Objective This multicenter study compared radiological parameters and clinical outcomes between surgical and nonsurgical management and investigated treatment characteristics associated with the successful management of unstable atlas fractures.
Methods We retrospectively evaluated 53 consecutive patients with unstable atlas fracture who underwent halo-vest immobilization (HVI) or surgical fixation. Clinical outcomes were assessed using neck visual analogue scale and disability index. The radiological assessment included total lateral mass displacement (LMD) and the anterior atlantodental interval (AADI).
Results Thirty-two patients underwent surgical fixation and 21 received HVI (mean follow-up, 24.9 months). In the surgical fixation, but not in the HVI, LMD, and AADI showed statistically significant improvements at the last follow-up. The osseous healing rate and time-to-healing were 100% and 14.3 weeks with surgical fixation, compared with 71.43% and 20.0 weeks with HVI, respectively. Patients treated with HVI showed poorer neck pain and neck disability outcomes than those who received surgical treatment. LMD showed an association with osseous healing outcomes in nonoperative management. Clinical outcomes and osseous healing showed no significant differences according to Dickman’s classification of transverse atlantal ligament injuries.
Conclusion Surgical internal fixation had a higher fusion rate, shorter fracture healing time, more favorable clinical outcomes, and a more significant reduction in LMD and AADI compared to nonoperative management. The pitfalls of external immobilization are inadequate maintenance and a lower probability of reducing fractured lateral masses. Stabilization by surgical reduction with interconnected fixation proved to be a more practical management strategy than nonoperative treatment for unstable atlas fractures.
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Objective This study is aimed to investigate whether surgical strategies for adult spinal deformity (ASD) treatment differed among Korean physicians.
Methods This study is retrospective questionnaire-based study. ASD is challenging to manage, with a broad range of clinical and radiological presentations. To investigate possible nationality- or ethnicity-related differences in the surgical strategies adopted for ASD treatment, the International Spine Study Group surveyed physicians’ responses to 16 cases of ASD. We reviewed the answers to this survey from Korean physicians. Korean orthopedic surgeons (OS) and neurosurgeons (NS) received a questionnaire containing 16 cases and response forms via email. After reviewing the cases, physicians were asked to indicate whether they would treat each case with decompression or fusion. If fusion was chosen, physicians were also asked to indicate whether they would perform 3-column osteotomy. Retrospective chi-square analyses were performed to investigate whether the answers to each question differed according to training specialty or amount of surgical experience.
Results Twenty-nine physicians responded to our survey, of whom 12 were OS and 17 were NS. In addition, 18 (62.1%) had more than 10 years of experience in ASD correction and were assigned to the M10 group, while 11 (37.9%) had less than 10 years of experience and were assigned to the L10 group. We found that for all cases, the surgical strategies favored did not significantly differ between OS and NS or between the M10 and L10 groups. However, for both fusion surgery and 3-column osteotomy, opinions were divided regarding the necessity of the procedures in 4 of the 16 cases.
Conclusion The surgical strategies favored by physicians were similar for most cases regardless of their training specialty or experience. This suggests that these factors do not affect the surgical strategies selected for ASD treatment, with patient clinical and radiological characteristics having greater importance.
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Objective The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of atlantoaxial fixation on cervical alignment and clinical outcomes in patients with os odontoideum (OO) versus non-os odontoideum (non-OO).
Methods A total of 119 patients who underwent atlantoaxial fixation for instability were identified between January 1998 and January 2014. Inclusion criteria included age more than 21 years and diagnosis of OO and non-OO. There were 22 OO patients, and 20 non-OO patients. Measuring the Oc-C1 Cobb angle, C1-2 Cobb angle, C2-7 Cobb angle, and C2-7 sagittal vertical axis (SVA) was assessed. Clinical outcome was assessment of suboccipital pain was determined using a visual analogue scale (VAS), and Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) scores were obtained in all patients pre- and postoperatively.
Results The preoperative C1-2 angle in the OO group (26.02°±10.53°) was significantly higher than the non-OO group (p=0.04). After C1-2 fixation, the OO group had significantly higher kyphotic change in the C1-2 angle (ΔC1-2) (3.2°±7.3° [OO] vs. -1.46°±7.21° [non-OO]) (p=0.04), and higher decrease in postoperative C2-7 SVA (ΔC2-7 SVA) (5.64±11.56 mm [OO] vs. -0.51± 6.57 mm [non-OO]) (p=0.04). Both groups showed improvements in the health related quality of life (HRQOL) after surgery based on the VAS and JOA score (p<0.001).
Conclusion After fixation, kyphotic angular change in atlantoaxial joint and decrease C2-7 SVA were marked in the OO group. Both the OO and non-OO groups improved in neurological function and outcome after surgery.
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