Ivan Dias da Rocha

Therapeutic approaches for spinal cord injury

This study reviews the literature concerning possible therapeutic approaches for spinal cord injury. Spinal cord injury is a disabling and irreversible condition that has high economic and social costs. There are both primary and secondary mechanisms of damage to the spinal cord. The primary lesion is the mechanical injury itself. The secondary lesion results from one or more biochemical and cellular processes that are triggered by the primary lesion. The frustration of health professionals in treating a severe spinal cord injury was described in 1700 BC in an Egyptian surgical papyrus that was translated by Edwin Smith; the papyrus reported spinal fractures as a “disease that should not be treated.” Over the last two decades, several studies have been performed to obtain more effective treatments for spinal cord injury. Most of these studies approach a patient with acute spinal cord injury in one of four manners: corrective surgery or a physical, biological or pharmacological treatment method. Science is unraveling the mechanisms of cell protection and neuroregeneration, but clinically, we only provide supportive care for patients with spinal cord injuries. By combining these treatments, researchers attempt to enhance the functional recovery of patients with spinal cord injuries. Advances in the last decade have allowed us to encourage the development of experimental studies in the field of spinal cord regeneration. The combination of several therapeutic strategies should, at minimum, allow for partial functional recoveries for these patients, which could improve their quality of life.

AVALIAÇÃO DA EVOLUÇÃO DE LESÕES ASSOCIADAS À LESÃO DO LIGAMENTO CRUZADO ANTERIOR

SUMMARY Purpose: We reviewed 71 patients diagnosed with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury on 72 knees. The incidence of associated injuries (meniscal and joint cartilage injuries) were evaluated according to the time elapsed until ACL reconstruction. Study design: Retrospective case series. Methods: Statistical analysis of the relationship between the time elapsed until surgery and the increase of associated lesions. Results: There was no statistically significant difference on the incidence of joint-cartilage and meniscal injuries assessed for the periods within 2-3 months, 4-6 months, 7-12 months, 13-24 months and above 24 months. Conclusion: Although a trend towards a higher number of meniscal injuries after 6 months, and of joint-cartilage injuries after 12 months since the primary anterior cruciate ligament injury, such fact showed no statistical significance.

Estudo anatômico dimensional do arco posterior de C2 para a instrumentação com parafuso intralaminar

INTRODUCTION: The atlantoaxial joint has stabilizing mechanisms (bones, ligaments and capsules) keeping the anatomic relation between C1-C2. When one or more of those mechanisms fail, in a traumatic or non-traumatic way, an instability atlantoaxial occurs leading to neurologic impairment, pain and cervical mobility limitation. Neurologic impairment and moderate to severe instability may need surgical treatment. Since 1910, a great number of C1-C2 stabilization techniques have been developed, and, even recently, new methods have been developed. New techniques using bilateral screws on C1 lateral mass and C2 laminar screws connected by rods were developed OBJECTIVE: To measure C2 lamina size in order to evaluate the safety and the dimension of the screw used in Wright´s technique. METODS: We conducted an anatomic study with 29 human adult cadavers whose C2 laminas were dissected and measured, in sagittal, coronal and axial planes. RESULTS: The average measure of the external middle portion of C2 lamina was 5,83mm, and 8,93% were below 3,5mm. CONCLUSION: We suggest a tomographic study prior to surgery in order to identify patients with smaller laminas, thus presenting a higher risk.

Efeitos do tempo de descompressão após trauma medular na recuperação neurológica em ratos Wistar

Objective: Traumatic spinal Cord injuries are common in patients with high-energy trauma, and have significant morbidity and mortality rates, as well as high psychological and social costs, causing a major impact on public health. To date, the treatment of such lesions remains controversial, with various studies in the literature comparing the results of non-surgical treatment with immediate, early or late surgical decompression. The objective of the present study is to compare the results of immediate and early (within 1 hour) spinal Cord decompression. Methods: In the belief that the surgical treatment obtains the best result, this experimental study has a case-control design, with histopathological and functional analysis of the results of surgical treatment of 25 Wistar mice submitted to posterior laminectomy immediately, or after one hour of spinal Cord compression. Results: in terms of functional and neurological deficit, the responses were better in the mice treated with immediate surgical decompression than in those treated one hour after the lesion (p=0.036). Conclusion: The earlier the decompression of spinal Cord injuries is performed, the better the end results in terms of the function and presence of neurological deficit.

