Successful outcome of six-level cervicothoracic corpectomy and circumferential reconstruction: case report and review of literature on multilevel cervicothoracic corpectomy

The authors report the successful outcome of a six-level corpectomy across the cervico-thoracic spine with circumferential reconstruction in a patient with extensive osteomyelitis of the cervical and upper thoracic spine. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first report of a corpectomy extending across six levels of the cervico-thoracic spine. Clinical relevance: the authors recommend anterior cage and plate-assisted reconstruction and additional posterior instrumentation using modern spinal surgical techniques and implants

Formative evaluation of the telecare fall prevention project for older veterans

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Fall prevention interventions for community-dwelling older adults have been found to reduce falls in some research studies. However, wider implementation of fall prevention activities in routine care has yielded mixed results. We implemented a theory-driven program to improve care for falls at our Veterans Affairs healthcare facility. The first project arising from this program used a nurse advice telephone line to identify patients' risk factors for falls and to triage patients to appropriate services. Here we report the formative evaluation of this project.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>To evaluate the intervention we: 1) interviewed patient and employee stakeholders, 2) reviewed participating patients' electronic health record data and 3) abstracted information from meeting minutes. We describe the implementation process, including whether the project was implemented according to plan; identify barriers and facilitators to implementation; and assess the incremental benefit to the quality of health care for fall prevention received by patients in the project. We also estimate the cost of developing the pilot project.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The project underwent multiple changes over its life span, including the addition of an option to mail patients educational materials about falls. During the project's lifespan, 113 patients were considered for inclusion and 35 participated. Patient and employee interviews suggested support for the project, but revealed that transportation to medical care was a major barrier in following up on fall risks identified by nurse telephone triage. Medical record review showed that the project enhanced usual medical care with respect to home safety counseling. We discontinued the program after 18 months due to staffing limitations and competing priorities. We estimated a cost of $9194 for meeting time to develop the project.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The project appeared feasible at its outset but could not be sustained past the first cycle of evaluation due to insufficient resources and a waning of local leadership support due to competing national priorities. Future projects will need both front-level staff commitment and prolonged high-level leadership involvement to thrive.</p

Formative evaluation of the telecare fall prevention project for older veterans.

BackgroundFall prevention interventions for community-dwelling older adults have been found to reduce falls in some research studies. However, wider implementation of fall prevention activities in routine care has yielded mixed results. We implemented a theory-driven program to improve care for falls at our Veterans Affairs healthcare facility. The first project arising from this program used a nurse advice telephone line to identify patients' risk factors for falls and to triage patients to appropriate services. Here we report the formative evaluation of this project.MethodsTo evaluate the intervention we: 1) interviewed patient and employee stakeholders, 2) reviewed participating patients' electronic health record data and 3) abstracted information from meeting minutes. We describe the implementation process, including whether the project was implemented according to plan; identify barriers and facilitators to implementation; and assess the incremental benefit to the quality of health care for fall prevention received by patients in the project. We also estimate the cost of developing the pilot project.ResultsThe project underwent multiple changes over its life span, including the addition of an option to mail patients educational materials about falls. During the project's lifespan, 113 patients were considered for inclusion and 35 participated. Patient and employee interviews suggested support for the project, but revealed that transportation to medical care was a major barrier in following up on fall risks identified by nurse telephone triage. Medical record review showed that the project enhanced usual medical care with respect to home safety counseling. We discontinued the program after 18 months due to staffing limitations and competing priorities. We estimated a cost of $9194 for meeting time to develop the project.ConclusionsThe project appeared feasible at its outset but could not be sustained past the first cycle of evaluation due to insufficient resources and a waning of local leadership support due to competing national priorities. Future projects will need both front-level staff commitment and prolonged high-level leadership involvement to thrive

Avaliação do tratamento da discopatia degenerativa cervical pela artrodese via anterior utilizando placas associadas a cages ou cages em peek isoladamente Evaluación del tratamiento de la enfermedad degenerativa del disco cervical por la artrodesis anterior utilizando placas asociadas con jaulas o jaulas en peec, aisladamente Evaluation of cervical degenerative disc disease treatment by anterior arthrodesis using plates associated with cages or cages in peek alone

