in the HA/β-TCP group and 66.7% in the HA/β-TCP + EGF group (p=0.085). Micro-CT results revealed that new bone formation was higher in the HA/β-TCP + EGF group (BV/TV: 40% vs. 65%) (p=0.004). Histologically newly formed bone tissue was more pronounced in the EGF group and compacted and bridging bone spicules were observed. The median maximum bending moment values were 0.51 Nmm (0.42– 0.59), 0.73 Nmm (0.49– 0.88) and 0.91 Nmm (0.66– 1.03) in the sham control, HA/β-TCP and HA/β-TCP + EGF groups, respectively (p=0.013). The median stiffness values were 1.69 N/mm (1.12–2.18), 1.68 N/mm (1.13–2.74) and 3.10 N/mm (1.66–4.40) as in the previous order (p=0.087). This study demonstrates that EGF enhances posterolateral lumbar fusion in the rat model. EGF in combination with ceramic grafts increased the fusion rates

Biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP) with a characteristic needle-shaped submicron surface topography (MagnetOs) has attracted much attention due to its unique bone-forming ability which is essential for repairing critical-size bone defects such as those found in the posterolateral spine. Previous in vitro and ex-vivo data performed by van Dijk LA and Yuan H demonstrated that these specific surface characteristics drive a favorable response from the innate immune system. This study aimed to evaluate and compare the in vivo performance of three commercially-available synthetic bone grafts, (1) i-FACTOR Putty. ®. , (2) OssDsign. ®. Catalyst Putty and (3) FIBERGRAFT. ®. BG Matrix, with that of a novel synthetic bone graft in a clinically-relevant instrumented sheep posterolateral lumbar spine fusion (PLF) model. The novel synthetic bone graft comprised of BCP granules with a needle-shaped submicron surface topography (MagnetOs) embedded in a highly porous and fibrillar collagen matrix (MagnetOs Flex Matrix). Four synthetic bone grafts were implanted as standalone in an instrumented sheep PLF model for 12 weeks (n=3 bilateral levels per group; levels L2/3 & L4/5), after which spinal fusion was determined by manual palpation, radiograph and µCT imaging (based on the Lenke scale), range-of-motion mechanical testing, and histological and histomorphological evaluation. Radiographic fusion assessment determined bilateral robust bone bridging (Lenke scale A) in 3/3 levels for MagnetOs Flex Matrix compared to 1/3 for all other groups. For µCT, bilateral fusion (Lenke scale A) was found in 2/3 levels for MagnetOs Flex Matrix, compared to 0/3 for i-FACTOR Putty. ®. , 1/3 for OssDsign. ®. Catalyst Putty and 0/3 for FIBERGRAFT. ®. BG Matrix. Fusion assessment for MagnetOs Flex Matrix was further substantiated by histology which revealed significant graft resorption complemented by abundant bone tissue and continuous bony bridging between vertebral transverse processes resulting in bilateral spinal fusion in 3/3 implants. These results show that MagnetOs Flex Matrix achieved better fusion rates compared to three commercially-available synthetic bone grafts when used as a standalone in a clinically-relevant instrumented sheep PLF model

Background. Oblique implantable total disc replacements (TDR) have been developed in an attempt to partially resect the anterior longitudinal ligament (ALL), together with additional partial resection of lateral annulus fibres. To date, the literature has not addressed the impact of the TDR oblique implantation on the lumbar spine sagittal alignment. The hypothesis of this study was that TDR at the L4-L5 level does not change the sagittal alignment and the range of motion of the lumbar spine when the implant is placed in accurate position. Methods. Prospective single-center radiological investigation of L4/5 TDR inserted through an oblique approach for the treatment of disc disease. A series of 52 patients with a minimum of 2-year FU after oblique TDR at L4/L5 level was analysed for radiological changes in sagittal alignment and range of motion of the lumbar spine. The total sagittal lumbar lordosis (TSLL), the segmental sagittal lumbar lordosis (SSLL) of the operated level, and the range of motion of the TDR implant were determined in pre- and postoperative functional X-rays. The accuracy of the implant position was also evaluated. Results. A total of 52 patients (mean age, 42.7) were available. There were no revision surgeries for general and/or device-related complications. Only a 28.8% of cases (n=15) showed a satisfactory position. Off-center lateralised implants were the most common misplacements. Axial malrotated TDR accounted for the 28.1% of cases. From 3 to 24 months of FU, differences in range of motion were found in the total L1-S1 flexion, and in the mean range of motion of the implant both improving significantly. TDRs showing unsatisfactory implantation in the radiological studies (71.8%) demonstrated similar lumbar and segmental range of motion in comparison to properly implanted TDRs. Conclusions. Oblique implanted L4/L5 TDR significantly increases total lordosis while retaining segmental lordosis, independently of the accuracy of its intervertebral position. Oblique TDR maintains antero-posterior segmental and total balance in most cases. Further studies should evaluate whether this finding has any implication for the long-term outcome. Level of Evidence. Level III

