Surgical treatment of scoliosis in a rare disease: arthrogryposis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The reported incidence of scoliosis in arthrogryposis varies from 30% to 67% and, in most cases, the curves progress rapidly and become stiff from early age.</p> <p>The authors report six cases of scoliosis in arthrogryposis to assess the role of surgical treatment.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Six cases (3 males, 3 females; mean age at surgery 13.2 years) with arthrogryposis multiplex congenita associated with the characteristic amyoplasia were reviewed: they were operated on for scoliosis at the authors' Spine Surgery Department between 1987 and 2008.</p> <p>Surgery was performed using the Harrington-Luque instrumentation (2 cases), the Luque system (1), a hybrid segmental technique with hooks and screws (1) and spinal anchoring with pedicle screws (2).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The patients were clinically and radiologically reviewed at a mean follow-up of 4.2 years, ± 2.7 (range, 1 to 9 years). Three minor postoperative complications were encountered; a long-term pulmonary complication was seen in one case after reintervention and was successfully resolved after 10 days. Surgery was successful in the other 5 cases, where solid arthrodesis was achieved and no significant curve progression was observed at follow-up.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The experience acquired with the present case series leads the authors to assert that prompt action should be taken when treating such aggressive forms of scoliosis. In case of mild spinal deformities in arthrogryposis, brace treatment should be attempted, the evolution of the curves being unpredictable; however, when the curve exceeds 40° and presents with marked hyperkyphosis, hyperlordosis or pelvic obliquity, surgery should not be delayed.</p

Osteoporotic thoracolumbar compression fractures: long-term retrospective comparison between vertebroplasty and conservative treatment

Purpose: To compare long term clinical and radiographic outcomes in osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures of the thoracolumbar spine treated with conservative treatment and percutaneous vertebroplasty. Methods: The retrospective study with inclusion criteria focused on osteoporotic fractures of the thoracolumbar junction (T10\u2013L2). Clinical outcomes were evaluated by using the VAS, Oswestry and SF36 questionnaires. Radiographic outcomes were evaluated by comparing the following sagittal parameters: body angle, sagittal index of fractured vertebral body and adjacent vertebral segments kyphosis. Complications in terms of adjacent vertebral fractures and cement leakage are reported. Results: Percutaneous vertebroplasty provided better vertebral body height restoration, but was associated with a higher incidence of adjacent fractures (20%) than conservative treatment (3.5%). This fact may explain why patients treated with percutaneous vertebroplasty had worse overall kyphotic alignment at final follow-up. Cement leakage was frequent, but always asymptomatic and generally no serious complications occurred. Conclusions: Percutaneous vertebroplasty represents a safe treatment for osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures, although it may be associated with a higher incidence of adjacent fractures and therefore worse thoracolumbar kyphosis and long-term follow-up than conservative treatment. Graphical abstract: These slides can be retrieved under Electronic Supplementary Material.[Figure not available: see fulltext.]

Does surgery for Scheuermann kyphosis influence sagittal spinopelvic parameters?

Purpose: To analyze changes in sagittal spinopelvic parameters (SSPs) after surgical treatment of Scheuermann\u2019s Kyphosis (SK). Methods: We analyzed 20 patients affected by SK and subjected to posterior correction of the kyphosis by facetectomy, Ponte osteotomy, fusion and multilevel instrumentation with pedicle screw system. Four spinal and three pelvic parameters were measured: sagittal vertical axis (SVA), thoracic kyphosis (TK), thoracolumbar kyphosis, lumbar lordosis (LL), pelvic incidence (PI), sacral slope (SS) and pelvic tilt (PT). Analysis of changes in postprocedural SSPs compared to preoperative values was performed. Results: TK passed from 78.6\ub0 preoperatively to 45.8\ub0 (p\ua0=\ua00.003). LL passed from 74.5\ub0 preoperatively to 53.5\ub0 (p\ua0=\ua00.01). No significant changes occurred in SVA, SS, PT and PI compared to preoperative values. Conclusion: We confirm the positive effect of surgery by Ponte osteotomy and posterior spinal fusion on TK and LL in patients with SK. In our experience, pelvic parameters did not change after surgery

Copper-Alloy Surfaces and Cleaning Regimens against the Spread of SARS-CoV-2 in Dentistry and Orthopedics. From Fomites to Anti-Infective Nanocoatings

The latest diffusion of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), responsible for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), has involved the whole world population. Even if huge efforts to control the pandemic have been done, the viral spread is still continuing. COVID-19 is reported as a zoonosis jumped from bats and pangolins to humans. After infection in humans, SARS-CoV-2 is found in the nasopharyngeal and salivary secretions. The virus has also been detected in the blood plasma of infected patients. The viral spread occurs through droplets exhaled from the nose and mouth of the infected people when they breath or talk, or through droplets propelled as a dense cloud by chough or sneeze. The virus can also be delivered as an aerosol from blood plasma, through surgical procedures. Following these ways, the virus can disperse in the air, then reaching and settling on the exposed surfaces. How long the virus will survive on a surface depends on the material the surface is made from. Infection via high-touch surfaces should be prevented. Copper alloy coatings, combined with efficient hygienic/disinfectant procedures and careful surgical practice, could be helpful to health protection in dental practice and can also be adopted in orthopedic traumatology

Changes in spino-pelvic alignment after surgical treatment of high-grade isthmic spondylolisthesis by a posterior approach: a report of 41 cases

PURPOSE: To analyze changes in spino-pelvic parameters (SPPs) after surgery of high-grade lumbar isthmic spondylolisthesis (HDIS). METHODS: We analyzed 41 patients affected by HDIS operated upon by attempt of reduction and posterior spinal fusion with pedicle screw systems with or without interbody fusion. Pelvic tilt (PT), lumbar lordosis (LL), pelvic incidence (PI), and sacral slope (SS) were measured, and patients were further divided into balanced and unbalanced pelvis subgroups. RESULTS: SS passed from 46.8\ub0 \ub1 9.8\ub0 preoperatively to 50.1\ub0 \ub1 10.1\ub0 (p = 0.02). PT passed from 26.7\ub0 \ub1 6.7\ub0 preoperatively to 22.9\ub0 \ub1 7.5\ub0 (p = 0.003). Unbalanced patients showed significantly higher PT and lower SS compared to the balanced patients preoperatively, and these corrected after surgery. Patients with instrumentation failure (n = 5) had significant increase in PT values postoperatively (p = 0.018). CONCLUSIONS: We confirmed the positive effect of surgery on the SPPs in patients affected by HDIS, which showed different patterns of corrections with surgery for balanced and unbalanced pelvis patients

Segmental vs non-segmental thoracic pedicle screws constructs in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: is there any implant alloy effect?

The aim of this study is to understand how many anchor sites are necessary to obtain maximum posterior correction of idiopathic scoliotic curve and if the alloy of instrumentation, stainless steel or titanium, may have a role in the percent of scoliosis correction