An eight-week-old boy developed severe thoracic spondylodiscitis following pneumonia and septicaemia. A delay in diagnosis resulted in complete destruction of the T4 and T5 vertebral bodies and adjacent discs, with a paraspinal abscess extending into the mediastinum and epidural space. Antibiotic treatment controlled the infection and the abscess was aspirated. At the age of six months, he underwent posterior spinal fusion in situ to stabilise the spine and prevent progressive kyphosis. At the age of 13 months, repeat imaging showed lack of anterior vertebral body re-growth and he underwent anterior spinal fusion from T3 to T6 and augmentation of the posterior fusion. At the age of five years, he had no symptoms and radiographs showed bony fusion across the affected levels. Spondylodiscitis should be included in the differential diagnosis of infants who present with severe illness and atypical symptoms. Delayed diagnosis can result in major spinal complications with a potentially fatal outcome

Aims

Traumatic central cord syndrome (CCS) typically follows a hyperextension injury and results in motor impairment affecting the upper limbs more than the lower, with occasional sensory impairment and urinary retention. Current evidence on mortality and long-term outcomes is limited. The primary aim of this study was to assess the five-year mortality of CCS, and to determine any difference in mortality between management groups or age.

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Historically, patients undergoing surgery for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) have been nursed postoperatively in a critical care (CC) setting because of the challenges posed by prone positioning, extensive exposures, prolonged operating times, significant blood loss, major intraoperative fluid shifts, cardiopulmonary complications, and difficulty in postoperative pain management. The primary aim of this paper was to determine whether a scoring system, which uses Cobb angle, forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), and number of levels to be fused, is a valid method of predicting the need for postoperative critical care in AIS patients who are to undergo scoliosis correction with posterior spinal fusion (PSF).

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The number of patients undergoing surgery for degenerative cervical radiculopathy has increased. In many countries, public hospitals have limited capacity. This has resulted in long waiting times for elective treatment and a need for supplementary private healthcare. It is uncertain whether the management of patients and the outcome of treatment are equivalent in public and private hospitals. The aim of this study was to compare the management and patient-reported outcomes among patients who underwent surgery for degenerative cervical radiculopathy in public and private hospitals in Norway, and to assess whether the effectiveness of the treatment was equivalent.

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To determine the value of scoliosis surgery, it is necessary to evaluate outcomes in domains that matter to patients. Since randomized trials on adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) are scarce, prospective cohort studies with comparable outcome measures are important. To enhance comparison, a core set of patient-related outcome measures is available. The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of AIS fusion surgery at two-year follow-up using the core outcomes set.

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As the population ages and the surgical complexity of lumbar spinal surgery increases, the preoperative stratification of risk becomes increasingly important. Understanding the risks is an important factor in decision-making and optimizing the preoperative condition of the patient. Our aim was to determine whether the modified five-item frailty index (mFI-5) and nutritional parameters could be used to predict postoperative complications in patients undergoing simple or complex lumbar spinal fusion.

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To report the outcome of spinal deformity correction through anterior spinal fusion in wheelchair-bound patients with myelomeningocele.

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To describe the clinical, radiological, and functional outcomes in patients with isolated congenital thoracolumbar kyphosis who were treated with three-column osteotomy by posterior-only approach.

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The current pandemic caused by COVID-19 is the biggest challenge for national health systems for a century. While most medical resources are allocated to treat COVID-19 patients, several non-COVID-19 medical emergencies still need to be treated, including vertebral fractures and spinal cord compression. The aim of this paper is to report the early experience and an organizational protocol for emergency spinal surgery currently being used in a large metropolitan area by an integrated team of orthopaedic surgeons and neurosurgeons.

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Spinal fusion remains the gold standard in the treatment of idiopathic scoliosis. However, anterior vertebral body tethering (AVBT) is gaining widespread interest, despite the limited data on its efficacy. The aim of our study was to determine the clinical efficacy of AVBT in skeletally immature patients with idiopathic scoliosis.

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The timing of surgical fixation in spinal fractures is a contentious topic. Existing literature suggests that early stabilization leads to reduced morbidity, improved neurological outcomes, and shorter hospital stay. However, the quality of evidence is low and equivocal with regard to the safety of early fixation in the severely injured patient. This paper compares complication profiles between spinal fractures treated with early fixation and those treated with late fixation.

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With recent progress in cancer treatment, the number of advanced-age patients with spinal metastases has been increasing. It is important to clarify the influence of advanced age on outcomes following surgery for spinal metastases, especially with a focus on subjective health state values.

