OBJECTIVETo explore the impact of pedicle cortex perforation on the stability of internal fixation of the vertebral body fracture, and to compare the stability of the vertebrae with pedicle cortex perforation after the injured vertebra transpedicular screw fixation by different ways.

METHODSA total of 36 fresh thoracic and lumbarvertebrae samples of adult sheep (T₁₃-L₁) were equally divided into four groups (A, B, C and D) by using the random number table method. The vertebral compression fracture was performed in the L1 vertebral body of the four groups using the Chiba's method. Four pedicle screws were fixed on the upper and lower injured vertebrae of four groups. In addition, the group C was fixed into a pedicle screw through the injured vertebrae; D group was set two pedicle screws through the injured vertebrae. Then the samples of group B, C, and D were removed a quarter of either side of lateral T₁₄ thoracic pedicle, which was considered as the pedicle cortex perforation model. Four groups were performed fatigue test of 10 000 times by (300 ± 105)N load. The drawing force of the screw and the stability of injured thoracolumbar vertebrae were measured and the differences in every group were compared.

RESULTSThe axial compressive stiffness and maximum drawing force of screws in the other three groups were significantly higher than those in group B (all P=0.000). The maximum range of motion in four directions of group B were significantly larger than those of the other three groups (all P=0.000). The stiffness and the drawing force in groups C and D were significantly larger than those in the group A (all P=0.000), and the maximum range of motion in four directions of the two groups were lower than that of group A (P=0.002, P=0.005). Every testing indicator in group C had no significant difference when compared with group D (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe pedicle cortex perforation seriously affects the stability of the fractured vertebral body. The injured vertebra transpedicular screw can increase the stability of internal fixation.

Animals ; Pedicle Screws ; Sheep ; Spinal Fractures ; surgery

Bone Diseases, Metabolic ; Fractures, Compression/surgery* ; Humans ; Osteoporotic Fractures/surgery* ; Spinal Fractures/surgery* ; Treatment Outcome

BACKGROUNDPercutaneous vertebroplasty (PKP) has proved its effectiveness regarding minimal invasion, rapid pain reduction, safe cement augmentation, restoring vertebral height, and accelerating complete recovery of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCFs). Whether unipedicular or bipedicular PKP provides a better outcome is controversial.

METHODSWe searched PubMed, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Web of Knowledge, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, and Wanfang Data from January 1980 to March 2013 with "kyphoplasty", "unipedicular", "bipedicular", "compression fracture", and "randomized controlled trial". Risk of bias in the included studies was assessed according to a 12-item scale. Meta-analysis was performed. Dichotomous and continuous variables were calculated using the odds ratio (OR) and standardized mean difference (SMD), respectively.

RESULTSSeven studies involving 440 patients and 559 vertebral bodies met the criteria for inclusion. Among them, one randomized controlled trial had a high risk of bias and six a low risk. The pain visual analogue scale (VAS) SMDs were -0.02 (P = 0.88) for short-term follow-up (≤3 months) and 0.03 (P = 0.82) for long-term follow-up (≥ 1 year). Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) SMDs at short- and long-term follow-up were not statistically significant (-0.04, P = 0.77 and -0.07, P = 0.74, respectively). This meta-analysis showed greater polymethylmethacrylate volume (SMD -1.08, P = 0.00) and operation time (SMD -2.40, P = 0.00), favoring unipedicular PKP. Radiographic outcomes-preoperative kyphosis angle, restoration rate, reduction angle, loss of reduction angle-were not statistically different between the groups. Pooled analyses of cement leakage and subsequent adjacent OVCFs showed no significant differences between the groups, with OR = 0.82 (P = 0.79) and OR = 1.41 (P = 0.70), respectively.

CONCLUSIONSThis meta-analysis comparing unipedicular and bipedicular PKP demonstrated no significant differences regarding VAS, ODI, radiographic outcomes, or complications. Considering the longer operation time and radiation exposure with bipedicular PKP, we recommend unipedicular PKP over bipedicular PKP for treating OVCFs.

Fractures, Compression ; surgery ; Humans ; Kyphoplasty ; methods ; Osteoporotic Fractures ; surgery ; Spinal Fractures ; surgery

Posterior lumbopelvic fixation with iliac screws is the most commonly used method for unstable spinopelvic injuries. It has certain limitations including inability to use distraction along the spinopelvic rod as an indirect reduction maneuver, need for complex 3-dimensional rod contouring and complications such as hardware prominence and soft tissue coverage. In the present case report, we described a surgical technique of lumbopelvic fixation with sacral alar screws for traumatic spinopelvic instability resulted from a unilateral Denis-III comminuted sacral fracture and the L5 burst fracture. On the opposite side of the sacral fracture, caudal screws were implanted into the pedicle of the S1, whereas on the side of sacral fracture, two sacral alar screws were placed parallel to the superior sacral endplate as well as the plane of sacroiliac joint. In addition, horizontal stabilization was conducted with cross-link connections to maintain the longitudinal traction. For sacral fracture associated with traumatic spinopelvic instability, this modified lumbopelvic fixation technique using sacral alar screws makes longitudinal reduction easier, requires less rod contouring, and reduces hardware prominence without compromising the stability.
Bone Screws ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; Fractures, Bone ; surgery ; Fractures, Comminuted ; Humans ; Sacrum ; surgery ; Spinal Fractures ; surgery

