Compared with open surgery, percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic discectomy (PTED) for lumbar disc herniation (LDH) has advantages of minamilly invasive, little impact on stability of spine and rapid recovery. However, PTED by transforaminal approach has relatively limited indications and can not completely replace open surgery, due to different location of migrated herniated fragment, the level of pathological segment or presence of a high iliac crest. Development of new approach and ancillary equipment have become the focus and future direction of PTED. In recent years, interlaminar and transiliac approach extended the indications of PTED greatly. However, not-standard manipulation, improper selection of indications or surgical approach has been attributed to the main reason for failure in PTED surgery. In view of this, the paper summaries indications, different approaches and methods, clinical efficacy and complications of PTED.
Diskectomy, Percutaneous ; instrumentation ; methods ; Endoscopy ; methods ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; complications ; surgery ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; surgery

Diskectomy ; adverse effects ; instrumentation ; methods ; Endoscopes ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; surgery ; Lumbar Vertebrae

The herniated lumbar disc (HLD) in adolescent patients is characterized by typical discogenic pain that originates from a soft herniated disc. It is frequently related to back trauma, and sometimes it is also combined with a degenerative process and a bony spur such as posterior Schmorl's node. Chemonucleolysis is an excellent minimally invasive treatment having these criteria: leg pain rather than back pain, severe limitation on the straight leg raising test (SLRT), and soft disc protrusion on computed tomography (CT). Microsurgical discectomy is useful in the cases of extruded or sequestered HLD and lateral recess stenosis due to bony spur because the nerve root is not decompressed with chymopapain. Spinal fusion, like as PLIF, should be considered in the cases of severe disc degeneration, instability, and stenosis due to posterior central bony spur. In our study, 185 adolescent patients, whose follow-up period was more than 1 year (the range was 1 - 4 years), underwent spinal surgery due to HLD from March, 1998 to December, 2002 at our institute. Among these cases, we performed chemonucleolysis in 65 cases, microsurgical discectomy in 94 cases, and posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) with cages in 33 cases including 7 reoperation cases. The clinical success rate was 91% for chemonucleolysis, 95% for microsurgical disectomy, and 89% for PLIF with cages, and there were no non- union cases for the PLIF patients with cages. In adolescent HLD, chemonucleolysis was the 1st choice of treatment because the soft adolescent HLD was effectively treated with chemonucleolysis, especially when the patient satisfied the chemonucleolysis indications.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Diskectomy/instrumentation/*methods ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; *Intervertebral Disk Chemolysis ; Intervertebral Disk Displacement/*surgery/*therapy ; Lumbar Vertebrae/*surgery ; Microsurgery ; Spinal Fusion/instrumentation/*methods ; Treatment Outcome

Adult ; Aged ; Cervical Vertebrae ; surgery ; Decompression, Surgical ; instrumentation ; methods ; Diskectomy ; instrumentation ; methods ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Outcome Assessment (Health Care) ; Prospective Studies ; Spinal Fusion ; instrumentation ; methods

OBJECTIVETo study clinical outcomes following anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) using ROI-C compared to traditional cage with anterior plating in treating the cervical spondylotic myelopathy.

METHODSA total of 66 patients with the cervical spondylotic myelopathy were treated with ACDF between April 2011 and October 2012. Twenty-three patients underwent ACDF using the ROI-C device were classified as the ROI-C group and 43 patients received traditional cage with anterior plating served as the titanium plate group. Related indicators, such as operation time, intraoperative blood loss, intraoperative fluoroscopy times, incidence of postoperative dysphagia and ratio of bone graft fusion were recorded and compared between two groups. The clinical outcomes were evaluated by Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) scores and visual analog scale (VAS) scores. The pre- and postoperative results were compared with a paired sample t-test. The results between groups were compared utilizing the grouped t-test or χ² test.

RESULTSAll cases were followed up. The follow-up period was 12 to 38 months and 14 to 39 months in ROI-C group and titanium plate group respectively. For the age, gender, the JOA scores, VAS scores of neck pain and arm pain during preoperative, the surgical level constituent ratio and the follow-up time, there were no significant differences between two groups. In ROI-C group, the operation time was (123 ± 38) minutes, intraoperative blood loss was (84 ± 37)ml, exposure times to the X-ray C-arm machine was (3.5 ± 0.7) times, which were all significantly lower than titanium plate group ((165 ± 60) minutes, (128 ± 66) ml, (5.9 ± 1.2) times respectively, t = -3.27, -3.25, - 9.45, P = 0.02, 0.02, 0.00). The mean JOA scores increased significantly from pre-surgery to 1 month postoperatively, 3 months postoperatively, and last follow-up in ROI-C group (t = 11.94, 11.32, 10.60, all P = 0.00) and titanium plate group(t = 15.07, 19.51, 17.55, all P = 0.00). The mean VAS scores of neck pain and arm pain decreased significantly from pre-surgery to 1 month postoperatively, 3 months postoperatively, and last follow-up in ROI-C group (t = -16.64-- 9.68, all P = 0.00) and titanium group(t = -16.56--12.38, all P = 0.00). There was no significant difference on JOA scores and VAS scores of neck pain and arm pain between the two groups at the same time (P > 0.05). However, significant difference was observed in incidence of postoperative dysphagia (χ² = 6.79, P = 0.01). In addition, bony fusion was obtained in all cases at the last follow-up postoperatively. There was no significant difference on ratio of bone graft fusion between two groups.