Background. The overall incidence of neurological symptoms attributed to lumbar misplaced screws has been described to occur in 3.48% of patients undergoing surgery. These lumbar radicular neurological lesions are undetected with conventional intraoperative neurophysiological and radiological controls. The hypothesis of this study was that direct stimulation of the pedicle screw after placement in the lumbar spine may not work as well as for screws placed in the thoracic pedicles. A more suitable method for the lumbar spine could be the stimulation of the pedicle track with a ball-tipped probe. Methods. Comparative observational study on the detection of malpostioned lumbar pedicle screws using two different techniques in two different periods: t-EMG screw stimulation (2011–2012) and track stimulation (2013–2014). A total of 1440 lumbar pedicle screws were placed in 242 patients undergoing surgery for vertebral deformities in the last four years (2011–2014). In the first two years, 802 lumbar screws were neuromonitored using t-EMG during. In the last two years, 638 screws were placed after probe stimulation of the pedicle track. Standardised t-EMG conventional registration and fluoroscopy were afterwards performed in all cases. Results. Six patients (4.4%) in the t-EMG group without signs of screw misplacement developed radicular pain. After checking with CT scan, a caudal prominence of the screw at the inferior aspect of the pedicle was detected in 7 screws (0.9%) and they were removed. After removal, probe stimulation was performed at the middle track showing abnormal thresholds (3.9–9.7mA). In the second group (track stimulation), 11 cases (10.8%) had thresholds below 7 mA. In these cases, the intrapedicular route was changed. None of these 106 patients presented postoperative radiculopathy and CT scans showed that all screws were well positioned. Conclusions. The t-EMG stimulation of lumbar pedicle screws offer some false negatives cases. However, the record in the middle pedicle track is able to detect misplaced screws and prevent the development of lumbar radiculopathy. Therefore, systematic pedicle track stimulation is strongly recommended in the lumbar spine. Level of Evidence. Level III

Stand-alone anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) provides the opportunity to avoid supplemental posterior fixation. This may reduce morbidity and complication rate, which is of special interest in patients with reduced bone mineral density (BMD). This study aims to assess immediate biomechanical stability and radiographic outcome of a stand-alone ALIF device with integrated screws in specimens of low BMD. Eight human cadaveric spines (L4-sacrum) were instrumented with SynFix-LR™ (DePuy Synthes) at L5/S1. Quantitative computed tomography was used to measure BMD of L5 in AMIRA. Threshold values proposed by the American Society of Radiology 80 and 120 mg CaHa/mL were used to differentiate between Osteoporosis, Osteopenia, and normal BMD. Segmental lordosis, anterior and posterior disc height were analysed on pre- and postoperative radiographs (Fig 1). Specimens were tested intact and following instrumentation using a flexibility protocol consisting of three loading cycles to ±7.5 Nm in flexion-extension, lateral bending, and axial rotation. The ranges of motion (ROM) of the index level were assessed using an optoelectronic system. BMD ranged 58–181mg CaHA/mL. Comparison of pre- and postoperative radiographs revealed significant increase of L5/S1 segmental lordosis (mean 14.6°, SD 5.1, p < 0.001) and anterior disc height (mean 5.8mm, SD 1.8, p < 0.001), but not posterior disc height. ROM of 6 specimens was reduced compared to the intact state. Two specimens showed destructive failure in extension. Mean decrease was most distinct in axial rotation up to 83% followed by flexion-extension. ALIF device with integrated screws at L5/S1 significantly increases segmental lordosis and anterior disc height without correlation to BMD. Primary stability in the immediate postoperative situation is mostly warranted in axial rotation. The risk of failure might be increased in extension for some patients with reduced lumbar BMD, therefore additional posterior stabilization could be considered. For any figures or tables, please contact the authors directly

