Nasir A. Quraishi

Intraoperative multimodality monitoring in adult spinal deformity: analysis of a prospective series of one hundred two cases with independent evaluation.

Study Design. A retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data of 102 consecutive adult patients who underwent intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (IOM) during spinal deformity corrective surgery. Objective. To report the sensitivity and specificity of combined IOM in this study population using the postoperative neurologic examination as the “gold standard.” Summary of Background Data. IOM is recommended during corrective spinal surgery and has been widely used in the pediatric deformity population. However, there are limited data describing the application of IOM in adults undergoing spinal deformity corrective surgery. Methods. The study group consisted of 102 patients undergoing spinal deformity corrective surgery between 2001 and 2004. Patients were monitored using at least 2 or more electrophysiological methods including somatosensory-evoked potentials (SSEP), motor-evoked potentials (MEP), and electromyography (EMG). Results. The mean age of patients was 41.5 years (±17). The majority of the operative procedures involved instrumented fusion from thoracic to lumbar/sacral spine (n = 55), thoracic-pelvis fusion (n = 26), and a combined total of 32 osteotomies (including 25 pedicle subtraction osteotomies and 7 Smith-Peterson osteotomies). SSEPs were recorded successfully in 101 (99%), EMGs in 89 of 102 (87%), and MEPs in 12 of 16 (75%). Five cases were true positives (4.95%), and these were all detected by combined monitoring (2-SSEP, 2-EMG, 1-MEP). There were no false positives with SSEPs, but EMG resulted in 30 of 89 (34%) false positives. There were 4 false negatives with SSEPs, which reduced its sensitivity to 33%. There was 1 false negative with EMG, and 0 with MEPs. When these results were collated, the overall sensitivity of combined multimodality IOM in this adult deformity series was 100%, specificity 84.3%, PPV 13.9%, and NPV 97%. The combined sensitivity in the osteotomy group (n = 32) was 67%, specificity 98%, PPV 80%, and NPV 96%. In comparison, there were no IOM abnormalities in those patients who had in situ/minor corrective procedures (n = 18; largely adult degenerative scoliosis). Conclusion. Multimodality IOM of spinal cord sensory and motor function during surgical correction of adult spinal deformity is feasible and provides useful neurophysiological data with an overall sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 84.3% (67% and 98%, respectively in patients undergoing major deformity correction).

The surgical management of metastatic epidural compression of the spinal cord

Metastatic epidural compression of the spinal cord is a significant source of morbidity in patients with systemic cancer. With improved oncological treatment, survival in these patients is improving and metastatic cord compression is encountered increasingly often. The treatment is mostly palliative. Surgical management involves early circumferential decompression of the cord with concomitant stabilisation of the spine. Patients with radiosensitive tumours without cord compression benefit from radiotherapy. Spinal stereotactic radiosurgery and minimally invasive techniques, such as vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty, with or without radiofrequency ablation, are promising options for treatment and are beginning to be used in selected patients with spinal metastases. In this paper we review the surgical management of patients with metastatic epidural spinal cord compression.

Prediction of Quality of Life and Survival After Surgery for Symptomatic Spinal Metastases: A Multicenter Cohort Study to Determine Suitability for Surgical Treatment.

