Citations
Citations
Citations
Citations
Citations
To study practical guidelines and strategies in the treatment of cervical osteomyelitis.
We retrospectively reviewed 14 patients who underwent surgical treatment for cervical osteomyelitis from May 2000 to July 2008. We investigated their clinical course, antibiotic regimen, surgical methods, and laboratory and radiologic findings including X-ray, CT and MRI.
5 patients had primary spondylodiscitis, 5 patients had post operative spondylodiscitis and 4 patients had tuberculosis in cervical spine. The causative microorganisms were MRSA (5), P. aeruginosa (1), Methicillin resistant coagulase negative streptococcus (1), P. aeruginosa changed to MRSA (1), and 2 patients showed no growth on culture studies. Patients were treated 13.8 weeks (range, 5.4-25.8) with IV antibiotics and then treated for 58.2 days (range, 13-106) with oral antibiotics. Antituberculotic medications were used for a mean of 383.8 days. Patients were treated with anterior debridement and fusion (5), irrigation and debridement (5), simultaneous cervical anterior interbody and transthoracic thoracic interbody fusion (1). 3 patients underwent the planned 2-staged operation, which included an anterior debridement with or without fusion for the 1st operation and posterior instrumentation for 2nd operation. 10 patients (71.4%) had neurologic deficits at the time of diagnosis and 7 patients (70%) among them improved post-operatively.
Anterior cervical spine surgery is the preferable treatment option in patients with neurological deterioration, extensive bony destruction with expected kyphotic deformity, and uncontrolled infection being managed only with antibiotics. Antibiotics are also important for thorough treatment.
Citations
We describe a surgical tool that uses the distractor pin as a reference for determining proper screw length in ACDF. It is critical that screw purchase depth be as deep as possible without violating or penetrating the posterior cortical wall, which ensures strong pull out strength.
We enrolled 81 adult patients who underwent ACDF using an anterior cervical plate from 2010 to 2012. Patients were categorized into Groups A (42 patients: retractor pin used as a reference for screw length) and B (39 patients: control group). Intraoperative lateral x-rays were taken after screwing the retractor pin to confirm the approaching vertebral level. The ratio of retractor pin length to body anteroposterior (A-P) diameter was measured as a reference. Proper screw length was determined by comparison to the reference.
The average distance from screw tip to posterior wall was 3.0±1.4mm in Group A and 4.1±2.3mm in Group B. The ratio of screw length to body sagittal diameter was 86.2±5.7% in Group A and 80.8±9.0% in Group B. Screw length to body sagittal diameter ratios higher than 4/5 occurred in 33 patients (90%) in Group A and 23 patients (59%) in Group B. No cases violated the posterior cortical wall.
We introduce a useful surgical method for determining proper screw length in ACDF using the ratio of retractor pin length to body A-P diameter as a reference. This method allows for deeper screw purchase depth without violation of the posterior cortical wall.
Citations
Polyaxial pedicle screws are a safe, useful adjunct to transpedicular fixation. However, the large screw head size can cause soft tissue irritation, high rod positioning, and facet joint injury. However, the mechanical resistance provided by small and low profile pedicle screws is very limited. We therefore developed a novel, low profile pedicle screw using grooving and blasting treatment that is able to resist a high compression bending load.
We evaluated the compression bending force to displacement and yield loads for seven different screw head types that differed with regard to their groove intervals and whether or not they had been blasted.
The rank order of screw types that had the greatest compression bending force to displacement was as follows: (1) universal polyaxial, (2) low polyaxial with 0.1mm grooves and blasting, (3) low polyaxial with blasting, (4) low polyaxial with 0.15mm grooves and blasting, (5) low polyaxial with 0.05mm grooves and blasting, (6) low polyaxial with 0.05mm grooves, (7) and low polyaxial. Low polyaxial screws with 0.1mm grooves and blasting had the maximum yield load and highest compression bending force to displacement of all seven polyaxial screw head systems evaluated.
Blasting and grooving treatment of pedicle screw heads resulted in screw heads with a high yield load and compression bending force relative to displacement because of increased friction. Low polyaxial pedicle screws with 0.1 mm grooves treated by blasting have mechanical characteristics similar to those of universal polyaxial pedicle screws.
Citations
First
Prev
