Tunc Oktenoglu

Radiofrequency Lesioning Using Two Different Time Modalities for the Treatment of Lumbar Discogenic Pain : A Randomized Trial

Study Design. A prospective randomized trial. Objective. To evaluate the efficacy of percutaneous intradiscal radiofrequency thermocoagulation by modifying the duration of heating, using two different time methods, for relieving pain and improving functional disability. Summary of Background Data. Lumbar discogenic pain is the major problem in lumbar degenerative disc disease that percutaneous intradiscal radiofrequency thermocoagulation has been suggested for as a nonsurgical invasive treatment technique for lumbar discogenic pain. In a previous controlled study, this method was found to be ineffective with 8 weeks of follow-up. Materials and Methods. Sixty patients with chronic low back pain were selected for provocative discography to diagnose the discogenic pain and to locate the discs to be treated. From this group, 39 patients were randomly selected and divided into two groups. In the first group, treatment was performed for 120 seconds, and in the second group for 360 seconds, both at 80C. Patients were assessed with a visual analogue scale for pain relief and functional improvement. Evaluations were performed before, immediately after treatment, at 1 and 2 weeks, and at 1, 3, and 6 months after the procedure. Results. A total of 39 patients with positive provocative discographies were found to eligible for the study. There were no statistical differences in pain relief and functional improvement between two groups (P > 0.05). The immediate, 1-week and 2-week, and 1-month visual analogue scale (VAS) scores were decreased significantly in both groups when comparing them with the pretreatment scores (P < 0.05). However, the final values after 6 months were similar to those measured at the beginning of the study (P > 0.05). Conclusion. Percutaneous intradiscal radiofrequency thermocoagulation has been suggested and performed to relieve discogenic pain. In the previous controlled study, no effective pain relief has been obtained. In this study, the authors increased the duration of radiofrequency thermocoagulation to improve the effectiveness of this method. Yet, the authors have not found any significant differences between the application of lesioning at two different times in percutaneous intradiscal radiofrequency thermocoagulation.

The major complications of transpedicular vertebroplasty.

OBJECT Vertebroplasty is a well-known technique used to treat pain associated with vertebral compression fractures. Despite a success rate of up to 90% in different series, the procedure is often associated with major complications such as cord and root compression, epidural and subdural hematomas (SDHs), and pulmonary emboli, as well as other minor complications. In this study, the authors discuss the major complications of transpedicular vertebroplasty and their clinical implications during the postoperative course. METHODS Vertebroplasty was performed in 12 vertebrae of 7 patients. Five patients had osteoporotic compression fractures, 1 had tumoral compression fractures, and 1 had a traumatic fracture. Two patients had foraminal leakage, 1 had epidural leakage, 1 had subdural cement leakage, 2 had a spinal SDH, and the last had a split fracture after the procedure. RESULTS Three patients had paraparesis (2 had SDHs and 1 had epidural cement leakage), 3 had root symptoms, and 1 had lower back pain. Two of the 3 patients with paraparesis recovered after evacuation of the SDH and subdural cement; however, 1 patient with paraparesis did not recover after epidural cement leakage, despite cement evacuation. Two patients with foraminal leakage and 1 with subdural cement leakage had root symptoms and recovered after evacuation and conservative treatment. The patient with the split fracture had no neurological symptoms and recovered with conservative treatment. CONCLUSIONS Transpedicular vertebroplasty may have major complications, such as a spinal SDH and/or cement leakage into the epidural and subdural spaces, even when performed by experienced spinal surgeons. Early diagnosis with CT and intervention may prevent worsening of these complications.

Anterior cervical microdiscectomy with or without fusion.

