Incidental Dural Tears During Lumbar Spine Surgery: A Retrospective Case Study of 84 Degenerative Lumbar Spine Patients

Study DesignA retrospective case study.PurposeTo retrospectively review all incidental dural tears (DTs) that occurred at a single institution, classify them anatomically and evaluate the clinical significance of each subgroup.Overview of LiteratureDural tears are considered the most commonly encountered complication during lumbar spine surgery. In contrast to the high frequency of DTs, reports on the characteristic location and mechanism are sparse.MethodsWe retrospectively retrieved all cases of degenerative lumbar spine surgery performed over a 9-year period and classified all identified DTs according to two independent planes. The coronal plane was divided into lower, middle and upper surgical fields, and the sagittal plane into posterior, lateral and ventral occurring tears. Demographic and clinical variables were retrieved and analyzed to search for significant associations.ResultsFrom 2003 to 2011, 1,235 cases of degenerative lumbar spine conditions were treated surgically at our institution. In 84 operations (6.8%), an incidental DT was either identified intraoperatively or suspected retrospectively. The most commonly involved location was the lower surgical field (n=39, 46.4%; p=0.002), followed equally by the middle and upper fields (n=16, 19%). In the sagittal plane, the most commonly involved locations were those in close proximity to the nerve root (n=35, 41.6%), followed by the dorsal aspect of the dural sac (n=24, 28.6%). None of the variables recorded was found to be associated with a particular location.ConclusionsIn our series, incidental DTs were found to occur most commonly in the lower surgical field. We hypothesize that local anatomic feature, such as the lordotic and broadening lumbar dura, may play a role in the observed DT tendency to occur in the lower surgical field. In light of the high frequency and potentially substantial resulting morbidity of incidental DTs, a better characterization of its location and mechanism may optimize both prevention and management

Risks of Colon Injuries in Extreme Lateral Approaches to the Lumbar Spine: An Anatomical Study.

Introduction The extreme lateral interbody fusion technique (XLIF) is a modification of the retroperitoneal approach to the lumbar spine. This is a minimally invasive technique allowing direct access to the disc space without peritoneal or posterior paraspinal musculature damage. Nevertheless, the retroperitoneal part of the colon can be injured in this operative technique. To our knowledge, a study analyzing the anatomical considerations of the extreme lateral interbody fusion technique with regards to potential colon injuries has not been previously performed. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the potential risk of colon injuries during the extreme lateral approach to the lumbar spine. Materials and Methods The extreme lateral approach to the lumbar spine was performed on four fresh-frozen cadaveric sides. K-wires were placed into the intervertebral discs and positioned at L1/L2, L2/L3, L3/L4, and L4/L5 levels. Next, the distances from the wires to the most posterior aspect of the adjacent ascending or descending colon were measured. Results The mean distance from the intervertebral disc space to the ascending or descending colon was 23.2 mm at the L2/L3 level, 29.5 mm at the L3/L4 level, and 40.3 mm at the L4/L5 level. The L1/L2 level was above the colon on both sides. Conclusion Our study quantified the relationship of the retroperitoneal colon during an extreme lateral interbody fusion approach. Our results, as well as previously described cases of bowel perforations, suggest a greater risk for colon injuries at the L2/3 and L3/4 levels.

Contact Sports as a Risk Factor for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Systematic Review.

Study Design: Systematic review. Introduction: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease, ultimately resulting in paralysis and death. The condition is considered to be caused by a complex interaction between environmental and genetic factors. Although vast genetic research has deciphered many of the molecular factors in ALS pathogenesis, the environmental factors have remained largely unknown. Recent evidence suggests that participation in certain types of sporting activities are associated with increased risk for ALS. Objective: To test the hypothesis that competitive sports at the highest level that involve repetitive concussive head and cervical spinal trauma result in an increased risk of ALS compared with the general population or nonsport controls. Methods: Electronic databases from inception to November 22, 2017 and reference lists of key articles were searched to identify studies meeting inclusion criteria. Results: Sixteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Sports assessed (professional or nonprofessional) included soccer (n = 5), American football (n = 2), basketball (n = 1), cycling (n = 1), marathon or triathlon (n = 1), skating (n = 1), and general sports not specified (n = 11). Soccer and American football were considered sports involving repetitive concussive head and cervical spinal trauma. Professional sports prone to repetitive concussive head and cervical spinal trauma were associated with substantially greater effects (pooled rate ratio [RR] 8.52, 95% CI 5.18-14.0) compared with ( Conclusions: Our review suggests that increased susceptibility to ALS is significantly and independently associated with 2 factors: professional sports and sports prone to repetitive concussive head and cervical spinal trauma. Their combination resulted in an additive effect, further increasing this association to ALS

