Cuneyt Sar

S1 pediculoiliac screw fixation in instabilities of the sacroiliac complex: biomechanical study and report of two cases.

Objective A new technique for posterior sacroiliac fixation is described and compared with conventional techniques. Patients/Material and Methods A patient with sacral alar fracture (zone 1) and another one with sacroiliac joint instability due to tuberculous infection underwent fixation using screws placed in the S1 pedicle and the iliac bone. Vertical stability of the new technique also was investigated using polyurethane pelvic bone analogs and compared with anterior double plating (group P) and iliosacral screw fixation (group ISS) techniques. Results Healing was obtained and reduction was maintained in both patients on the final follow-up examination at 2 years postoperatively. Vertical loading tests revealed that failure loads within the first 10 mm of displacement of the new pediculoiliac screw fixation technique (group PIS) was higher than plating (P = 0.03) and lower than ISS techniques (P = 0.002). Ultimate failure load of the PIS technique was slightly higher than plating (P = 0.277) and lower than ISS techniques (P = 0.003). With the addition of an iliosacral screw to the pediculoiliac screw construction (PIS+ISS), the PIS technique became more stable in early (P = 0.110) and ultimate failure loads (P = 0.003). Conclusions Pediculoiliac screw fixation for sacroiliac joint disruptions and zone I sacrum fractures using iliac and S1 pedicle screws is a new and effective alternative for obtaining and maintaining anatomic reduction.

Transoral Resection and Reconstruction for Primary Osteogenic Sarcoma of the Second Cervical Vertebra

Study Design. A case of primary osteogenic sarcoma at the second cervical vertebra is reported. Objectives. To document an osteogenic sarcoma of the second cervical vertebra and its treatment, and to review the literature. Summary of Background Data. Primary osteosarcoma of the cervical spine is encountered infrequently, and its location in the upper cervical spine is extremely rare. Two cases of osteosarcoma in the second cervical vertebra have been reported previously in the literature. Methods. A 15-year-old boy with a mass lesion in the axis was treated surgically by anterior transoral resection, fusion, and reconstruction of the defect with a Harms cage. The resection was completed by posterior excision of the remaining vertebral elements, and by occipitocervical instrumentation and fusion between the occiput and the fourth cervical vertebra. The therapy was completed by adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Results. At this writing, 40 months after the initial diagnosis, the patient was in a good state of health with his underlying disease. Conclusions. The axis is a very rare location for the occurrence of primary osteosarcoma. Osteosarcoma may histologically mimic chondroblastoma. The axis can be surgically exposed, resected, and instrumented transorally. The stabilization must be augmented by posterior occipitocervical fusion.

The efficacy of cell saver method in the surgical treatment of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

OBJECTIVE The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of the intraoperative blood salvage cell saver method for allogeneic blood transfusion in the surgical treatment of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis with pedicle screw and rod combination. METHODS The study included 33 patients (5 males and 28 females) who underwent surgery due to adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Patients were divided into 2 groups; 16 patients (mean age: 17.1±3.9 years) in Group A were operated using the cell saver (Medtronic Autolog; autologous cell saver machine) method and the 17 patients (mean age 18.7±6.8 years) in Group B (control group) were treated without cell saver. The Cobb angle, levels of pedicle fixation, operation time, postoperative bleeding, hemoglobin change, allogeneic blood replacement and the amount of autologous erythrocytes were recorded. RESULTS Mean level of pedicle fixation was 12.9±1.54 vertebra using a mean of 21.1±3.21 screws in Group A and 12.8±1.47 vertebra using 18.7±3.59 screws in Group B (p>005). The mean operation time was 224 (Group A: 228±58; Group B: 221±60) minutes. There were no statistically significant differences in the demographic characteristics of both groups (p>0.05). The preoperative mean hemoglobin levels were 12.2±1.47 mg/dl in Group A and 13.1±1.56 mg/dl in Group B. Postoperative mean hemoglobin level was 11.3±1.62 mg/dl in Group A and 9.86±0.93 mg/dl in Group B (p=0.004). The mean amount of autologous erythrocyte replacement was 284±139 ml. The mean postoperative bleeding was 834±253 ml in Group A and 759±380 ml in Group B (p>0.05). The mean allogeneic blood replacement was 1.88±0.88 units in Group A and 1.94±1.34 in Group B (p>0.05). CONCLUSION Autologous erythrocyte replacement was possible using the cell saver method. However, there was no decrement in allogeneic blood replacement using cell saver in the surgical treatment of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

Selection of distal fusion level in terms of distal junctional kyphosis in Scheuermann kyphosis. A comparison of 3 methods

Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of distal fusion level selection on the distal junctional kyphosis (DJK) in Scheuermann kyphosis (SK) patients who underwent posterior fusion. Methods Thirty-nine SK patients who underwent posterior fusion with a minimum follow-up of 3 years were retrospectively evaluated. According to the distal fusion level, patients were divided into 3 groups. Group S; lowest instrumented vertebra (LIV) was the sagittal stable vertebra (SSV), Group F; LIV was the first lordotic vertebra (FLV) and, Group L; LIV was the lower end vertebra (LEV). DJK was evaluated according to distal level selection. Results Thoracic kyphosis (TK) decreased from 73.3° (SD ± 7.9°) to 39° (SD ± 8.7°) postoperatively, with a mean correction rate of 46% (SD ± 13) (p < 0.0001). In 11 patients, FLV and SSV was the same vertebra. In remaining 28 patients, 10 patients were in Group S, 15 patients were in Group F and 3 patients were in Group L. In Group S, none of them developed DJK, however, DJK was observed 9 of 15 patients in Group F. DJK was developed in all cases in Group L. There is a statistically higher risk for developing DJK when FLV or LEV was selected as LIV (p < 0.05). Conclusion Selecting SSV for the distal fusion level has been found to be effective for preventing DJK. Selecting distal fusion level proximal to SSV will increase the risk of DJK which may become symptomatic and require revision surgery. Level of evidence Level IV, therapeutic study.

Effect of growing rod on sagittal and spinopelvic parameters in early-onset scoliosis patients.

Growing rod is a commonly used surgery for early-onset scoliosis (EOS). However, the effect of growing-rod lengthening on the spinopelvic alignment is unclear. In this study, 21 EOS patients treated by growing rod were evaluated retrospectively and thoracic kyphosis (TK), lumbar lordosis (LL), pelvic incidence (PI) , sacral slope (SS), pelvic tilt (PT), and sagittal vertical axis (SVA) were measured. Preoperatively, the mean TK, LL, PI, PT, SS, and SVA were 27.4°, 35.2°, 43.8°, 7.5°, 33.8°, and 47.7 mm respectively. After the last lengthening, TK, LL, PI, PT, SS, and SVA were 28.3°, 28.06°, 41.4°, 7°, 5.2°, and 42.6 mm, respectively. The sagittal plane parameters in our EOS patients were not significantly altered during the lengthening period.