Background Anterior cervical microdiscectomy (ACD) is commonly applied in the surgical treatment of cervical disc herniation. However, following discectomy procedure to perform a fusion process is still controversial. Therefore, a controlled, multicentric, prospective, randomized study was designed. Material and Method Totally 20 patients were operated. Eleven patients were operated with applying simple anterior microdiscectomy technique. Nine patients were operated via ACD and fusion with a semirigid plate technique. Preoperative and postoperative [immediate; postoperative first day and postoperative 1 y (mean 13.95 mo)] computed tomography studies and plain x-rays were obtained. The cervical disc and bilateral neural foramen heights of the operated level and adjacent segments were calculated. Pain assessment was performed using visual analog pain scale. Mann-Whitney statistical analysis method was applied to compare the outcomes for both groups. Results Satisfactory result was achieved in both groups. The pain scores for major complaint (arm pain) were decreased significantly in all patients after surgery regardless of the type of technique applied. The improvement in neck pain scores was significant only in patients who were treated with fusion procedure. There were no significant changes in disc height and neural foramen height measurements for both groups in adjacent levels in immediate and 1-year postoperative periods. The patients who were operated with simple ACD technique showed no significant decrease at postoperative first day in disc height and neural foramen height. However, the 1-year postoperative radiologic studies showed a significant decrease in disc height and neural foramen dimensions compared with preoperative values. The patients who were treated with fusion process showed a significant increase in disc height and nonsignificant increase in neural foramen heights at immediate postoperative study. However, with time, all dimensions showed significant decrease compared with preoperative values. Conclusions ACD technique offers satisfactory outcome regardless of whether fusion process is applied or not. Fusion with semirigid plate offers an advantage at operated level in immediate postoperative period in regard of disc height and neural foramen height. However, semirigid anterior plates by definition do not stop subsidence and the advantage that is offered by this technique is not persistent. On the other hand, to apply fusion process with semirigid plate system offers significantly less narrowing in disc height compared with simple ACD technique.

Dynamic lumbar pedicle screw-rod stabilization: two-year follow-up and comparison with fusion.

Background: A lumbar pedicular dynamic stabilization system (LPDSS) is an alternative to fusion for treatment of degenerative disc disease (DDD). In this study, clinical and radiological results of one LPDSS (Saphinaz, Medikon AS, Turkey) were compared with results of rigid fixation after two-year follow-up. Methods: All patients had anteroposterior and lateral standing x-rays of the lumbar spine preoperatively and at 3 months, 12 months and 24 months after surgery. Lordosis of the lumbar spine, segmental lordosis and ratio of the height of the intervertebral disc spaces (IVS) measured preoperatively and at 3 months, 12 months and 24 months after surgery. All patients underwent MRI and/or CT preoperatively, 3months, 12 months and 24 months postoperatively. The ratio of intervertebral disc space to vertebral body height (IVS) and segmental and lumbar lordosis were evaluated preoperatively and postoperatively. Pain scores were evaluated via Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) preoperatively and postoperatively. Results: In both groups, the VAS and ODI scores decreased significantly from preoperatively to postoperatively. There was no difference in the scores between groups except that a lower VAS and ODI scores were observed after 3 months in the LPDSS group. In both groups, the IVS ratio remained unchanged between preoperative and postoperative conditions. The lumbar and segmental lordotic angles decreased insignificantly to preoperative levels in the months following surgery. Conclusions: Patients with LPDSS had equivalent relief of pain and maintenance of sagittal balance to patients with standard rigid screw-rod fixation. LPDSS appears to be a good alternative to rigid fixation.

Comparison of posterior dynamic and posterior rigid transpedicular stabilization with fusion to treat degenerative spondylolisthesis.