BACKGROUND Surgery for symptomatic spinal metastases aims to improve quality of life, pain, function, and stability. Complications in the postoperative period are not uncommon; therefore, it is important to select appropriate patients who are likely to benefit the greatest from surgery. Previous studies have focused on predicting survival rather than quality of life after surgery. OBJECTIVE To determine preoperative patient characteristics that predict postoperative quality of life and survival in patients who undergo surgery for spinal metastases. METHODS In a prospective cohort study of 922 patients with spinal metastases who underwent surgery, we performed preoperative and postoperative assessment of EuroQol EQ-5D quality of life, visual analog score for pain, Karnofsky physical functioning score, complication rates, and survival. RESULTS The primary tumor type, number of spinal metastases, and presence of visceral metastases were independent predictors of survival. Predictors of quality of life after surgery included preoperative EQ-5D (P = .002), Frankel score (P < .001), and Karnofsky Performance Status (P < .001). CONCLUSION Data from the largest prospective surgical series of patients with symptomatic spinal metastases revealed that tumor type, the number of spinal metastases, and the presence of visceral metastases are the most useful predictors of survival and that quality of life is best predicted by preoperative Karnofsky, Frankel, and EQ-5D scores. The Karnofsky score predicts quality of life and survival and is easy to determine at the bedside, unlike the EQ-5D index. Karnofsky score, tumor type, and spinal and visceral metastases should be considered the 4 most important prognostic variables that influence patient management.

Minimal-invasive percutaneous reduction and transsacral screw fixation for U-shaped fractures.

Study Design: Technical note and case series. Objective: To introduce an innovative minimal-invasive surgical procedure reducing surgery time and blood loss in management of U-shaped sacrum fractures. Summary of Background: Despite their seldom appearance, U-shaped fractures can cause severe neurological deficits and surgical management difficulties. According to the nature of the injury normally occurring in multi-injured patients after a fall from height, a jump, or road traffic accident, U-shaped fractures create a spinopelvic dissociation and hence are highly unstable. In the past, time-consuming open procedures like large posterior constructs or shortening osteotomies with or without decompression were the method of choice, sacrificing spinal mobility. Insufficient restoration of sacrococcygeal angle and pelvic incidence with conventional techniques may have adverse long-term effects in these patients. Methods: In a consecutive series of 3 patients, percutaneous reduction of the fracture with Schanz pins inserted in either the pedicles of L5 or the S1 body and the posterior superior iliac crest was achieved. The Schanz pins act as lever, allowing a good manipulation of the fracture. The reduction is secured by a temporary external fixator to permit optimal restoration of pelvic incidence and sacral kyphosis. Insertion of 2 transsacral screws allow fixation of the restored spinopelvic alignment. Results: Anatomic alignment of the sacrum was possible in each case. Surgery time ranged from 90 to 155 minutes and the blood loss was <50 mL in all 3 cases. Two patients had very good results in the long term regarding maintenance of pelvic incidence and sacrococcygeal angle. One patient with previous cauda equina decompression had loss of correction after 6 months. Conclusions: Percutaneous reduction and transsacral screw fixation offers a less invasive method for treating U-shaped fractures. This can be advantageous in treatment of patients with multiple injuries.

Mobile spine chordoma: results of 166 patients from the AOSpine Knowledge Forum Tumor database

OBJECT A chordoma is an indolent primary spinal tumor that has devastating effects on the patients life. These lesions are chemoresistant, resistant to conventional radiotherapy, and moderately sensitive to proton therapy; however, en bloc resection remains the preferred treatment for optimizing patient outcomes. While multiple small and largely retrospective studies have investigated the outcomes following en bloc resection of chordomas in the sacrum, there have been few large-scale studies on patients with chordomas of the mobile spine. The goal of this study was to review the outcomes of surgically treated patients with mobile spine chordomas at multiple international centers with respect to local recurrence and survival. This multiinstitutional retrospective study collected data between 1988 and 2012 about prognosis-predicting factors, including various clinical characteristics and surgical techniques for mobile spine chordoma. Tumors were classified according to the Enneking principles and analyzed in 2 treatment cohorts: Enneking-appropriate (EA) and Enneking-inappropriate (EI) cohorts. Patients were categorized as EA when the final pathological assessment of the margin matched the Enneking recommendation; otherwise, they were categorized as EI. METHODS Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data (Student t-test, chi-square, and Fisher exact tests). Recurrence and survival data were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier survival curves, log-rank tests, and multivariate Cox proportional hazard modeling. RESULTS A total of 166 patients (55 female and 111 male patients) with mobile spine chordoma were included. The median patient follow-up was 2.6 years (range 1 day to 22.5 years). Fifty-eight (41%) patients were EA and 84 (59%) patients were EI. The type of biopsy (p < 0.001), spinal location (p = 0.018), and if the patient received adjuvant therapy (p < 0.001) were significantly different between the 2 cohorts. Overall, 58 (35%) patients developed local recurrence and 57 (34%) patients died. Median survival was 7.0 years postoperative: 8.4 years postoperative for EA patients and 6.4 years postoperative for EI patients (p = 0.023). The multivariate analysis showed that the EI cohort was significantly associated with an increased risk of local recurrence in comparison with the EA cohort (HR 7.02; 95% CI 2.96-16.6; p < 0.001), although no significant difference in survival was observed. CONCLUSIONS EA resection plays a major role in decreasing the risk for local recurrence in patients with chordoma of the mobile spine.