The use of lumbar fusion procedures in the USA and Europe has rapidly increased over the last decade and a large number of these procedures involve the use of bone grafts. Despite of technical progress of spinal surgery and operative materials the risk of vertebral fusion failure occurs in 5 – 35 % of cases. Autografting has been considered the gold standard for bone graft procedures. However, the harvesting from the iliac crest can be associated with short and long-term morbidity in up to 22 % of cases. Main goal of this experimental study was to compare newly developed hybrid biodegradable nanocomposit porous implant (HBNPI) against bone craft from iliac crest as a new and better alternative for lumbar interbody fusion. 24 male pigs 4 months old weighting around 40 Kg were included in our study. These pigs were divided into two study groups depending on fusion method. Group A – 12 pigs underwent lateral lumbal interbody fusion (L2/3) with implantation of iliac crest bonegraft. Group B - 12 pigs underwent lateral lumbal interbody fusion (L2/3) with newly developed HBNPI. Each group were divided into two subgroups from these 6 spines were harvested 8 weeks (subgroup A1, B1) and 6 spines 16 weeks (group A2, B2) after surgery. After sacrifice, the lumbar spines were taking out and micro-CT, biomechanical testing and histomorphological analysis in all groups were performed to evaluate a quality of intervertebral fusion. As controls (group N), 6 cadaveric intact lumbar spines underwent biomechanical, micro-CT and histological testing. All 24 animals recovered from general anesthesia without unusual events. The operations lasted between 50–90 minutes (mean 70) in Group A and between 35–72 minutes (mean 43) in Group B. All of the pigs from group A could stand up and were mobile within 20 hours (range 7–20). When bone graft harvesting was not necessary (group B) this time was shortened, ranging from 1 – 1,5 hour. All pigs from Group A were limping on the first postoperative day. No limping animal was observed in group B. Total body weight of the pigs increased from 37 kg (range 36–40) at the start to 85 (range 80–89) at sacrifice. Biomechanics evaluation shows that extension flexural stiffness values are statistically significantly different between A2 (16 weeks post-implant) and A1 (8 weeks post-implant). Group A2 achieves higher values than Group A1, which is attributed to the adhesion of the implant to the surrounding vertebrae. Similarly, this also applies to groups B2 and B1. The flexural stiffness at group B2 extension is statistically significantly higher than the A2 group and also than the native N group. Biomechanical evaluation supports findings on micro-CT and histological specimens, where both adjacent vertebrae are completely fused in groups B2, unlike in group A2, where there is no or incomplete fusion. Newly developed HBNPI represents new possibility how to do intervertebral fusion, and simultaneous become chance how to improve and accelerate bone healing process against standard procedures

Spondylolisthesis is common recognized spine pathology. A lot of studies targeted spondylolisthesis in the recent years, few of which have made a major influential impact on the clinical practice. To the extent our knowledge this is the first study to highlight and analyze the top 100 cited articles on spondylolisthesis through a systematic search strategy used previously in published studies in different medical specialty. The aim of this study is to identify the most cited studies on spondylolisthesis and report their impact in spine field. Thomson Reuters Web of Science-Science Citation Index Expanded was searched using title-specific search “spondylolisthesis”. All studies published in English language between 1900 and 2019 were included with no restrictions. The top 100 cited articles were identified using “Times cited” arranging articles from high to low according to citation count. Further analysis was made to obtain the following items: Article title, author's name and specialty, country of origin, institution, journal of publication, year of publication, citations number, study design. The citation count of the top 100 articles ranged from 69 to 584. All published between 1950 – 2016. Among 20 journals, Spine had the highest number of articles 47, with citation number of 5964 out of 13644. Second ranked was Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery with 16 articles and a total citation of 3187. In respect to the primary author's specialty, Orthopedic surgeons contributed to the majority of top 100 list with 82 articles, Neurosurgery was the second specialty with 10 articles. United states had produced more than half of the list by 59 articles. England was the second country with 7 articles. Surgical management of lumbar spondylolisthesis was the most common discussed topic. This article identifies the top 100 influential papers on spondylolisthesis and recognizes an important aspect of knowledge evolution served by leading researchers as they guide today's clinical decision making in spondylolisthesis