Controlled medial branch anesthetic block in the diagnosis of chronic lumbar facet joint pain: the value of a three-month follow-up

OBJECTIVES: To verify the incidence of facetary and low back pain after a controlled medial branch anesthetic block in a three-month follow-up and to verify the correlation between the positive results and the demographic variables. METHODS: Patients with chronic lumbar pain underwent a sham blockade (with a saline injection) and then a controlled medial branch block. Their symptoms were evaluated before and after the sham injection and after the real controlled medial branch block; the symptoms were reevaluated after one day and one week, as well as after one, two and three months using the visual analog scale. We searched for an association between the positive results and the demographic characteristics of the patients. RESULTS: A total of 104 controlled medial branch blocks were performed and 54 patients (52%) demonstrated >50% improvements in pain after the blockade. After three months, lumbar pain returned in only 18 individuals, with visual analogue scale scores >4. Therefore, these patients were diagnosed with chronic facet low back pain. The three-months of follow-up after the controlled medial branch block excluded 36 patients (67%) with false positive results. The results of the controlled medial branch block were not correlated to sex, age, pain duration or work disability but were correlated with patient age (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Patient diagnosis with a controlled medial branch block proved to be effective but was not associated with any demographic variables. A three-month follow-up is required to avoid a high number of false positives.

Effects of estrogen on functional and neurological recovery after spinal cord injury: An experimental study with rats

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the functional and histological effects of estrogen as a neuroprotective agent after a standard experimentally induced spinal cord lesion. METHODS: In this experimental study, 20 male Wistar rats were divided into two groups: one group with rats undergoing spinal cord injury (SCI) at T10 and receiving estrogen therapy with 17-beta estradiol (4mg/kg) immediately following the injury and after the placement of skin sutures and a control group with rats only subjected to SCI. A moderate standard experimentally induced SCI was produced using a computerized device that dropped a weight on the rats spine from a height of 12.5 mm. Functional recovery was verified with the Basso, Beattie and Bresnahan scale on the 2nd, 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th, 35th and 42nd days after injury and by quantifying the motor-evoked potential on the 42nd day after injury. Histopathological evaluation of the SCI area was performed after euthanasia on the 42nd day. RESULTS: The experimental group showed a significantly greater functional improvement from the 28th to the 42nd day of observation compared to the control group. The experimental group showed statistically significant improvements in the motor-evoked potential compared with the control group. The results of pathological histomorphometry evaluations showed a better neurological recovery in the experimental group, with respect to the proportion and diameter of the quantified nerve fibers. CONCLUSIONS: Estrogen administration provided benefits in neurological and functional motor recovery in rats with SCI beginning at the 28th day after injury.

Tratamento da síndrome da veia cava superior

The superior vena cava is formed by the union of the right and left brachiocephalic veins. It is located in the middle mediastinum, to the right of the aorta and anterior to the trachea. Superior vena cava syndrome consists of a group of signs (dilation of the veins in the neck, facial swelling, edema of the upper limbs, and cyanosis) and symptoms (headache, dyspnea, cough, orthopnea and dysphagia) caused by the obstruction of blood flow through the superior vena cava to the right atrium. This obstruction can be caused by extrinsic compression, tumor invasion or thrombosis. Such obstruction may also occur as a result of insufficient venous return secondary to intra-atrial or intraluminal diseases. From 73% to 93% of all cases of superior vena cava syndrome occur during the development of an intrathoracic tumor. Most patients presenting superior vena cava syndrome secondary to malignant neoplasms are treated without surgery, through radiotherapy, chemotherapy or the use of intraluminal stents. When the etiology of superior vena cava syndrome is benign, it can be treated with clinical measures (anticoagulation, raising the head, etc.) or, in refractory cases, with angioplasty, stents or surgery.

Lesões traumáticas da coluna cervical - Panorama epidemiológico atual

ABSTRACT Objective: To collect data from patients with cervical fracture who were treated surgically in a tertiary health service, in order to better understand the current scenario of this kind of injury in our population. Methods: This retrospective survey examined consecutive cases of patients with cervical spine trauma who received surgical treatment during 2013 and 2014. The data were subjected to descriptive statistical analysis. Results: Fifty-two patients were treated with surgery during 2013 and 2014. All patients classified as Frankel A and B developed respiratory failure. Patients classified as Frankel A, B, and C had significantly higher rates for postoperative complications (p < 0.01) than patients classified as Frankel D and E, except for the rate of postoperative infections (p = 0.717). Hospitalization time was also longer in the first group (p < 0.01). Conclusion: Patients with cervical trauma who present with neurological deficit at hospital admission should receive special attention, since the rate of postoperative complications is higher and hospital stays are lengthier in this group. In addition, patients with Frankel A and B classification should be monitored in an intensive care unit. Level of Evidence III; Retrospective comparative study.