Rapid improvements in pain and quality of life are sustained after surgery for spinal metastases in a large prospective cohort.

Abstract Introduction Metastatic spinal cancer is a common condition that may lead to spinal instability, pain and paralysis. In the 1980s, surgery was discouraged because results showed worse neurological outcomes and pain compared with radiotherapy alone. However, with the advent of modern imaging and spinal stabilisation techniques, the role of surgery has regained centre stage, though few studies have assessed quality of life and functional outcomes after surgery. Objective We investigated whether surgery provides sustained improvement in quality of life and pain relief for patients with symptomatic spinal metastases by analysing the largest reported surgical series of patients with epidural spinal metastases. Methods A prospective cohort study of 922 consecutive patients with spinal metastases who underwent surgery, from the Global Spine Tumour Study Group database. Pre- and post-operative EQ-5D quality of life, visual analogue pain score, Karnofsky physical functioning score, complication rates and survival were recorded. Results Quality of life (EQ-5D), VAS pain score and Karnofsky physical functioning score improved rapidly after surgery and these improvements were sustained in those patients who survived up to 2 years after surgery. In specialised spine centres, the technical intra-operative complication rate of surgery was low, however almost a quarter of patients experienced post-operative systemic adverse events. Conclusion Surgical treatment for spinal metastases produces rapid pain relief, maintains ambulation and improves good quality of life. However, as a group, patients with cancer are vulnerable to post-operative systemic complications, hence the importance of appropriate patient selection.

Giant destructive myxopapillary ependymomas of the sacrum

Myxopapillary ependymomas rarely present as a primary intrasacral lesion, and extensive sacral osteolysis is unusual. The authors report a case series of 6 patients with these complex tumors causing extensive sacral destruction, who underwent resection, lumbopelvic reconstruction, and fusion. The operative procedure, complications, and outcome are summarized after a mean follow-up of 3.55 years (range 18-80 months).

An evidence-based medicine model for rare and often neglected neoplastic conditions

OBJECT The National Institutes of Health recommends strategies to obtain evidence for the treatment of rare conditions such as primary tumors of the spine (PTSs). These tumors have a low incidence and are pathologically heterogeneous, and treatment approaches are diverse. Appropriate evidence-based care is imperative. Failure to follow validated oncological principles may lead to unnecessary mortality and profound morbidity. This paper outlines a scientific model that provides significant evidence guiding the treatment of PTSs. METHODS A four-stage approach was used: 1) planning: data from large-volume centers were reviewed to provide insight; 2) recruitment: centers were enrolled and provided the necessary infrastructure; 3) retrospective stage: existing medical records were reviewed and completed with survival data; and 4) prospective stage: prospective data collection has been implemented. The AOSpine Knowledge Forum Tumor designed six modules: demographic, clinical, diagnostic, therapeutic, local recurrence, survival, and perioperative morbidity data fields and provided funding. RESULTS It took 18 months to implement Stages 1-3, while Stage 4 is ongoing. A total of 1495 tumor cases were captured and diagnosed as one of 18 PTS histotypes. In addition, a PTS biobank network has been created to link clinical data with tumor pathology and molecular analysis. CONCLUSIONS This scientific model has not only aggregated a large amount of PTS data, but has also established an international collaborative network of spine oncology centers. Access to large volumes of data will generate further research to guide and enhance PTS clinical management. This model could be applied to other rare neoplastic conditions. Clinical trial registration no.: NCT01643174 (ClinicalTrials.gov).

