Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating disorder for which the identification of exacerbating factors is urgently needed. Although age, blood pressure and infection are each considered to be prognostic factors in patients with SCI, exacerbating factors that are amenable to treatment remain to be elucidated.

Microglial cells, the resident immune cell in the CNS, form the first line of defense after being stimulated by exposure to invading pathogens or tissue injury. Immediately after SCI, activated microglia enhance and propagate the subsequent inflammatory response by expressing cytokines, such as TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β. Recently, we demonstrated that the activation of microglia is associated with the neuropathological outcomes of SCI. Although the precise mechanisms of microglial activation remain elusive, several basic research studies have reported that hyperglycemia is involved in the activation of resident monocytic cells, including microglia. Because microglial activation is associated with secondary injury after SCI, we hypothesized that hyperglycemia may also influence the pathophysiology of SCI by altering microglial responses.

The mice were anesthetized with pentobarbital (75 mg/kg i.p.) and were subjected to a contusion injury (70 kdyn) at the 10th thoracic level using an Infinite Horizons Impactor (Precision Systems Instrumentation). For flow cytometry, the samples were stained with the antibodiesand analyzed using a FACS Aria II flow cytometer and the FACSDiva software program (BD Biosciences). We retrospectively identified 528 SCI patients admitted to the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the Spinal Injuries Center (Fukuoka, Japan) between June 2005 and May 2011. The patients' data were obtained from their charts.

We demonstrate that transient hyperglycemia during acute SCI is a detrimental factor that impairs functional improvement in mice and human patients after acute SCI. Under hyperglycemic conditions, both in vivo and in vitro, inflammation was enhanced through promotion of the nuclear translocation of the nuclear factor kB (NF-kB) transcription factor in microglial cells. During acute SCI, hyperglycemic mice exhibited progressive neural damage, with more severe motor deficits than those observed in normoglycemic mice. Consistent with the animal study findings, a Pearson χ2 analysis of data for 528 patients with SCI indicated that hyperglycemia on admission (glucose concentration ≥126 mg/dl) was a significant risk predictor of poor functional outcome. Moreover, a multiple linear regression analysis showed hyperglycemia at admission to be a powerful independent risk factor for a poor motor outcome, even after excluding patients with diabetes mellitus with chronic hyperglycemia (regression coefficient, −1.37; 95% confidence interval, −2.65 to −0.10; P < 0.05). Manipulating blood glucose during acute SCI in hyperglycemic mice rescued the exacerbation of pathophysiology and improved motor functional outcomes.

Our findings suggest that hyperglycemia during acute SCI may be a useful prognostic factor with a negative impact on motor function, highlighting the importance of achieving tight glycemic control after central nervous system injury.

Purpose: Cervical laminoplasty has been used for the treatment of cervical arthrosic myelopathy in Japan. The purpose of this work was to assess clinical and radiological outcome at more than two years follow-up.

Material: Thirty-one patients underwent laminoplasty of three levels or more for cervical arthrosic myelopathy and were reviewed more than two years after surgery.

Methods: The Japanese Orthopaedic Association score was used to assess function preoperatively and at last follow-up. Preoperative and last follow-up standard strict lateral and flexion and extension x-rays of the cervical spine were available for all patients. The curvature was assessed on the lateral view in the neutral position (C2–C7 Cobb angle). Overall mobility was assessed on the dynamic views.

Results: The mean preoperative score was 9.7, improving to 138 at last follow-up (p < 0.0001, paired t test). Mean relative gain was 52.9%. The mean Cobb angle was 17° preoperatively and 8.9° at last follow-up. Cervical spine curvature and overall mobility had no influence on the score at last follow-up. The postoperative Cobb score was only influenced by the preoperative angle (p < 0.0001). There were no reoperations for instability.

Discussion: Guigui has demonstrated that mean loss of cervical lordosis in a series of extended laminectomies was 14°. In our series, mean loss of cervical lordosis was 8.1°. Laminoplasty enables a better preservation of cervical lordosis than laminectomy. Guigui also reported three patients requiring reoperation because of an unstable spine after laminectomy. Inversely, we did not have any cases requiring reoperation. During laminoplasty, a gutter is fashioned in a medial quarter of the articular masses to open the lamina, producing their fusion. This unexpected fusion diminishes overall mobility but also has a less destabilising effect on the spine than laminectomy.

