A 40-year-old Asian female presented with a 2-month history of right shoulder pain and right triceps weakness. MRI revealed an extramedullary, extradural, dumbbell-shaped spinal cord tumor with C6 to C7 iso- and hyperintensity on T1 and T2 weighted imaging, respectively. Histological examination revealed monomorphous spindle cells with a storiform pattern. Immunohistochemistry was positive for CD34, CD99, and negative for EMA, SMA, and S100; solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) was confirmed.
Adult ; Cervical Vertebrae/*pathology/radiography/surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Solitary Fibrous Tumors/*pathology/radiography/surgery ; Spinal Cord Neoplasms/*pathology/radiography/surgery ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

OBJECTIVETo study the treatment of spinal fractures in ankylosing spondylitis.

METHODSNineteen cases of spinal fractures complicating ankylosing spondylitis admitted in our hospital were studied retrospectively.

RESULTSAll of 19 cases were up to the diagnosis standards of ankylosing spondylitis. Eleven patients had cervical fracture and 8 had thoracolumbar fracture. Of the patients with cervical fracture, fractures occurred at C(5 - 7) in 9 patients. Of the patients with thoracolumbar injury, stress fractures were seen in 7 patients and all of seven fractures occurred at T(10)-L(2). Sixteen of the 19 patients sustained fractures through three columns of the spine. Nine patients had spinal cord injures; eight of the 9 cases had cervical fracture. All of the 19 patients were treated operatively. Four different surgical procedures were used in patients with cervical fracture; decompression, fusion and stabilization with instrumentation by anterior approach were performed in 9 patients. Of the patients with thoracolumbar fractures, four different operations were performed; fusion by both anterior and posterior approach plus a long posterior instrument were used in 5 cases. Eighteen patients had an average follow-up period of 46.6 months. Nine patients with preoperative neurological deficits improved in 8 and was stabilized in 1. Radiographic evidence of fusion was observed in all of the 18 patients. Two patients suffered neurological deterioration during surgery. One patient died from cerebrovascular infarction. Two patients had pneumonia after the operative procedure.

CONCLUSIONSSpinal fractures in ankylosing spondylitis are associated with a high rate of neurological injury. Shearing fracture usually occurs at the lower cervical spine (C(5 - 7)) and stress fracture at thoracolumbar spine. Most of the fractures involve three columns of spine. Surgical intervention may be indicated in this injury. Fracture union and neurological improvement can be achieved in most patients treated by operation. We suggest that, fusion and stabilization with instrumentation by anterior approach is indicated in most cervical shearing fracture, and a combined fusion by both sides plus a long posterior instrument is probably beneficial in patients with thoracolumbar stress fracture. Complications is not rare after surgery and appropriate preventive measures are necessary for these patients.

Adult ; Aged ; Cervical Vertebrae ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hyperostosis, Diffuse Idiopathic Skeletal ; complications ; surgery ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Osteoporosis ; complications ; Postoperative Care ; Postoperative Complications ; prevention & control ; Radiography ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Fractures ; etiology ; surgery ; Thoracic Vertebrae ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome

BACKGROUNDAdjacent segment disease (ASD) is common after cervical fusion. The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk factors for ASD on X-ray and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

METHODSPatients included in this study had received revision surgeries after developing symptomatic ASD following anterior decompression and fusion. A control group that had not developed ASD was matched 1:1 by follow-up time and fusion segments. Plate-to-disc distances (PDDs), developmental cervical canal stenosis on X-ray, cervical disc degeneration grading, and cervical disc bulge impingements on preoperative MRI were measured and compared between the ASD group and the control group.

RESULTSThirty-four patients with complete radiographic data were included in the ASD group. The causative segments of ASD included nine cases of C3-4, 18 cases of C4-5, three cases of C5-6, and four cases of C6-7. The ASD occurred at the upper adjacent segments in 26 patients and at the lower adjacent segments in eight patients. PDD distributions were similar between the ASD group and the control group. Developmental cervical canal stenosis was a risk factor for ASD, with an odd ratio value of 2.88. Preoperative cervical disc degenerations on MRI were similar between the ASD group and the control group. In the upper-level ASD group, the disc bulge impingement was (19.7±9.7)%, which was significantly higher than that of the control group of (11.8±4.8)%.

CONCLUSIONSASD was more likely to develop above the index level of fusion. Developmental cervical canal stenosis and greater disc bulge impingement may be risk factors for the development of ASD.

Cervical Vertebrae ; pathology ; surgery ; Decompression, Surgical ; adverse effects ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Degeneration ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Radiography ; Risk Factors ; Spinal Fusion ; adverse effects ; Spinal Stenosis ; diagnostic imaging