Spinal hemangiomas: results of surgical management for local recurrence and mortality in a multicenter study.

Study Design. Multicenter, ambispective observational study. Objective. To quantify local recurrence and mortality rates after surgical treatment of symptomatic spinal hemangiomas and identify prognostic variables for local disease control. Summary of Background Data. Spinal hemangiomas are the most common primary tumors of the spine and are generally benign and usually asymptomatic. Because of the rarity of symptomatic spinal hemangiomas, optimal surgical treatment remains unclear. Methods. AOSpine Knowledge Forum Tumor Investigators created a multicenter database of primary spinal tumors including demographics, presentation, diagnosis, treatment, survival, and recurrence data. Tumors were classified according to Enneking and Weinstein-Boriani-Biagini. Descriptive statistics were summarized and time to mortality and recurrence was determined. Results. Between 1996 and 2012, 68 patients (mean age = 51 yr, SD = 16) underwent surgical treatment of a spinal hemangioma. Epidural disease was present in 55% of patients (n = 33). Pain and neurological compromise were presenting symptoms in 82% (n = 54) and 37% (n = 24) of patients, respectively. Preoperative embolization was performed in 35% of patients (n = 23), 10% (n = 7) had adjuvant radiotherapy, and 81% (n = 55) underwent posterior-alone surgery. The local recurrence rate was 3% (n = 2). Mortality secondary to spinal hemangioma was not observed (mean follow-up = 3.9 yr, SD = 3.8). Conclusion. This is the largest multicenter surgical cohort of spinal hemangiomas. Symptomatic spinal hemangiomas are a benign tumor despite frequently presenting with epidural disease and neurological compromise. Thus, formal en bloc resection is not required, and excellent rates of local control and long-term survival can result from aggressive intralesional resection during index surgery. Level of Evidence: 3

The Spinal Instability Neoplastic Score: Impact on Oncologic Decision-Making.

Study Design. Systematic literature review. Objective. To address the following questions in a systematic literature review:  1. How is spinal neoplastic instability defined or classified in the literature before and after the introduction of the Spinal Instability Neoplastic Score (SINS)?  2. How has SINS affected daily clinical practice?  3. Can SINS be used as a prognostic tool? Summary of Background Data. Spinal neoplastic-related instability was defined in 2010 and simultaneously SINS was introduced as a novel tool with criteria agreed upon by expert consensus to assess the degree of spinal stability. Methods. PubMed, Embase, and clinical trial databases were searched with the key words “spinal neoplasm,” “spinal instability,” “spinal instability neoplastic score,” and synonyms. Studies describing spinal neoplastic-related instability were eligible for inclusion. Primary outcomes included studies describing and/or defining neoplastic-related instability, SINS, and studies using SINS as a prognostic factor. Results. The search identified 1414 articles, of which 51 met the inclusion criteria. No precise definition or validated assessment tool was used specific to spinal neoplastic-related instability prior to the introduction of SINS. Since the publication of SINS in 2010, the vast majority of the literature regarding spinal instability has used SINS to assess or describe instability. Twelve studies specifically investigated the prognostic value of SINS in patients who underwent radiotherapy or surgery. Conclusion. No consensus could be determined regarding the definition, assessment, or reporting of neoplastic-related instability before introduction of SINS. Defining spinal neoplastic-related instability and the introduction of SINS have led to improved uniform reporting within the spinal neoplastic literature. Currently, the prognostic value of SINS is controversial. Level of Evidence: N/A