CONCLUSIONThe ROI-C leads to similar clinical outcomes compared to traditional cage combined with anterior plating for the treatment of the cervical spondylotic myelopathy, while the ROI-C carries a simpler operation, shorter operation time, less intraoperative blood loss, less exposure times to the X-ray and a lower risk of postoperative dysphagia.

Adult ; Aged ; Bone Plates ; Cervical Vertebrae ; surgery ; Diskectomy ; methods ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Spinal Fusion ; instrumentation ; methods ; Titanium ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the outcomes of discectomy with transforaminal endoscope through interlaminar approach in treating lumbar disc herniation.

METHODSFrom April 2009 to April 2010, the clinical data of 27 patients with lumbar disc herniation were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were treated with discectomy by transforaminal endoscope through interlaminar approach, including 20 males and 7 females, with an average age of 41.8 years, ranging from 21 to 69 year; of them, 12 patients with "from inside to outside" approach and 17 patients with "from outside to inside" approach. All the patients were followed up. Clinical effect were evaluated according to Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and modified MacNab standard.

RESULTSThe operation of one case was stopped because of unobvious visual field of bleeding and the one case was transferred to microendoscopic discectomy. Other operations of 25 cases were successful. Among 27 patients, 20 cases were followed up from 12 to 24 months with an average of (18.0+/-2.5) months. The mean of ODI improved from preoperative (75.4+/-7.8)% to (13.0+/-20.5)% at final follow-up (P=0.000). According to modified MacNab standard, 7 cases obtained excellent result, 9 good, 1 fair and 3 poor. Among the poor outcome, one patient accepted the classical discectomy because of recurrent herniation of same level three months later,and the other two need take medicine.

CONCLUSIONThe discectomy with transforaminal endoscope through interlaminar approach for lumbar disc herniation is effective by decompress through from outside to inside access and from inside to outside access,the former is recommended to the dural sac and nerve root compressed to collateral side by huge protrusion and the latter is recommended to relatively smaller protrusion with long time conservative therapy.

Adult ; Aged ; Diskectomy ; adverse effects ; instrumentation ; methods ; Endoscopes ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; surgery ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of cylindrical titanium mesh packing cancellous allograft in the anterior cervical fusion for the cervical spondylosis with anterior titanium plate.

METHODSNinety-eight patients with cervical spondylosis underwent diskectomy and cancellous allograft contained in cylindrical titanium mesh enhanced by anterior titanium plate system. Sixty-four patients were followed up clinically and radiographically. The mean follow-up time was (15.2 +/- 1.7) months. JOA scores and Nurick myelopathy grading system were used for clinical assessment. Roentgenograms were analyzed to identify the stability of fused levels.

RESULTSIn all patients of 98 cases, the wounds were normally healed without acute or chronic infection. In statistical analysis of 64 patients followed up, the mean JOA scores was (11.6 +/- 1.8) preoperatively and improved to (16.0 +/- 1.2) at final follow-up (P < 0.05). And the mean Nurick grades were (2.7 +/- 0.7) and (0.7 +/- 0.8) before and after surgery respectively (P < 0.05). The X-ray films demonstrated that no meshes were found displacing or subsiding. New bone formation occurred in the back of meshes at 5 months after surgery. The final follow-up fusion rate was 95%.

CONCLUSIONThe cancellous allograft impacted into titanium meshes for cervical fusion has gained excellent or good results clinically and radiographically in short term follow-up.

Bone Transplantation ; instrumentation ; methods ; Cervical Vertebrae ; surgery ; Diskectomy ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Orthopedic Fixation Devices ; Spinal Fusion ; instrumentation ; methods ; Spinal Osteophytosis ; surgery ; Titanium ; Transplantation, Homologous

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the surgical procedure of unilateral transforaminal discectomy, bone grafting, cage (Telamon) insertion and Dylanok pedicle screw fixation using X-tube operation system for the treatment of lumbar disc herniation combined with segmental instability and Spondylolysis with pars defect.

METHODSFrom 2004 to 2006, 42 patients including 17 male and 25 female were treated in our department. The age range from 22 to 77 (mean: 51.6). Etiologies including lumbar disc herniation combined with segmental instability and Spondylolysis with pars defect.