BACKGROUND: This study was designed to reevaluate the effectiveness of the Pavlov ratio in patients with cervical myelopathy. METHODS: We studied 107 patients who underwent open door laminoplasty for the treatment of cervical myelopathy between the C3 to C7 levels. We determined the Pavlov ratio on preoperative and postoperative cervical spine lateral radiographs, the vertebral body-to-canal ratio on sagittal reconstruction CT scans, and the vertebral body-to-cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) column ratio on T2-weighted sagittal MR images from C3 to C6. The severity of myelopathy was determined using the JOA score on both preoperative and postoperative images. The recovery rate was also calculated. The Pavlov ratio in plain radiographs from patients with myelopathy was compared with the ratio of the vertebral body to the spinal canal on CT and MRI. RESULTS: The average Pavlov ratio between C3 and C6 ranged from 0.71 to 0.76. On CT scan, the average vertebral body-to-canal ratio between C3 and C6 ranged from 0.62 to 0.66. On MRI, the vertebral body-to-CSF column ratio between C3 and C6 ranged between 0.53 and 0.57. A positive correlation was noted between the Pavlov ratio and the vertebral body-to-canal ratio on sagittal-reconstruction CT (correlation coefficient = 0.497-0.627, p = 0.000) and between the Pavlov ratio and the vertebral body-to-CSF column ratio on MRI (correlation coefficient = 0.511-0.649, p = 0.000). CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated a good correlation between the Pavlov ratio and both the vertebral body-to-canal ratio on CT and the vertebral body-to-CSF column ratio on MRI. Therefore, the Pavlov ratio can be relied upon to predict narrowing of the cervical spinal canal in the sagittal plane.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Cerebrospinal Fluid ; Cervical Vertebrae/*pathology/*radiography/surgery ; Female ; Humans ; *Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Observer Variation ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Reference Values ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Canal/radiography ; Spinal Cord Diseases/*pathology/*radiography ; *Tomography, X-Ray Computed

BACKGROUND: The purposes of the present study are to evaluate the subsidence and nonunion that occurred after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion using a stand-alone intervertebral cage and to analyze the risk factors for the complications. METHODS: Thirty-eight patients (47 segments) who underwent anterior cervical fusion using a stand-alone polyetheretherketone (PEEK) cage and an autologous cancellous iliac bone graft from June 2003 to August 2008 were enrolled in this study. The anterior and posterior segmental heights and the distance from the anterior edge of the upper vertebra to the anterior margin of the cage were measured on the plain radiographs. Subsidence was defined as > or = a 2 mm (minor) or 3 mm (major) decrease of the segmental height at the final follow-up compared to that measured at the immediate postoperative period. Nonunion was evaluated according to the instability being > or = 2 mm in the interspinous distance on the flexion-extension lateral radiographs. RESULTS: The anterior and posterior segmental heights decreased from the immediate postoperative period to the final follow-up at 1.33 +/- 1.46 mm and 0.81 +/- 1.27 mm, respectively. Subsidence > or = 2 mm and 3 mm were observed in 12 segments (25.5%) and 7 segments (14.9%), respectively. Among the expected risk factors for subsidence, a smaller anteroposterior (AP) diameter (14 mm vs. 12 mm) of cages (p = 0.034; odds ratio [OR], 0.017) and larger intraoperative distraction (p = 0.041; OR, 3.988) had a significantly higher risk of subsidence. Intervertebral nonunion was observed in 7 segments (7/47, 14.9%). Compared with the union group, the nonunion group had a significantly higher ratio of two-level fusion to one-level fusions (p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Anterior cervical fusion using a stand-alone cage with a large AP diameter while preventing anterior intraoperative over-distraction will be helpful to prevent the subsidence of cages. Two-level cervical fusion might require more careful attention for avoiding nonunion.
Adult ; Aged ; Biocompatible Materials ; Cervical Vertebrae/pathology/radiography/*surgery ; Diskectomy ; Female ; Humans ; *Internal Fixators ; Intervertebral Disk Degeneration/*surgery ; Ketones ; Male ; Middle Aged ; *Postoperative Complications ; Prosthesis Failure ; Radiculopathy/surgery ; Regression Analysis ; Risk Factors ; Spinal Cord Diseases/surgery ; Spinal Fusion/*methods ; Treatment Outcome

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of three-level anterior cervical arthrodesis with polyethyletherketone (PEEK) cages and plate fixation for aged and osteoporotic patients with degenerative cervical spinal disorders. METHODS: Twenty one patients, who had undergone three-level anterior cervical arthrodesis with a cage and plate construct for degenerative cervical spinal disorder from November 2001 to April 2007 and were followed up for at least two years, were enrolled in this study. The mean age was 71.7 years and the mean T-score using the bone mineral density was -2.8 SD. The fusion rate, change in cervical lordosis, adjacent segment degeneration were analyzed by plain radiographs and computed tomography, and the complications were assessed by the medical records. The clinical outcomes were analyzed using the SF-36 physical composite score (PCS) and neck disability index (NDI). RESULTS: Radiological fusion was observed at a mean of 12.3 weeks (range, 10 to 15 weeks) after surgery. The average angle of cervical lordosis was 5degrees preoperatively, 17.6degrees postoperatively and 16.5degrees at the last follow-up. Degenerative changes in the adjacent segments occurred in 3 patients (14.3%), but revision surgery was unnecessary. In terms of instrument-related complications, there was cage subsidence in 5 patients (23.8%) with an average of 2.8 mm, and loosening of the plate and screw occurred in 3 patients (14.3%) but there were no clinical problems. The SF-36 PCS before surgery, second postoperative week and at the last follow-up was 29.5, 43.1, and 66.2, respectively. The respective NDI was 55.3, 24.6, and 15.9. CONCLUSIONS: For aged and osteoporotic patients with degenerative cervical spinal disorders, three-level anterior cervical arthrodesis with PEEK cages and plate fixation reduced the pseudarthrosis and adjacent segment degeneration and improved the clinical outcomes. This method is considered to be a relatively safe and effective treatment modality.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Biocompatible Materials ; *Bone Plates/adverse effects ; Bone Screws/adverse effects ; Cervical Vertebrae/radiography/*surgery ; Diskectomy ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Ketones ; Lordosis/pathology ; Male ; Radiculopathy/surgery ; Severity of Illness Index ; Spinal Cord Diseases/surgery ; Spinal Diseases/*surgery ; Spinal Fusion/adverse effects/*methods ; Treatment Outcome