Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy: Development and Natural History [AO Spine RECODE-DCM Research Priority Number 2].

Study design: Narrative review. Objectives: To discuss the current understanding of the natural history of degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM). Methods: Literature review summarizing current evidence pertaining to the natural history and risk factors of DCM. Results: DCM is a common condition in which progressive arthritic disease of the cervical spine leads to spinal cord compression resulting in a constellation of neurological symptoms, in particular upper extremity dysfunction and gait impairment. Anatomical factors including cord-canal mismatch, congenitally fused vertebrae and genetic factors may increase individuals\u27 risk for DCM development. Non-myelopathic spinal cord compression (NMSCC) is a common phenomenon with a prevalence of 24.2% in the healthy population, and 35.3% among individuals \u3e60 years of age. Clinical radiculopathy and/or electrophysiological signs of cervical cord dysfunction appear to be risk factors for myelopathy development. Radiological progression of incidental Ossification of the Posterior Longitudinal Ligament (OPLL) is estimated at 18.3% over 81-months and development of myelopathy ranges between 0-61.5% (follow-up ranging from 40 to 124 months between studies) among studies. In patients with symptomatic DCM undergoing non-operative treatment, 20-62% will experience neurological deterioration within 3-6 years. Conclusion: Current estimates surrounding the natural history of DCM, particularly those individuals with mild or minimal impairment, lack precision. Clear predictors of clinical deterioration for those treated with non-operative care are yet to be identified. Future studies are needed on this topic to help improve treatment counseling and clinical prognostication

La chirurgie rachidienne assistée par robot

L'insertion de vis pédiculaires est une étape cruciale dans la chirurgie de spondylodèse thoracolombaire. Une mauvaise insertion de vis peut conduire à des conséquences neurologiques ou vasculaires pour le patient. L'objectif de ce travail est de comparer la précision et la sécurité de l'utilisation de la chirurgie robotique comme le système Mazor SpineAssist® à la chirurgie mains libres sous contrôle radioscopique pour la vissée pédiculaire, ceci par le biais d’une étude rétrospective de 71 patients opérés de façon conventionnelle, et 98 patients avec le système robotisé. Les résultats obtenus s'inscrivent dans la même lignée que les données dans la littérature avec une amélioration significative de la précision du placement des vis sous guidage robotique avec un taux de 93.4 % radiologiquement bien placé et cliniquement acceptable, contre 88.9 % dans le groupe chirurgie mains libres (p&lt;0,005). Cependant, cet avantage semble être contrebalancé par les coûts d’achat et d’entretien du robot.</p

Acute traumatic central cord syndrome: a comprehensive review

Acute traumatic central cord syndrome (ATCCS) is the most common type of incomplete spinal cord injury, characterized by predominant upper extremity weakness, and less severe sensory and bladder dysfunction. ATCCS is thought to result from post-traumatic centro-medullary hemorrhage and edema, or, as more recently proposed, from a Wallerian degeneration, as a consequence of spinal cord pinching in a narrowed canal. Magnetic Resonance Imaging is the method of choice for diagnosis, showing a typical intramedullary hypersignal on T2 sequences. Non-surgical treatment relies on external cervical immobilization, maintenance of a sufficient systolic blood pressure, and early rehabilitation, and should be reserved for patients suffering from mild ATCCS. Surgical management of ATCCS consists of posterior, anterior or combined approaches, in order to achieve spinal cord decompression, with or without stabilization. The benefits of early surgical decompression in the setting of ATCCS remain controversial due to the lack of clinical randomized trials; recent studies suggest that early surgery (less than 72hours after trauma) appears to be safe and effective, especially for patients with evidence of focal anatomical cord compression

Extreme lateral interbody fusion (XLIF): A single-center clinical and radiological follow-up study of 20 patients