Aging has been associated with decreases in muscle strength and bone quality. In elderly patients, paravertebral muscle atrophy is accompanied by vertebral osteoporosis. The purpose of this study was to use paravertebral injection of botulinum toxin-A (BTX) to investigate the effects of paravertebral muscle atrophy on lumbar vertebral bone quality. Forty 16-week-old female SD rats were randomly divided into four groups: (1) a control group (CNT); (2) a resection of erector spinae muscles group (RESM); (3) a botulinum toxin-A group (BTX) that was treated with local injection of 5U BTX into the paravertebral muscles bilaterally; and (4) a positive control group (OVX) that underwent bilateral ovariectomy. At 3 months post-surgery the lumbar vertebrae (L3 – L6) were collected. The BMDs of the RESM and BTX groups were significantly lower than that of the CNT group (P < 0.01). Micro-CT scans showed that rats in the three experimental groups had fewer trabeculae and trabecular connections than rats in the CNT group. The bone loss trend of the trabecular networks was most obvious in the OVX rats. Vertebral compression testing revealed that the three experimental groups had significantly lower maximum load, energy absorption, maximum stress, and elastic modulus values than the CNT group (P < 0.01), and these parameters were lowest in the OVX group (P < 0.05). Our results demonstrate that the new paravertebral muscle atrophy model using local BTX injection causes sufficient muscle atrophy and dysfunction to result in local lumbar vertebral bone loss and quality deterioration

To clarify the pathomechanisms of discogenic low back pain, the sympathetic afferent discharge originating from the L5-L6 disc via the L2 root were investigated neurophysiologically in 31 Lewis rats. Sympathetic afferent units were recorded from the L2 root connected to the lumbar sympathetic trunk by rami communicantes. The L5-L6 discs were mechanically probed, stimulated electrically to evoke action potentials and, finally, treated with chemicals to produce an inflammatory reaction. We could not obtain a response from any units in the L5-L6 discs using mechanical stimulation, but with electrical stimulation we identified 42 units consisting mostly of A-delta fibres. In some experiments a response to mechanical probing of the L5-L6 disc was recognised after producing an inflammatory reaction. This study suggests that mechanical stimulation of the lumbar discs may not always produce pain, whereas inflammatory changes may cause the disc to become sensitive to mechanical stimuli, resulting in nociceptive information being transmitted as discogenic low back pain to the spinal cord through the lumbar sympathetic trunk. This may partly explain the variation in human symptoms of degenerate discs