Patients with Lumbar Degenerative Kyphosis and Kyphoscoliosis (LDK) complain of stooped gait, persistent low back pain and weakness. Because operative treatment of LDK imposes considerable operative intervention for aged patients, an indication should be strictly limited; those have severe low back pain with lumbar kyphosis which afflicts upright walking disturbing house keeping, patients aged less than 70 as a rule and have no critical general complication as well. Purpose of this paper is to compare factors that affect the results of operative treatment of LDK.

19 patients were reviewed retrospectively in these series (av. aged 62.7, all female except one), who were followed-up for 3.0 years in average (14 months-8 years.) after the last surgery. Number of fused vertebra comprised 3 in 4 cases, 4 in 5, 5 in 3, 6 in 2, 7 in 2, 8 in 1, 9 in 2 respectively. In these cases 8 (av. aged 60.4) had no interbody fusion at all, one segment in one, 2 segments in 4, and 3 and more in 6 either anterior or posteriorly. Results were evaluated as excellent, good, fair and poor based on a correction rates of C7 plumb line and T1 tilt angle, as well as correction of lumbar kyphosis angle.

The result was evaluated as excellent in 2 cases, good in 6, fair in 6 poor in 5. No co-relation was found between the results and number of fused vertebra at the last stage. However, patients whose operation include interbody fusion (IBF) of 3 and more contiguous segments showed either excellent or good, but all cases with single segment or no IBF groop showed either poor or fair, where those with 2 segments had good in 2 cases and fair in 2 respectively. There were relatively many poor results due to instrument failures (6 cases), insufficient correction of the deformity, compression fracture and increase of kyphosis above and below IBF level, possibly caused by progression of osteoporosis and degeneration. Four patients were found nerve root symptom after surgery, but almost healed by revision in several weeks.

In order to obtain good result correction should include interbody fusion of at least 3 contiguous lumbar segments for multilevel anterior support and rigid instrumentation in sufficient length. Accurate planning before operation and careful surgical procedure should be emphasized to avoid nerve entrapment and instrument failure.

We have reported that most of lower cervical cord injury patients had either improved or remained the same neurology following early operative stabilization done in our hospital. However, a few patients deteriorated with ascending paralysis in acute stage. Purpose of this paper is to present such cases and discuss the outcomes.

Methods: 1) We have analyzed 10 pts of acute lower cervical cord injury who had deteriorated neurologic symptom ascending above C4 and complicated with respiratory quadriplegia. They accounted for 3.7 % out of 271 patients with bony injury. 2) They were 8 males and 2 females, aged 17~76, injury type C5/6 fracture-dislocation (Fx/Dx) in 4, C6/7 Fx/Dx in 4, C7/T1 in 1, and one C5 flexion tear drop Fx. 3) 2 patients were treated conservatively and 8 had operative reduction and fusion with careful technique.

Results: 1) All patients had complete quadriplegia. 2) 3 pts could not wean out of ventilator and other 2 of them eventually died. 3) Paralysis started to ascend in 3 days after injury needed ventilator in 24 hours thereafter. 4) 2 out of 10 patients underwent an excessive distraction being treated conservatively. 8 patients had operative fixation for bony injuries, 7 of them obtained solid spine with single operation, but one had redislocated in a few days after the operation and received restabilisation surgery.

Conclusion: 1) There are a few patients of acute lower cervical injury with complete quadriplegia deteriorated neurology ascending paralysis with respiratory distress. 2) Comparing to other cases an operative treatment would not a cause of such neurologic deterioration. 3) In most cases paralysis of diaphragm was passing symptom, but quite a few patients(1%) could not wean off ventilator. 4) Cause of ascending paralysis in such injury could not be identified definitely, therefore careful observation and prompt treatment such as tracheotomy should be recommended.

Charcot spondyloarthropathy is one of the late complications of traumatic spinal cord injury that produces further disability. Purpose of this paper is to introduce 5 patients who developed Charcot spine after traumatic spinal cord injury treated surgically in our hospital (SIC) and discuss the result.

Methods: 1) We experienced 7 pts who presented characteristic clinical and radiographic findings of Charcot spine treated in SIC for 20 years (an incidence < 1%). 2) 5 out of 7 pts underwent surgical fusion. They were 4 males, 1 female, aged: 39~66, previous injury comprises of: C6 Fracture-dislocation(Fx/Dx) in 1, T11 Fx/Dx in 2, T12 Fx/Dx in 2. respectively, 3) 4 pts had complete paraplegia, 0ne incomplete(Frankel B) and the Charcot spine occurred below fusion mass under the injured level. 4) Posterior spinal fusions combined with kyphosis correction were performed in 3, the same with posterior shortening osteotomy using TSRH instruments in 2. Fusions were extended to L4 in 1, L5 in 2, S1 in 2 respectively.