OBJETIVOS: Avaliar comparativamente o tratamento da discopatia degenerativa cervical por discectomia e artrodese cervical via anterior utilizando placas associadas a cages ou cages em PEEK isoladamente. MÉTODOS: Foi realizado um estudo retrospectivo comparativo entre dois grupos de pacientes operados pela técnica de discectomia e artrodese cervical via anterior. Foram selecionados aleatoriamente 70 pacientes, 35 operados com o método de fixação com placas associadas a cages - denominado Grupo I - e 35 com o cage em PEEK isoladamente - Grupo II. Realizou-se anamnese, exame físico, escores de dor (escala visual e analógica da dor) e função (critérios de Odom's, SF-36, Indice de incapacidade do pescoço) o pré e pós-operatório e exames de imagem. RESULTADOS: Houve predominância de pacientes do sexo feminino em ambos os grupos, com média de idade de 55 anos no Grupo I e 47 no Grupo II. Ambos os grupos apresentaram distribuição semelhante quanto ao número de níveis operados, assim como nas complicações encontradas e escores de dor, cervicalgia e SF36 no pré e pós-operatório. Houve 97.1% de fusão com 94.3% de bons resultados no Grupo I e 100% de fusão, com 97 % de bons resultados no Grupo II. CONCLUSÕES: O estudo comparativo da utilização de placas com cages e cages em PEEK isoladamente apresentou resultados semelhantes e satisfatórios para os grupos estudados, não se constatando superioridade ou inferioridade de um método com relação ao outro.<br>OBJETIVOS: Evaluar comparativamente el tratamiento de la enfermedad degenerativa del disco cervical por discectomía y artrodesis cervical vía anterior, utilizando placas asociadas con el uso de jaulas o estas en PEEK [Poliéster-Éter-Éter-Cetona], aisladamente. MÉTODOS: fue realizado un estudio retrospectivo comparativo de dos grupos de pacientes tratados con la técnica de discectomía y artrodesis cervical vía anterior. Se seleccionaron al azar 70 pacientes, 35 operados por el método de fijación con placas asociadas a jaulas - Grupo I - y 35 con las jaulas en PEEK, aisladamente - Grupo II. Se recolectarondatos de historial clínico, examen físico, puntuaciones de dolor (escala visual y analógica del dolor-EVA) y función (criterios de Odom, SF-36, Índice de Discapacidad Cervical) del pre y posoperatorio y exámenes de imagen. RESULTADOS: Se encontró un predominio de pacientes de sexo femenino en ambos grupos, con una edad promediode 55 años en el Grupo I y de 47 en el Grupo II. Ambos grupos mostraron una distribución similar en el número de niveles operados, así como de las complicaciones encontradas y de las puntuaciones de dolor, índice de discapacidad cervical y SF36 para el pre y posoperatorio. Hubo 97,1% para la fusión y 94,3% de buenos resultados en el Grupo I y el 100% de fusión, con 97% de buenos resultados en el Grupo II. CONCLUSIONES: El estudio comparativo de la utilización de placas con jaulas y estas en PEEK, aisladamente, presentó resultados similares y satisfactorios para los grupos estudiados, sin mostrar superioridad o inferioridad de un método sobre otro.<br>OBJECTIVES: To comparatively evaluate the treatment of cervical degenerative disc disease by anterior approach using plates associated or cages and PEEK device alone. METHODS: A retrospective study comparing two groups of patients treated by anterior arthrodesis was performed. Seventy patients were randomly selected, 35 operated using plates associated with cages - Group I - and 35 with cages in PEEK alone - Group II. Medical history was obtained as well as physical examination, pain scores (pain visual analogue score) and function scores (Odom's criteria, SF-36, Neck Disability Index) and the pre and postoperative imaging studies. RESULTS: There was a predominance of female patients in both groups, with a mean age of 55 years in Group I and 47 in Group II. Both groups showed a similar distribution of the number of levels operated, as well as the complications and pain scores, SF36 and neck disability index pre- and postoperatively. There was a fusion rate of 97.1% with 94.3% of good results in Group I and 100% of fusion, with 97% of good results in Group II. CONCLUSIONS: The comparative study of arthrodesis using anterior approach with use of plates and cages and cages in PEEK alone had similar and satisfactory results for both groups, showing no superiority or inferiority of one method over another

Cervical anterior transpedicular screw fixation (ATPS)—Part II. Accuracy of manual insertion and pull-out strength of ATPS

Reconstruction after multilevel decompression of the cervical spine, especially in the weakened osteoporotic, neoplastic or infectious spine often requires circumferential stabilization and fusion. To avoid the additional posterior surgery in these cases while increasing rigidity of anterior-only screw-plate constructs, the authors introduce the concept of anterior transpedicular screw (ATPS) fixation. We demonstrated its morphological feasibility as well as its indications in a previous study in Part I of our project. Consequently, the objectives of the current study were to assess the ex vivo accuracy of placing ATPS into the cervical vertebra as well as the biomechanical performance of ATPS in comparison to traditional vertebral body screws (VBS) in terms of pull-out strength (POS). Twenty-three ATPS were inserted alternately to two screws into the pedicles and vertebral bodies, respectively, of six cadaveric specimens from C3–T1. For insertion of ATPS, a manual fluoroscopically assisted technique was used. Pre- and post insertional CT-scans were used to assess accuracy of ATPS insertion in the axial and sagittal planes. A newly designed grading system and accuracy score were used to delineate accuracy of ATPS insertion. Following insertion of screws, 23 ATPS and 22 VBS were subjected to pull-out testing (POT). The bone mineral density (BMD) of each specimen was assessed prior to POT. Statistical analysis showed that the incidence of correctly placed screws and non-critical pedicles breaches in axial plane was 78.3%, and 95.7% in sagittal plane. Hence, according to our definition of “critical” pedicle breach that exposes neurovascular structures at risk, 21.7% (n = 5) of all ATPS inserted showed a critical pedicle breach in axial plane. Notably, no critical pedicle perforation occurred at the C6 to T1 levels. Pull-out testing of ATPS and VBS revealed that pull-out resistance of ATPS was 2.5-fold that of VBS. Mean POS of 23 ATPS with a mean BMD of 0.566 g/cm2 and a mean osseus screw purchase of 27.2 mm was 467.8 N. In comparison, POS of 22 VBS screws with a mean BMD of 0.533 g/cm2 and a mean osseus screw purchase of 16.0 mm was 181.6 N. The difference in ultimate pull-out strength between the ATPS and VBS group was significant (p < 0.000001). Also, accuracy of ATPS placement in axial plane was shown to be significantly correlated with POS. In contrast, there was no correlation between screw-length, BMD, or level of insertion and the POS of ATPS or VBS. The study demonstrated that the use of ATPS might be a new technique worthy of further investigation. The use of ATPS shows the potential to increase construct rigidity in terms of screw-plate pull-out resistance. It might diminish construct failures during anterior-only reconstructions of the highly unstable decompressed cervical spine