A Comparative Study of Sagittal Balance in Patients with Neuromuscular Scoliosis

OBJECTIVES: Spinopelvic alignment has been associated with improved quality of life in patients with vertebral deformities, and it helps to compensate for imbalances in gait. Although surgical treatment of scoliosis in patients with neuromuscular spinal deformities promotes correction of coronal scoliotic deformities, it remains poorly established whether this results in large changes in sagittal balance parameters in this specific population. The objective of this study is to compare these parameters before and after the current procedure under the hypothesis is that there is no significant modification. METHODS: Sampling included all records of patients with neuromuscular scoliosis with adequate radiographic records treated at Institute of Orthopedics and Traumatology of Clinics Hospital of University of São Paulo (IOT-HCFMUSP) from January 2009 to December 2013. Parameters analyzed were incidence, sacral inclination, pelvic tilt, lumbar lordosis, thoracic kyphosis, spinosacral angle, spinal inclination and spinopelvic inclination obtained using the iSite-Philips digital display system with Surgimap and a validated method for digital measurements of scoliosis radiographs. Comparison between the pre- and post-operative conditions involved means and standard deviations and the t-test. RESULTS: Based on 101 medical records only, 16 patients met the inclusion criteria for this study, including 7 males and 9 females, with an age range of 9-20 and a mean age of 12.9±3.06; 14 were diagnosed with cerebral palsy. No significant differences were found between pre and postoperative parameters. CONCLUSIONS: Despite correction of coronal scoliotic deformity in patients with neuromuscular deformities, there were no changes in spinopelvic alignment parameters in the group studied.

FRATURA CERVICAL SUBAXIAL: APLICAÇÃO E CORRELAÇÃO DAS CLASSIFICAÇÕES AO E SLIC

Objetivo:Evaluar las clasificaciones AO/Magerl y SLIC (Subaxial Cervical Spine Injury Classification) utilizadas en las fracturas de la columna cervical y evaluar si tienen correlacion con la gravedad neurologica de los pacientes, la eleccion de la via de acceso, la duracion de la cirugia y si estan correlacionados entre si.Metodo:Analisis retrospectivo de registros medicos y coleccion de imagenes radiologicas de 77 pacientes tratados quirurgicamente de fractura o dislocacion de la columna cervical subaxial, desde agosto 2010 a septiembre 2012.Resultados:La clasificacion SLIC mostro una fuerte correlacion con deficit neurologico y el valor de correlacion de Pearson de -0,600. La clasificacion AO no se correlaciono con la escala de Frankel y el valor de Pearson fue 0,06, con una significacion estadistica de 0,682 (p < 0,05), es decir, incapaz de determinar o sugerir la gravedad del deficit. Cuando se compararon entre si, las dos clasificaciones mostraron correlacion estadistica y el valor de Pearson fue de 0,282, con valor de significacion de 0,022 (p < 0,05).Conclusion:Entre las clasificaciones mas utilizadas, la calificacion SLIC ha sido capaz de definir estadisticamente la necesidad de tratamiento quirurgico y la gravedad del estado neurologico, pero fue incapaz de predecir la via de acceso o la duracion de la cirugia; la clasificacion AO no logro predecir la gravedad de la lesion neurologica, el tiempo quirurgico ni auxilio a elegir la via de acceso, siendo solo una clasificacion morfologica.Objetivo:Evaluar las clasificaciones AO/Magerl y SLIC (Subaxial Cervical Spine Injury Classification) utilizadas en las fracturas de la columna cervical y evaluar si tienen correlacion con la gravedad neurologica de los pacientes, la eleccion de la via de acceso, la duracion de la cirugia y si estan correlacionados entre si.Metodo:Analisis retrospectivo de registros medicos y coleccion de imagenes radiologicas de 77 pacientes tratados quirurgicamente de fractura o dislocacion de la columna cervical subaxial, desde agosto 2010 a septiembre 2012.Resultados:La clasificacion SLIC mostro una fuerte correlacion con deficit neurologico y el valor de correlacion de Pearson de -0,600. La clasificacion AO no se correlaciono con la escala de Frankel y el valor de Pearson fue 0,06, con una significacion estadistica de 0,682 (p < 0,05), es decir, incapaz de determinar o sugerir la gravedad del deficit. Cuando se compararon entre si, las dos clasificaciones mostraron correlacion estadistica y el valor de Pearson fue de 0,282, con valor de significacion de 0,022 (p < 0,05).Conclusion:Entre las clasificaciones mas utilizadas, la calificacion SLIC ha sido capaz de definir estadisticamente la necesidad de tratamiento quirurgico y la gravedad del estado neurologico, pero fue incapaz de predecir la via de acceso o la duracion de la cirugia; la clasificacion AO no logro predecir la gravedad de la lesion neurologica, el tiempo quirurgico ni auxilio a elegir la via de acceso, siendo solo una clasificacion morfologica.