Ten patients with severe chronic rheumatoid arthritis with atlantoaxial subluxation were examined with conventional radiography and MR imaging of the cervical spine before and at an average of 6 months after posterior occipitocervical fusion. Periodontoid pannus formation was revealed by MR preoperatively in nine patients, all with mobile horizontal atlantoaxial subluxation. Compression of the ...

INTRODUCTION Lateral mass screw (LMS) fixation with plates or rods is the current standard procedure for posterior cervical fusion. Recently, implants placed between the facet joints have become available as an alternative to LMS or transfacet screws for patients with cervical spondylotic radiculopathy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the biomechanical stability of the DTRAX(®) cervic...

Transforaminal interbody fusion, or TLIF, utilizes a uniportal approach to the lumbar disc that involves removing one facet joint and accessing the disc through the intervertebral foramen (Figure 1). This approach to fusion was first discussed in the journal Spine in 2001, and has garnered increased acceptance as a less invasive approach to spinal fusion in the last few years, growing to an est...

INTRODUCTION Supplemental posterior instrumentation has been widely used to enhance stability and improve fusion rates in higher risk patients undergoing anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF). These typically involve posterior lateral mass or pedicle screw fixation with significant inherent risks and morbidities. More recently, cervical cages placed bilaterally between the facet joints...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate a new posterior atlantoaxial fixation technique using a nitinol shape memory loop as a simple method that avoids the risk of vertebral artery or nerve injury. METHODS We retrospectively evaluated 14 patients with atlantoaxial instability who had undergone posterior C1-2 fusion using a nitinol shape memory loop. The success of fusion was determined clinically and radiolog...

Background. The goal of surgical treatment in idiopathic scoliosis is to assure maximal correction of the curvature with a minimal number of spine segments fused. There are two main methods of spondylodesis: anterior and posterior. Material and methods. We compared radiological outcomes after surgical treatment of idiopathic thoraco-lumbar scoliosis by the anterior method called "bone on bone" ...

INTRODUCTION Posterior hemivertebra resection combined with multisegmental or bisegmental fusion has been applied successfully for congenital scoliosis. However, there are several immature bones and their growth can be influenced by long segmental fusion in congenital patients. Posterior hemivertebra resection and monosegmental fusion was therefore suggested for treatment of congenital scoliosi...

This prospective study evaluates the clinical and radiological results of anterior lumbar interbody fusion using a femoral cortical ring allograft (FCA) packed with cancellous autologous bone (hybrid graft), combined with posterior pedicular fixation but without posterior fusion, for symptomatic degenerative disease of the lumbar spine. Twenty-eight out of 30 consecutive adult patients were fol...

A 56-year-old alcoholic male incurred L5 vertebral body and bilateral L4 pars fractures with progressive L4 on L5 anterolisthesis following low-energy falls while intoxicated. Recently, he had a L3-S1 laminectomy for lumbar spinal stenosis with claudication. Preoperative imaging and radiographs were negative for pars defects and instability, so an isolated decompressive surgery was performed. F...

The anterior cervical plate fixation systems have been widely used in treatment of complex spinal disorders such as traumatic lesion, disc hernination, tumor, spondylosis, arthritides, and others. Combined with bone graft or other fusion techniques the satisfactory outcomes were higher than 88% (Clements 1990, Naito 1993,Bose 1998, Schneeberger 1999). Among the screw plate fixation systems, Cas...