The Effect of Warfarin Use on Postoperative Outcomes after Femoral Neck Surgery

Introduction: Anticoagulation use in the elderly is common for patients undergoing femoral neck hip surgery. However, its use presents a challenge to balance it with associated comorbidities and benefits for the patients. As such, we attempted to compare the risk factors, perioperative outcomes, and postoperative outcomes of patients who used warfarin preoperatively and patients who used therapeutic enoxaparin. Methods: From 2003 through 2014, we queried our database to determine the cohorts of patients who used warfarin preoperatively and the patients who used therapeutic enoxaparin. Risk factors included age, gender, Body Mass Index (BMI) > 30, Atrial Fibrillation (AF), Chronic Heart Failure (CHF), and Chronic Renal Failure (CRF). Postoperative outcomes were also collected at each of the patients’ follow-up visits, including number of hospitalization days, delays to theatre, and mortality rate. Results: The minimum follow-up was 24 months and the average follow-up was 39 months (range: 24–60 months). In the warfarin cohort, there were 140 patients and 2055 patients in the therapeutic enoxaparin cohort. Number of hospitalization days (8.7 vs. 9.8, p = 0.02), mortality rate (58.7% vs. 71.4%, p = 0.003), and delays to theatre (1.70 vs. 2.86, p p = 0.00) and delays to theatre (p = 0.01), while CHF was the best predictor of mortality rate (p = 0.00). Postoperative complications, such as Pulmonary Embolism (PE) (p = 0.90), Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) (p = 0.31), and Cerebrovascular Accidents (CVA) (p = 0.72), pain levels (p = 0.95), full weight-bearing status (p = 0.08), and rehabilitation use (p = 0.34) were similar between the cohorts. Conclusion: Warfarin use is associated with increased number of hospitalization days and delays to theatre, but does not affect the postoperative outcome, including DVT, CVA, and pain levels compared to therapeutic enoxaparin use. Warfarin use proved to be the best predictor of hospitalization days and delays to theatre while CHF predicted mortality rate

The Effect of Warfarin Use on Postoperative Outcomes after Femoral Neck Surgery

Introduction: Anticoagulation use in the elderly is common for patients undergoing femoral neck hip surgery. However, its use presents a challenge to balance it with associated comorbidities and benefits for the patients. As such, we attempted to compare the risk factors, perioperative outcomes, and postoperative outcomes of patients who used warfarin preoperatively and patients who used therapeutic enoxaparin. Methods: From 2003 through 2014, we queried our database to determine the cohorts of patients who used warfarin preoperatively and the patients who used therapeutic enoxaparin. Risk factors included age, gender, Body Mass Index (BMI) > 30, Atrial Fibrillation (AF), Chronic Heart Failure (CHF), and Chronic Renal Failure (CRF). Postoperative outcomes were also collected at each of the patients’ follow-up visits, including number of hospitalization days, delays to theatre, and mortality rate. Results: The minimum follow-up was 24 months and the average follow-up was 39 months (range: 24–60 months). In the warfarin cohort, there were 140 patients and 2055 patients in the therapeutic enoxaparin cohort. Number of hospitalization days (8.7 vs. 9.8, p = 0.02), mortality rate (58.7% vs. 71.4%, p = 0.003), and delays to theatre (1.70 vs. 2.86, p < 0.0001) were significantly longer for the anticoagulant cohort than the therapeutic enoxaparin cohort. Warfarin use best predicted number of hospitalization days (p = 0.00) and delays to theatre (p = 0.01), while CHF was the best predictor of mortality rate (p = 0.00). Postoperative complications, such as Pulmonary Embolism (PE) (p = 0.90), Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) (p = 0.31), and Cerebrovascular Accidents (CVA) (p = 0.72), pain levels (p = 0.95), full weight-bearing status (p = 0.08), and rehabilitation use (p = 0.34) were similar between the cohorts. Conclusion: Warfarin use is associated with increased number of hospitalization days and delays to theatre, but does not affect the postoperative outcome, including DVT, CVA, and pain levels compared to therapeutic enoxaparin use. Warfarin use proved to be the best predictor of hospitalization days and delays to theatre while CHF predicted mortality rate

Sacral fractures: An updated and comprehensive review.

Sacral fractures are often underdiagnosed but are relatively frequent in the setting of pelvic ring injury. Causes include traumatic insults and osteoporosis. Sacral fractures have become more frequent owing to the growth of the elderly population worldwide as osteoporosis is an age-related disease. Misdiagnosed and neglected sacral fractures can result in chronic back pain, spine deformity, and instability. Unfortunately, the wide range of classification systems hinders adequate communication among clinicians. Therefore, a complete understanding of the pathology, and communication within the interdisciplinary team, are necessary to ensure adequate treatment and satisfactory clinical outcomes. The aim of this manuscript is to present the current knowledge available regarding classification systems, clinical assessment, decision-making factors, and current treatment options