Summary Statement. Pedicle screws provide robust fixation and rigid immobilization. There has been no attempt to correlate the anatomic dimensions of thoracic and lumbar pedicles with the accuracy of navigated insertion. This study demonstrates that comparable accuracy using this technique. Introduction. Pedicle screws provide robust mechanical fixation, which makes their use attractive; their use enables fixation of the three spinal columns. There remains concern about the potential both for misplacement; various investigators have studied the accuracy of pedicle screw insertions, comparing different techniques. What is not clear, however, is whether there is any relation between the variables of pedicles’ anatomic dimensions, screw dimensions and accuracy. This study aims to elucidate the relationship between these variables. Patients & Methods. We conducted a retrospective review of consecutive pedicle screws that were inserted in the thoracic and lumbar spine at our institution. Screws were inserted using the navigated method (Stealth Station® TREON™, Medtronic, Louisville, CO). The accuracy of the screw insertion was measured using the classification system developed by Gertzbein and Robbins; pedicle dimensions were measured from post-operative computed tomography scans. The corresponding pre-operative scans were then used to measure the pedicle dimensions at the other levels. The magnitude of a cortical breach in the pedicle was represented by a letter: A (no breach), B (<2mm), C (>2mm, <4mm), D (>4mm, <6mm) and E (>6mm). In addition, measurements were made of the anatomic dimensions of the pedicles. The combination of these two measures allowed for direct correlation to be made between the accuracy of screw insertion, screw dimensions and pedicle anatomy. We then computed the proportion of each pedicle (width) occupied by a screw. Results. A total of 765 screws were reviewed, 493 were in the thoracic spine and 272 in the lumbar spine. Of the screws in the thoracic spine, 472 (96%) were either fully in the pedicle or less than 2mm beyond the cortex (within the A+B classification); when considered separately, 323 (66%) were completely within the pedicle (A) and 149 (30%) were less than 2mm beyond the cortex. A total of 21 (4%) screws were beyond 2mm but within 6mm (C+D). In the lumbar spine, 270 (99%) were either completely within the cortex or less than 2mm exposed (classified as A or B). The nadir of pedicle width was at T4. From L1 to L5, measured pedicle width also rose. This pattern was followed, although it was less profound, when screw diameter was measured in the lumbar spine (and even less so in the thoracic vertebrae). The height of pedicles was noted to progressively increase, peaking at the thoraco-lumbar junction. The mid thoracic region was associated with screws occupying the greatest proportion of pedicle diameter. Discussion/Conclusion. The use of pedicle screws in the thoracic and lumbar spine remains relatively safe. The accuracy of navigated insertion was found to compare well to previous series’. Although there is some association between the anatomical dimensions of pedicles and the dimensions of screws, this doesn't seem to be a strong association. Based on the findings in this series, future studies that relate the long term outcome (e.g. failure or screw loosening) with proportion of pedicle diameter taken up by a screw may be warranted

Summary Statement. Using abdominal CT scans to evaluate bone mineral density following acute fractures of the thoracic and lumbar spine demonstrates significant levels of osteoporosis in older patients; this approach may help save on time and resources, and reduce unnecessary radiation exposure. Introduction. While a reduction in bone mineral density (BMD) is associated with aging, relatively few patients have formal dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) to quantify the magnitude of bone loss, as they age. This loss of bone may predispose to fractures. Recent data, which correlates mean Hounsfield units (HU) in an area of the L1 vertebra with BMD, now makes it possible to screen for osteoporosis using incidental abdominal Computed Tomography (CT) scans to measure bone density. This innovation has the potential to reduce both cost and radiation exposure, and also make it easier to identify patients who may be at risk. The aims of this study were to evaluate the utility of this approach in patients with acute thoracic and lumbar spine fractures and to evaluate the impact of aging on BMD, using CT screening. Patients & Methods. Following institutional review board approval, we performed a retrospective study of patients who presented to a level I trauma center with acute fractures of the thoracic and lumbar spine between 2010 and 2013; patients also had to have had an abdominal (or L1) CT scan either during the admission or in the 6 months before or after their injury. Using a picture archiving and communication (PACS) system, we generated regions of interest (ROI) of similar size in the body of L1 (excluding the cortex) and computed mean values for HU. Values derived were compared against threshold values which differentiate between osteoporosis and osteopenia - for specificity of 90%, a threshold of 110 was set; for balanced sensitivity and specificity, a threshold of <135 HU was set and for 90% sensitivity a threshold of <160 HU was set. A student's t test was used to compare the age stratified mean HU (younger than 65yrs; 65yrs and older), while Fisher's exact test was used to perform aged stratified comparisons between the proportions of patients above and below the thresholds outlined (in each of the three threshold groups). Results. A total of 124 patients were evaluated, with 74 having thoracic and 50 having lumbar fractures. Among those with thoracic fractures, there were 33patients in the younger cohort, who also had a mean BMD of 196.51HU and 41 in the older cohort, who had mean BMD of 105.90HU (p<0.001). In patients with lumbar fractures, 27 patients were in the younger cohort, with mean BMD of 192.26HU and 23 patients in the older cohort with mean BMD of 114.31HU (p<0.001). At the threshold of 110 HU, set for specificity, the magnitude of difference between the age stratified cohorts was greater in the thoracic spine (p<0.001 vs. p=0.003). At the other thresholds: 135HU (balanced for sensitivity and specificity) and 160 HU (90% sensitivity), age of 65 years or older was significantly associated with reduction in CT derived measure of BMD (p<0.001 in all cases). Discussion. This study demonstrates the relative frequency of osteoporosis in acute fractures of the thoracic and lumbar spine, and how this changes with age; it is also the first study to do this using opportunistic CT scans. There seems to be a strong association between a reduction in bone mineral density and advanced age, in patients presenting with acute fractures of the spine. This approach may save on the extra cost and additional radiation exposure that may be associated with DXA scanning; in addition, it may help provide clinicians and patients with an approach to monitor developing problems with BMD before it becomes clinically apparent, especially in younger patients