Extreme lateral interbody fusion (XLIF) is an alternative to standard posterior approaches for achieving fusion in the lumbar spine. It allows exposure of the lateral aspect of the lumbar disc through a lateral approach with the possibility to insert a wide footprint interbody cage as a stand-alone procedure or associated with a uni- or bilateral percutaneous fixation. This is a retrospective series of 20 consecutive patients operated with a XLIF procedure from 2014 to 2015. N=10 women and N=10 men with a mean age of 67.5years (range 37.9-81.2) were included in the study. N=18 patients have been operated at one level, while N=2 patients underwent a double-level XLIF. The index levels were: L2-L3 in 2, L3-L4 in 7, L4-L5 in 9 and L3-L5 in 2 patients, respectively. The mean clinico-radiological follow-up was 9.8months (range 2.5-16.6). The clinical outcome was assessed with the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Euro-Qol (EQ)-5D, visual analogue scale (VAS) and EQ-5D index scores. Preoperative, postoperative and follow-up sagittal balance was assessed by EOS full spine X-ray. Furthermore, presence or absence of fusion was assessed by thin cuts CT scan at the end of the follow-up. The analysis highlighted a clear clinical improvement for the study collective. The mean ODI improved from 41.6 preoperatively to 23.5 at the last follow-up (p<0.0036). EQ-5D VAS and EQ-5D index improved from 45.5 to 71.8 (p<0.0001) and from 0.454 to 0.693 (p<0.0002), respectively. Analysis of the sagittal balance revealed an increase of the total lumbar lordosis, however not in a statistically significant manner (p=0.164). Furthermore, an increase of 55.7% in mean disc height (from 7.0mm to 10.9mm) has been observed (p<0.0001). Surprisingly, the right foramen height was increased in a statistically significant manner compared to the left one, but both of them increased in absolute values. However, foraminal area on both sides did not significantly increase. The mean canal area was 115.7mm(2) preoperatively and 136.5mm(2) at follow-up (p=0.1325). Radiological fusion was observed in every case at the end of the follow-up period. The XLIF procedure accomplishes a secure and effective interbody fusion. This approach allows for an indirect decompression of neural structures by restoring foramen dimensions and disc space height, leading to an improvement of symptoms. Furthermore, XLIF seems to improve segmental sagittal balance

Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy: Review of Surgical Outcome Predictors and Need for Multimodal Approach

Degenerative cervical myelopathy is the most common cause of spinal cord injury in the elderly population in the developed world, and it significantly affects the quality of life of patients and their caregivers. Surgery remains the only treatment option able to halt disease progression and provide neurological recovery for most patients. Although it has remained challenging to predict exactly who will experience improvement after surgery, increasingly it has been shown that clinical, imaging, and electrophysiological factors can predict, with relatively good capacity, those more likely to benefit. Clinically, the baseline neurological impairment appears to be strongly related to the outcome, and the magnetic resonance imaging findings of T1-weighted hypointensity and the length of T2-weighted hyperintensity appear to be the most prognostic. In this context, electrophysiology findings (both motor and sensory evoked potentials) have shown some predictive capacity. However, large studies are lacking. Although multivariate models have been conducted using clinical and magnetic resonance imaging data, no multimodal prediction models are available that encompass the predictive capacity of clinical, imaging, and electrophysiological data. In the present review, we examined the rationale for clinical, imaging, and electrophysiological usage in clinical practice and discussed a model of multimodal assessment for the management of degenerative cervical myelopathy

Role of Robotics in Improving Surgical Outcome in Spinal Pathologies

The desire to improve accuracy and safety and to favor minimally invasive techniques has given rise to spinal robotic surgery, which has seen a steady increase in utilization in the past 2 decades. However, spinal surgery encompasses a large spectrum of operative techniques, and robotic surgery currently remains confined to assistance with the trajectory of pedicle screw insertion, which has been shown to be accurate and safe based on class II and III evidence. The role of robotics in improving surgical outcomes in spinal pathologies is less clear, however

Flexing a standard hinge-powered operating table for lumbosacral three-column osteotomy (3-CO) site closure in 84 consecutive patients

Three-column osteotomy (3-CO) is a powerful technique in adult deformity surgery, and pedicle subtraction osteotomy (PSO) is the workhorse to correct severe kyphotic spinal deformities. Aging of the population, increasing cases of iatrogenic flat back deformities and understanding the importance of sagittal balance have led to a dramatic increase of this surgical technique. Surgery, however, is demanding and associated with high complication rates so that every step of the procedure requires meticulous technique. Particularly, osteotomy closure is associated with risks like secondary fracture, translation, or iatrogenic stenosis. This step is traditionally performed by compression or a cantilever maneuver with sometimes excessive forces on the screws or instrumentation. Implant loosening or abrupt subluxation resulting in construct failure and/or neurological deficits can result. The aim of this prospective registry study was to assess the efficacy and safety of our surgical PSO technique as well as the osteotomy closure by flexing a hinge-powered OR table. In a series of 84 consecutive lumbosacral 3-CO, a standardized surgical technique with special focus on closure of the osteotomy was prospectively evaluated. The surgical steps with the patients positioned prone on a soft frame are detailed. Osteotomy closure was achieved by remote controlled bending of a standard OR table without compressive or cantilever forces in all 84 cases. This technique carries a number of advantages, particularly the reversibility and the slow speed of closure with minimum force. There was not a single mechanical intraoperative complication such as vertebral body fracture, subluxation, or adjacent implant loosening during osteotomy closure, compared to external cohorts using the cantilever technique (p = 0.130). The feasibility of controlled 3-CO closure by flexing a standard OR table is demonstrated. This technique enables a safe, gentle closure of the osteotomy site with minimal risk of implant failure or accidental neurological injury