Hangman's fractures are located in the region between facets of the axis, which are accompanied by an increasing rate recently. However,there are no uniform standards for the treatment, especially for the treatment of fractures of types II and IIa because the operative approaches which include anterior and posterior are supported by different groups. The article tried to make an analysis on pathological anatomy, mechanism, types and surgical treatment of Hangman's fractures.
Cervical Vertebrae ; injuries ; surgery ; Humans ; Spinal Fractures ; classification ; surgery

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effectiveness of TiRobot-assisted and C-arm X-ray fluoroscopy assisted percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) via pedicle of vertebra in the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture (OVCF) of thoracic vertebrae. METHODS: The clinical data of 85 patients with OVCF of thoracic vertebrae who were admitted between January 2020 and March 2023 and met the selection criteria was retrospectively analyzed including 40 patients (50 vertebrae) undergoing PKP assisted by TiRobot (group A) and 45 patients (50 vertebrae) undergoing PKP assisted by C-arm X-ray fluoroscopy (group B). There was no significant difference in the comparison of baseline data such as gender, age, body mass index, bone mineral density T-value, fracture segment, trauma history, and preoperative numerical rating scale (NRS) score, Oswestry disability index (ODI), and Cobb angle of injured vertebra between the two groups ( P>0.05). The effectiveness evaluation indexes of the two groups, including the operation time, the volume of injected cement, the times of fluoroscopies, the length of hospital stay, and the occurrence of postoperative complications were collected and compared. Anteroposterior and lateral X-ray films and CT of the injured vertebra were reviewed at 1 day after operation to observe whether there was cement leakage and to evaluate the distribution of cement in the injured vertebra. Before and after operation, pain was assessed using the NRS score, dysfunction was assessed using the ODI, and vertebral height recovery was assessed by measuring the Cobb angle of the injured vertebrae by X-ray films. RESULTS: Both groups of patients successfully completed the operation, the operation time, the volume of injected cement, the times of fluoroscopies, and the length of hospital stay in group A were significantly less than those in group B ( P<0.05). The patients in two groups were followed up 4-12 months (mean, 9.6 months). Bone cement leakage occurred in 5 vertebrae in group A and 15 vertebrae in group B after operation, all of which leaked to the intervertebral space and around the vertebral body, and the patients had no obvious clinical symptoms. The difference of bone cement leakage between the two groups was significant ( P<0.05). No severe complication such as intraspinal leakage, infection, or vascular embolism was found in the two groups. At 1 day after operation, the distribution index of bone cement in group A was mostly grade Ⅴ, which was well dispersed; while in group B, it was mostly grade Ⅱ and grade Ⅴ; the difference of bone cement distribution index between the two groups was significant ( P<0.05). The NRS score, ODI, and Cobb angle of injured vertebra in both groups were significantly improved at 1 day after operation when compared with preoperative ones ( P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the difference of the above indexes between the two groups before and after operation ( P>0.05). CONCLUSION TiRobot-assisted unilateral PKP in the treatment of OVCF of thoracic vertebrae is safe and effective, which can reduce the X-ray transmission times during operation, shorten the operation time, reduce the volume of bone cement injection, and thus decrease incidence of bone cement leakage.
Humans ; Thoracic Vertebrae/surgery* ; Fractures, Compression/surgery* ; Spinal Fractures/surgery* ; Kyphoplasty ; Bone Cements ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSETo investigate the usefulness of three-dimensional (3D) printing in complex spinal surgery.

METHODSThe study was conducted from October 2014 to March 2015 in Shenzhen Second Peoples' Hospital and 4 cases of complex severe spinal disorders were selected from our department. Among them one patient combined with congenital scoliosis, one with atlas neoplasm, one with atlantoaxial dislocation, and the rest one with atlantoaxial fracture-dislocation. The data of the diseased region was collected from computerized tomography scans for 3D digital reconstruction and rapid prototyping to prepare photosensitive resin models, which were applied in the treatment of these cases.

RESULTSThe use of 3D models reduced operating time and intraoperative blood loss as well as the risk of postoperative complications. Furthermore, no pedicle penetrations or screw misplacement occurred according to the postoperative planar radiographic images.

CONCLUSIONThe tactile models from 3D printing allow direct observation and measurement, helping the orthopedists to have accurate morphometric information to provide personalized surgical planning and better communication with the patient and coworkers. Moreover, the photosensitive resin models can also guide the actual surgery with the drilling of pedicle screws and safe resection of tumor.

Aged ; Child ; Humans ; Male ; Precision Medicine ; Printing, Three-Dimensional ; Scoliosis ; surgery ; Spinal Diseases ; surgery ; Spinal Fractures ; surgery ; Spinal Neoplasms ; surgery

Bone Cements ; Fractures, Compression/surgery* ; Humans ; Osteoporotic Fractures/surgery* ; Spinal Fractures/surgery* ; Treatment Outcome ; Vertebroplasty/adverse effects*

Fractures, Compression ; Humans ; Kyphoplasty ; Lumbar Vertebrae/surgery* ; Osteoporotic Fractures/surgery* ; Spinal Fractures/surgery* ; Thoracic Vertebrae/injuries* ; Treatment Outcome

Bone Cements ; Fractures, Compression/surgery* ; Humans ; Kyphoplasty/adverse effects* ; Osteoporotic Fractures/surgery* ; Spinal Fractures/surgery* ; Treatment Outcome ; Vertebroplasty/adverse effects*