This article describes the clinical and radiological outcomes of a comparison of posterior dynamic transpedicular stabilization and posterior rigid transpedicular stabilization with fusion after decompression in the treatment of degenerative spondylolisthesis. This prospective clinical and radiologic study was conducted between 2004 and 2007 and included 46 patients, of whom 33 were women (71.7%) and 13 were men (28.3%). Mean patient age was 61.67+/-10.80 years (range, 45-89 years). Twenty-six patients who underwent lumbar decompression and posterior dynamic transpedicular stabilization were followed for a mean of 38 months (range, 24-55 months). In the fusion group, 20 patients who underwent lumbar decompression and rigid stabilization with fusion were followed for a mean of 44 months (range, 26-64 months). The intervertebral space measurements of the dynamic group at the preoperative examination and at 12 and 24 months postoperatively were statistically significantly higher than the intervertebral space measurements of the fusion group (P<.05). In the dynamic group, complications occurred in 2 patients; the first was a screw malposition, which was improved with revision surgery within 1 month of the initial surgery, and the second was a fusion performed in the second year in 1 patient because the patient reported continued pain. In the fusion group, adjacent segment disease was observed in 1 patient, with subsequent reoperation. Lumbar decompression and posterior dynamic transpedicular stabilization yield satisfactory results in the treatment of degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis and can be considered a valid alternative to fusion.

Dynamic stabilization of the spine: a new classification system.

Fusion surgeries are still the gold standard in the treatment of the degenerative spine. Spinal fusion has some problems, however. Adjacent segment disease, donor place ailment, and the morbidity of the surgery has emerged as important problems over the years. As a consequence of such complications after fusion, the search for an alternative treatment for the degenerative spine widened. While trying to maintain the motion in the joint, dynamic stabilization aims to remove the pain by distributing the weight between anterior and posterior elements of the spine. Various new devices have now been developed for the dynamic stabilization of the spine. In this report, the dynamic stabilization devices of the spine are classified anew and, the authors explain briefly the historical evolution process, specialties, indications and contraindications of these dynamic stabilization devices.

Clinical Analysis of 21 Cases of Spinal Cord Ependymoma : Positive Clinical Results of Gross Total Resection

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the clinical results of gross total resection in the surgical approach to spinal ependymoma. METHODS Between June 1995 and May 2009, 13 males and 8 females (mean age 34) diagnosed with intramedullary or extramedullary spinal ependymoma were surgically treated at our centre. The neurological and functional state of each patient were evaluated according to the modified McCormick scale. RESULTS The average follow-up duration was 54 months (ranging from 12 to 168 months). The locations of the lesions were: thoracic region (4, 19%), lumbar region (7, 34%), cervical region (4, 19%), cervicothoracic region (3, 14%) and conus medullaris (3, 14%). Four patients (19%) had deterioration of neurological function in the early postoperative period. The neurological function of three patients was completely recovered at the 6th postoperative month, while that of another patient was recovered at the 14th month. In the last assessment of neurological function, 20 patients (95%) were assessed as McCormick grade 1. No perioperative complications developed in any of our patients. In one patients 24-month assessment, tumour recurrence was observed. Re-operation was not performed and the patient was taken under observation. CONCLUSION Two determinants of good clinical results after spinal ependymoma surgery are a gross total resection of the tumour and a good neurological condition before the operation. Although neurological deficits in the early postoperative period can develop as a result of gross total tumour resection, significant improvement is observed six months after the operation.

The Results of ??-tricalcium Phosphate Coated Hydroxyapatite (??-TCP/HA) Grafts for Interbody Fusion After Anterior Cervical Discectomy