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This study aimed to evaluate the incidence and prognosis of patients with spinal metastasis as the initial manifestation of malignancy (SM-IMM).

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The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence and analyze the trends of surgeon-reported complications following surgery for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) over a 13-year period from the Scoliosis Research Society (SRS) Morbidity and Mortality database.

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The aim of this study was to explore the prognostic factors for postoperative neurological recovery and survival in patients with complete paralysis due to neoplastic epidural spinal cord compression.

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The aims of this study were to determine the rates of surgical complications, reoperations, and readmissions following herniated lumbar disc surgery, and to investigate the impact of sociodemographic factors and comorbidity on the rate of such unfavourable events.

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Patients seeking cervical spine surgery are thought to be increasing in age, comorbidities and functional debilitation. The changing demographics of this population may significantly impact the outcomes of their care, specifically with regards to complications. In this study, our goals were to determine the rates of functionally dependent patients undergoing elective cervical spine procedures and to assess the effect of functional dependence on 30-day morbidity and mortality using a large, validated national cohort.

Aims

The aim of this study was to compare the outcomes of surgery using growing rods in patients with severe versus moderate early-onset scoliosis (EOS).

Despite the increasing prevalence of sleep apnoea, little information is available regarding its impact on the peri-operative outcome of patients undergoing posterior lumbar fusion. Using a national database, patients who underwent lumbar fusion between 2006 and 2010 were identified, sub-grouped by diagnosis of sleep apnoea and compared. The impact of sleep apnoea on various outcome measures was assessed by regression analysis. The records of 84 655 patients undergoing posterior lumbar fusion were identified and 7.28% (n = 6163) also had a diagnostic code for sleep apnoea. Compared with patients without sleep apnoea, these patients were older, more frequently female, had a higher comorbidity burden and higher rates of peri-operative complications, post-operative mechanical ventilation, blood product transfusion and intensive care. Patients with sleep apnoea also had longer and more costly periods of hospitalisation.

In the regression analysis, sleep apnoea emerged as an independent risk factor for the development of peri-operative complications (odds ratio (OR) 1.50, confidence interval (CI) 1.38;1.62), blood product transfusions (OR 1.12, CI 1.03;1.23), mechanical ventilation (OR 6.97, CI 5.90;8.23), critical care services (OR 1.86, CI 1.71;2.03), prolonged hospitalisation and increased cost (OR 1.28, CI 1.19;1.37; OR 1.10, CI 1.03;1.18).

Patients with sleep apnoea who undergo posterior lumbar fusion pose significant challenges to clinicians.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2014;96-B:242–8.

Objectives

Although vertebroplasty is very effective for relieving acute pain from an osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture, not all patients who undergo vertebroplasty receive the same degree of benefit from the procedure. In order to identify the ideal candidate for vertebroplasty, pre-operative prognostic demographic or clinico-radiological factors need to be identified. The objective of this study was to identify the pre-operative prognostic factors related to the effect of vertebroplasty on acute pain control using a cohort of surgically and non-surgically managed patients.

Aims

We performed a retrospective, comparative study of elderly patients with an increased risk from anaesthesia who had undergone either anterior screw fixation (ASF) or halo vest immobilisation (HVI) for a type II odontoid fracture.

We report the incidence of and risk factors for complications after scoliosis surgery in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and compare them with those of other neuromuscular conditions.

We identified 110 (64 males, 46 females) consecutive patients with a neuromuscular disorder who underwent correction of the scoliosis at a mean age of 14 years (7 to 19) and had a minimum two-year follow-up. We recorded demographic and peri-operative data, including complications and re-operations.

There were 60 patients with cerebral palsy (54.5%) and 26 with DMD (23.6%). The overall complication rate was 22% (24 patients), the most common of which were deep wound infection (9, 8.1%), gastrointestinal complications (5, 4.5%) and hepatotoxicity (4, 3.6%). The complication rate was higher in patients with DMD (10/26, 38.5%) than in those with other neuromuscular conditions (14/84, 16.7% (p = 0.019). All hepatotoxicity occurred in patients with DMD (p = 0.003), who also had an increased rate of deep wound infection (19% vs 5%) (p = 0.033). In the DMD group, no peri-operative factors were significantly associated with the rate of overall complications or deep wound infection. Increased intra-operative blood loss was associated with hepatotoxicity (p = 0.036).