Introduction. Facet joint osteoarthritis (FJOA) is a prominent clinical hallmark of degenerative spine disorders. During disease progression, cartilage and subchondral bone tissues undergo increased turnover and remodeling. The structural changes to the subchondral tissue of FJOA have not been studied thus far. In this study, we performed a micro computed tomography (µCT) study of the subchondral cortical plate (SCP) and trabecular bone (STB) in FJOA and determined osteoarthritis-specific alterations. Methods. Twenty-four patients (11 male, 13 female, median age 65) scheduled for decompression and stabilization surgery for degenerative spinal stenosis were included in this study. FJOA specimens were harvested during surgery and analyzed by µCT. Bone volume fraction (BV/TV), trabecular thickness (Tb.Th), trabecular separation (Tb.Sp) and trabecular number (Tb.N) were evaluated using CT Analyser. Lumbar facet joints without chondropathy from cadaveric specimens (9 male, 6 female, median age 57) served as healthy controls. Age-, gender- and disease-specific effects were identified by ANOVA (p<0.05) and significant differences confirmed by Bonferroni's post-test. Association between age and structural parameters was determined using correlation analysis. Results. Cortical and trabecular bone structural parameters of FJOA were similar between males and females. Compared to healthy controls, FJOA specimens demonstrated significantly greater trabecular Tb.N (1.97±0.11 vs 1.24±0.04 mm-1) and decrease of Tb.Sp (0.44±0.03 vs 0.69±0.03 mm). Conversely, subchondral cortical plate thickness (0.62±0.08 vs 1.60±0.08 mm) and porosity (22.9±1.9 vs 31.5±2.1%) were significantly less compared to healthy specimens. Tb.Th was equal between patients and controls. Age was positively correlated with Tb.N (r=0.48, p=0.02) and negatively correlated with Tb.Sp (r=−0.44, p=0.03) and cortical plate thickness (r=−0.52, p=0.04) in FJOA. Cortical and trabecular bone parameters did not associate in healthy and osteoarthritic facet joints. Conclusion. FJOA bone remodeling is characterized by thinning of the SCP and an increase in the number of subchondral trabeculae. Remodeling of cortical and trabecular bone might occur in an uncoupled fashion. Targeting elevated subchondral bone remodeling might slow progression of lumbar FJOA

Study Purpose. To examine the presence of radicular pain and its relationship to the degree of lumbar nerve root compression in patients with a degenerative lumbar spine condition about to undergo surgery for either lumbar disc prolapse or lumbar canal stenosis. Background. The pathophysiology underlying radicular pain is not completely understood but it is thought that nerve root compression is a key factor and from a surgical perspective, decompressing the nerve root is considered to be the key therapeutic step. However, despite often severe root compression in patients with lumbar stenosis, radicular pain is not a typical feature. Methods. Thirty-nine pre-surgical patients with either lumbar disc prolapse or lumbar canal stenosis were studied using the Standardised Evaluation of Pain (StEP), a clinical assessment tool known to predict with a high degree of sensitivity and specificity the presence or absence of lumbar radicular pain. A nerve root compression score was given from lumbar MRI for each patient by a neuroradiologist blinded to the patients history. Results. The StEP assessment tool was able to distinguish the presence or absence of radicular pain with high sensitivity and specificity. This correlated well with the pre-operative diagnosis of disc prolapse or canal stenosis. The relationship between radicular pain and nerve root compression was less clear and will be discussed. Conclusion. This study confirms StEP as a useful bedside tool for identifying the presence of radicular pain in patients with a degenerative lumbar spine condition. Nerve root compression per se does not necessarily produce radicular pain. Conflicts of Interest. None. Source of Funding. None. This study has not been published or presented at a previous meeting