Results: 1) 4 pts who had been followed-up over one year showed ultimate osseous union. Another one showed loosening of screws resulted in non-union at 5 months postoperatively. 2) Cobb angle of kyphosis were improved from 67.7 degrs. in av.(58~82) to 13.7 degrs in av. (15~36) by the operation. 3) All pts could have restored a good sitting balance tolerated a long time wheelchair sitting without any localized back pain.

Conclusion: It is important for physicians who treat spinal cord injury patients to be aware of posttraumatic Charcot spine. As longevity of the people with paralysis is increasing, this phenomenon may occur more apparently. Special attention should be given to the spinal segments just below the fused level in patients with previous spinal fusion. For the unstable and symptomatic Charcot spine, a surgical correction and fusion should be considered. The correction of kyphosis is essential, but too much correction should be avoided, because it may worsen a sitting balance of the patient. We now recommend a posterior shortening osteotomy and rigid fusion using a solid pedicle screw instrumentation like TSRH.

In cases above C4 cervical cord injury a respiratory distress and serious pulmonary complications occur with frequent obstruction of air way by increased excretion and difficult evacuation. Long term tracheal intubation often provides many general complications. We analized advantage and demerit of early tracheotomy in such cases of cervical cord injury patients.

Material and Methods: 1) We proposed early tracheotomy to prevent complications and ease respiration when pts showed low vital capacity (v.c.) less than 500cc showing deltoid/biceps palsy and respiratory distress with much excretion and difficult evacuation. 2) We have analysed 91 patients who needed ventilator out of 845 cervical cord injury patients who admitted in our hospital. 2) 25 pts were treated by tracheotomy from the beginning of treatment, and others were switched over from management of tracheal intubation. 3) We used a double cuff tracheotomy tube to prevent continuous pressure to the tracheal wall. 4) Weaning from ventilator was done when Fi02< 0.3, PEEP< 5cmH2O and PaO2> 80mmHg in room air.

Results: 1) 4 (16%) out of 25 pts who had been treated with tracheotomy from the beginning had atelectasis, whereas 15 (23%) out of 66 pts treated with intubation occurred that symtome, and 20% of the pts suffered pneumonia. 2) Out of 46 pts treated with intratracheal intubation in the beginning and then changed to tracheotomy within 4 days 7(15%) had atelectasis, whereas 20 (29%) of the pts who underwent tracheotomy after 5 days occurred the complication. 3) As complication of tracheotomy? Infection and? tracheal stenosis were observed but all uneventful healed.

Discussion/Conclusion: 1) Acutecervical cord injury pts showing deltoid/biceps palsy have impending respiratory distress. Examination of spirometer is essential. In such cases low v.c. < 500 tracheotomy should be indicated. 2) Continuing respiratory distress > 4days of intubation it is advised tracheotomy in order to prevent genera l complications. 3) Combination with frequent position changing and chest tapping is also essential for evacuation.

There are increasing opportunity of operative treatment for advanced aged patients with degenerative spinal disease aiming for better quality of life. We have studied such patients concerning operative result, complication and problem in pre- and peri- operative management, and achievement of their aims.

Patients and Results: 1) 26 patients were analyzed; 16 males and 10 females, av. aged 82.3, pts of 19 lumbar canal stenosis with marked intermittent claudication and 7 disc herniation. 2) Low back pain and neurogenic disabilities are evaluated on JOA scoring criteria excepting ADL points (full score:15).

Results: 1) 25 of 26 pts had following complications before operation; hypertension in 16, neurogenic bladder 7, arrhythmia 6, prostata hypertrophy 6, cardiac ischemic disease 4, DM 3, cerebral infarction 3, advanced OA of the knee joints 3. asthma 2, pulmonary emphysema 2, Parkinsonism 1, respectively. 2) All patients underwent laminectomy of av. 2.2 segments(1~4), and 3 pts had PL fusion. 3) One had postlaminectomy haematoma complicated with neurologic deterioration 3 hrs after operaion. He underwent immediate revision which resulted complete recovery of neurology. 4) One pt with pulmonary emphysema was operated successfully with lumbar anaesthesia as general anaesthesia was refused. 5) Improvement evaluated with modified JOA pain score accounted for as follows; av. preoperative score showed 7.16 improved to 10.73 (45.8%), objective symptoms 4.23–4.66, subjective symptome 3.0–6.08 (51.3%), ambulant ability improved from 0.35–2.0 (62.3%), and pain ± numbness of L/E 0.96–2.04 (52.9%) resp. 6) 2 patient