In our series, correction of a neuromuscular scoliosis had an acceptable rate of complications: patients with DMD had an increased overall rate compared with those with other neuromuscular conditions. These included deep wound infection and hepatotoxicity. Hepatotoxicity was unique to DMD patients, and we recommend peri-operative vigilance after correction of a scoliosis in this group.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2014; 96-B:943–9.

Increasing numbers of posterior lumbar fusions are being performed. The purpose of this study was to identify trends in demographics, mortality and major complications in patients undergoing primary posterior lumbar fusion. We accessed data collected for the Nationwide Inpatient Sample for each year between 1998 and 2008 and analysed trends in the number of lumbar fusions, mean patient age, comorbidity burden, length of hospital stay, discharge status, major peri-operative complications and mortality. An estimated 1 288 496 primary posterior lumbar fusion operations were performed between 1998 and 2008 in the United States. The total number of procedures, mean patient age and comorbidity burden increased over time. Hospital length of stay decreased, although the in-hospital mortality (adjusted and unadjusted for changes in length of hospital stay) remained stable. However, a significant increase was observed in peri-operative septic, pulmonary and cardiac complications. Although in-hospital mortality rates did not change over time in the setting of increases in mean patient age and comorbidity burden, some major peri-operative complications increased. These trends highlight the need for appropriate peri-operative services to optimise outcomes in an increasingly morbid and older population of patients undergoing lumbar fusion.

The aim of this study was to determine whether obesity affects pain, surgical and functional outcomes following lumbar spinal fusion for low back pain (LBP).

A systematic literature review and meta-analysis was made of those studies that compared the outcome of lumbar spinal fusion for LBP in obese and non-obese patients. A total of 17 studies were included in the meta-analysis. There was no difference in the pain and functional outcomes. Lumbar spinal fusion in the obese patient resulted in a statistically significantly greater intra-operative blood loss (weighted mean difference: 54.04 ml; 95% confidence interval (CI) 15.08 to 93.00; n = 112; p = 0.007) more complications (odds ratio: 1.91; 95% CI 1.68 to 2.18; n = 43858; p < 0.001) and longer duration of surgery (25.75 mins; 95% CI 15.61 to 35.90; n = 258; p < 0.001). Obese patients have greater intra-operative blood loss, more complications and longer duration of surgery but pain and functional outcome are similar to non-obese patients. Based on these results, obesity is not a contraindication to lumbar spinal fusion.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2015;97-B:1395–1404.

Multiple thoracic disc herniations are rare and there are few reports in the literature. Between December 1998 and July 2002, we operated on 12 patients with multiple thoracic disc herniations. All underwent an anterior decompression and fusion through a transthoracic approach. The clinical outcomes were assessed using the Frankel neurological classification and the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score. Under the Frankel classification, two patients improved by two grades (C to E), one patient improved by one grade (C to D), while nine patients who had been classified as grade D did not change. The JOA scores improved significantly after surgery with a mean recovery rate of 44.8% ± 24.5%. Overall, clinical outcomes were excellent in two patients, good in two, fair in six and unchanged in two. Our results indicate that anterior decompression and fusion for multiple thoracic disc herniations through a transthoracic approach can provide satisfactory results.

Fractures of the odontoid peg are common spinal injuries in the elderly. This study compares the survivorship of a cohort of elderly patients with an isolated fracture of the odontoid peg versus that of patients who have sustained a fracture of the hip or wrist. A six-year retrospective analysis was performed on all patients aged > 65 years who were admitted to our spinal unit with an isolated fracture of the odontoid peg. A Kaplan–Meier table was used to analyse survivorship from the date of fracture, which was compared with the survivorship of similar age-matched cohorts of 702 consecutive patients with a fracture of the hip and 221 consecutive patients with a fracture of the wrist.

A total of 32 patients with an isolated odontoid fracture were identified. The rate of mortality was 37.5% (n = 12) at one year. The period of greatest mortality was within the first 12 weeks. Time made a lesser contribution from then to one year, and there was no impact of time on the rate of mortality thereafter. The rate of mortality at one year was 41.2% for male patients (7 of 17) compared with 33.3% for females (5 of 15).

The rate of mortality at one year was 32% (225 of 702) for patients with a fracture of the hip and 4% (9 of 221) for those with a fracture of the wrist. There was no statistically significant difference in the rate of mortality following a hip fracture and an odontoid peg fracture (p = 0.95). However, the survivorship of the wrist fracture group was much better than that of the odontoid peg fracture group (p < 0.001). Thus, a fracture of the odontoid peg in the elderly is not a benign injury and is associated with a high rate of mortality, especially in the first three months after the injury.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2014;96-B:88–93.