RESULTOf these 42 patients, the mean operation time was 240 min (110 - 320 min), the average blood loss was 140 ml (80 - 420 ml), the average incision length was 3 cm (2.8 - 3.2 cm) and the average hospitalization time was 12.5 days (5 - 25 days). Nakai criteria, Excellent in 23 cases (62.2%), good in 11 cases (29.2%) and fair in 3 cases (8.6%). 5 patients had postoperative complication (complication rate: 16.3%).

CONCLUSIONSThe surgical procedure has shown predominant benefits: small incision, less stripping of paraspinal muscles, minimal blood loss and rapid postoperative recovery which makes it a valuable alternative to conventional surgical procedures.

Adult ; Aged ; Bone Screws ; Bone Transplantation ; Decompression, Surgical ; methods ; Diskectomy, Percutaneous ; methods ; Endoscopy ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; complications ; surgery ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Spinal Fusion ; instrumentation ; methods ; Spondylolysis ; complications ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo investigate the use of anterior cervical discectomy and fusion with self-locking cages to treat multi-segmental cervical myelopathy.

METHODSFrom April 2008 to March 2010, anterior cervical discectomy and fusion with self-locking cages were performed on 45 patients who suffered from multi-segmental cervical myelopathy, among of them there were 23 male and 22 female, aged from 32 to 67 years (average 53 years). Recording the Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) scores and SF-36 scores in the protocol time point, in order to investigate the clinical outcome, meanwhile, accumulating the pre-operation and postoperation X-ray films of cervical spine for measuring the height of intervertebral space, whole curvature of cervical spine and the rate of fusion by repeated measures analysis of variance.

RESULTSThe mean follow-up time was 28.4 months (24 - 35 months). JOA scores ascended from preoperative 6.5 ± 3.1 to postoperative 13.4 ± 1.7 (F = 17.84, P = 0.001), the 7 scores of SF-36 improved significantly after operation (t = 1.151 - 12.207, P < 0.05), but mental health not. The fineness rate was 91.1%. Height of disc space ascended from preoperative (5.5 ± 1.8) mm to postoperative (8.3 ± 0.8) mm (F = 11.71, P = 0.043), globle curvature of cervical spine ascended from preoperative 5° ± 7° to postoperative 10° ± 14° (F = 234.53, P = 0.000), the change of the two index was significantly, respectively. Fat necrosis in one case and hematoma in another case at the bone donor-site were found, both of the two cases were cured by physiotherapy. All of the 45 cases (111 segments) achieved bone fusion.

CONCLUSIONThe use of anterior cervical discectomy and fusion with self-locking cages to treat multi-segmental cervical myelopathy possess many advantages as follows: satisfactory clinical outcome, minimally invasive, higher fusion rate, higher orthopaedic ability.

Adult ; Aged ; Cervical Vertebrae ; surgery ; Decompression, Surgical ; methods ; Diskectomy ; methods ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Internal Fixators ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Spinal Cord Diseases ; surgery ; Spinal Fusion ; instrumentation ; methods ; Treatment Outcome

PURPOSE: We have experienced 23 patients who had underwent cervical disc replacement with Mobi-C disc prosthesis and analyzed their radiological results to evaluate its efficacy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study was performed on 23 patients with degenerative cervical disc disease who underwent CDR with Mobi-C disc prosthesis from March 2006 to June 2006. RESULTS: The age of the study population ranged from 31 to 62 years with mean of 43 years, and 16 male and 7 female cases. Regarding axial pain, the average preoperative VAS score was 6.47 +/- 1.4, while at final follow-up it was 1.4 +/- 0.7 (p < 0.001). The preoperatively VAS score for radiculopathy was 6.7 +/- 0.7 compared with an average score of 0 +/- 0 at the final follow-up (p < 0.001). At postoperative 6th month, Odom's criteria were excellent, good, or fair for all 23 patients (100%). 7 patients (30.4%) were classified as excellent, 15 patients (65.2%) as good, and 1 patients (4.4%) as fair. Prolo economic and functional rating scale was average 8.9 +/- 0.7 at postoperative 6th month. ROM in C2-7, ROM of FSU, and ROM in upper adjacent level were well preserved after CDR. CONSLUSION: This report would be the first document about the CDR with Mobi-C disc prosthesis in the treatment of degenerative cervical disc disease. CDR with Mobi-C disc prosthesis provided a favorable clinical and radiological outcome in this study. However, Long-term follow-up studies are required to prove its efficacy and ability to prevent adjacent segment disease.
Adult ; Cervical Vertebrae/physiopathology/*surgery ; Diskectomy/adverse effects/instrumentation/*methods ; Female ; Humans ; Joint Prosthesis/adverse effects ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Complications/prevention & control ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Time Factors ; Treatment Outcome