We report on two cases of infective spondylodiscitis caused by Gemella haemolysans in otherwise healthy patients. This organism has only rarely been identified as a cause of bone and joint infection, with only two previous reports of infective spondylodiscitis.

We describe the clinical features, investigations and treatment options.

We compared the clinical, radiological and quality-of-life outcomes between hybrid and total pedicle screw instrumentation in patients undergoing surgery for neuromuscular scoliosis. A matched comparison using prospectively collected data was undertaken. A total of 66 patients underwent posterior or anteroposterior correction and fusion with hybrid (n = 33, mean age at surgery 15.8 years (9.10 to 19.6)) or total pedicle screw instrumentation (n = 33, mean age 14.7 years (7.0 to 20.7)) with a minimum follow-up of two years. The major curve pre-operatively was a mean of 87° (sd 29, 25° to 141°) and 81° (sd 18, 47° to 116°) in the hybrid and total pedicle screw groups, respectively (p = 0.29) and at a minimum of two years it was 33° (sd 20; 2° to 87°) and 20° (sd 12; 1° to 55°), respectively (p = 0.0016). The mean correction of the major curve was 59% (41% to 88%) in the hybrid and 75% (43% to 99%) in the total pedicle screw groups at two-year follow-up (p = 0.0011). The mean operating time was 7.45 hours (sd 2.18) and 6.04 hours (sd 1.71) in the hybrid and total pedicle screw groups, respectively (p = 0.001), and the mean intra-operative blood loss was 3760 ml (sd 2790) and 1785 ml (sd 1110), respectively (p = 0.001).

Total pedicle screw instrumentation provided shorter operating times, less blood loss and better correction of the major curve compared with hybrid constructs in patients undergoing surgery for neuromuscular scoliosis.

Anterior debridement, grafting of the defect and posterior instrumentation as a single-stage procedure is a controversial method of managing pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis. Between 1994 and 2005, 37 patients underwent this procedure at our hospital, of which two died and three had inadequate follow-up. The remaining 32 were reviewed for a mean of 36 months (12 to 66). Their mean age was 48 years (17 to 68). A significant pre-operative neurological deficit was present in 13 patients (41%). The mean duration of surgery was 285 minutes (240 to 360) and the mean blood loss was 900 ml (300 to 1600). Pyogenic organisms were isolated in 21 patients (66%). All patients began to mobilise on the second post-operative day. The mean hospital stay was 13.6 days (10 to 20). Appropriate antibiotics were administered for 10 to 12 weeks. Early wound infection occurred in four patients (12.5%), and late infection in two (6.3%).

At final follow-up, the infection had resolved in all patients, neurological recovery was seen in ten of 13 (76.9%) and interbody fusion had occurred in 30 (94%). The clinical outcome was excellent or good in 30 patients according to Macnab’s criteria.

This surgical protocol can be used to good effect in patients with pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis when combined with appropriate antibiotic therapy.

Seven men with a mean age of 63.9 years (59 to 67) developed dysphagia because of oesophageal compression with ossification of the anterior longitudinal ligament (OALL) and radiculomyelopathy due to associated stenosis of the cervical spine. The diagnosis of OALL was made by plain lateral radiography and classified into three types; segmental, continuous and mixed. Five patients had associated OALL in the thoracic and lumbar spine without ossification of the ligamentum flavum.

All underwent removal of the OALL and six had simultaneous decompression by removal of ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament or a bony spur. All had improvement of their dysphagia. Because symptomatic OALL may be associated with spinal stenosis, precise neurological examination is critical. A simultaneous microsurgical operation for patients with OALL and spinal stenosis gives good results without serious complications.

We evaluated the use of surgical stabilisation for atlantoaxial subluxation after a follow-up of 24 years in 50 rheumatoid patients who had some degree of pain but no major neurological deficit.

The mortality of patients treated by atlantoaxial fusion was significantly lower than for those who received conservative treatment. The deaths resulted from infection or comorbid conditions. The significantly high relative risks of mortality from conservative treatment compared with surgical treatment were mutilating disease and susceptible factors on both of the HLA-DRB1 alleles. Relief from pain and neurological and functional recovery were better, and the radiological degree of atlantoaxial translocation was less in those who were surgically treated compared with those who were not. Two patients had superficial local infections after surgery. We conclude that prophylactic atlantoaxial fusion is better than conservative treatment in these patients.