Study Design The efficacy of tricalcium phosphate and hydroxyapatite (β-TCP/HA) grafts was studied after anterior cervical discectomy (ACD). Objective This study presents our observations about the efficacy of β-TCP/HA grafts after ACD. Summary of Background Data Especially in the last 2 decades, fusion materials such as autograft and allograft, as well as different kind of cages were used to maintain fusion after ACD. Methods β-TCP/HA grafts after ACD were used in 17 patients. The cervical and radicular pain was evaluated via visual analog scale (VAS) score preoperatively, at postoperative third week, and after 20 months (range: 18 to 24 mo) after the operation. The radiologic evaluations were done preoperatively, at postoperative first day and at the latest follow-up. The VAS, intervertebral space ratio, height of intervertebral disc space and neural foramen, and cervical and segmental lordosis angles were recorded preoperatively and during the postoperative follow-up period. The presence of fusion was controlled in computed tomography scans taken at the latest follow-up. Results Both clinical and radiologic evaluations yielded satisfactory results. VAS scores decreased significantly in all patients. The intervertebral space and neural foramen and intervertebral disc heights increased at postoperative day 1 but were found to be decreased at the latest follow-up (P<0.05). On the contrary the cervical and segmental lordosis angles decreased at postoperative day 1 but were found to be increased at the latest follow-up (P<0.05). There was a solid fusion in 16 out of 17 patients (94.11%). Conclusions Although there was a loss of the initially obtained neural foraminal and disc height, the application of β-TCP/HA graft after ACD resulted in a high rate of fusion and patient satisfaction. Additionally, the cervical and segmental lordosis was preserved. We concluded that it is a good alternative to current methods to maintain cervical alignment and fusion after ACD.

A Rehabilitation Protocol for Patients With Lumbar Degenerative Disk Disease Treated With Lumbar Total Disk Replacement

OBJECTIVES To evaluate the efficacy of the rehabilitation protocol designed by the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department on the patients with lumbar degenerative disk disease after lumbar disk replacement surgery. DESIGN Open prospective auto-controlled trial. SETTING Physical medicine and rehabilitation department, neurosurgery department, and anesthesiology and pain management department. PARTICIPANTS Patients (N=20) with single level lumbar degenerative disk disease were recruited for this study. INTERVENTIONS Lumbar disk prosthesis surgery with metal on metal lumbar disk prosthesis; preoperative, provocative, diskography; and a postoperative rehabilitation program were used. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Change in the functional status and pain intensity in patients was evaluated by the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and visual analog scale (VAS) during rest and movement. The ODI and VAS during rest and movement were primary outcome criteria, while return to work and duration of hospital stay were secondary outcome criteria. The results for the various scoring systems were statistically analyzed using the t test. RESULTS Preoperative mean VAS scores ± SD at rest and movement were initially in the range of 6.00±2.47 and 8.65±1.08, respectively. The scores decreased to 1.70±1.12 and 2.60±1.72 at 3 months postsurgery, respectively (P<0.01). The scores decreased to 1.20±0.69 and 1.90±1.07 at 12 months postsurgery, respectively (P<0.01). The mean preoperative ODI score was 73.3±15.5; the postoperative scores were 35.0±15.5 and 20.4±12.9 at 3 and 12 months, respectively (P<0.01). The mean duration of hospital stay ± SD was 3.5±1.6 days, and return to work was achieved after a mean ± SD period of 14.1± 4.3 days with no complications related to surgery or the rehabilitation protocol. CONCLUSIONS The protocol was designed for postoperative rehabilitation program after artificial lumbar disk replacement surgery for degenerative disk disease patients. The good outcomes are the result of a combination of very careful and restrictive patient selection, surgical technique, and presented rehabilitation program. These parameters provide early pain relief and return to activities of daily living after surgery.

Clinical outcomes of degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis treated with lumbar decompression and the Cosmic "semi-rigid" posterior system.

Background Although some investigators believe that the rate of postoperative instability is low after lumbar spinal stenosis surgery, the majority believe that postoperative instability usually develops. Decompression alone and decompression with fusion have been widely used for years in the surgical treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis. Nevertheless, in recent years several biomechanical studies have shown that posterior dynamic transpedicular stabilization provides stabilization that is like the rigid stabilization systems of the spine. Recently, posterior transpedicular dynamic stabilization has been more commonly used as an alternative treatment option (rather than rigid stabilization with fusion) for the treatment of degenerative spines with chronic instability and for the prevention of possible instability after decompression in lumbar spinal stenosis surgery. Methods A total of 30 patients with degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis (19 women and 11 men) were included in the study group. The mean age was 67.3 years (range, 40–85 years). Along with lumbar decompression, a posterior dynamic transpedicular stabilization (dynamic transpedicular screw–rigid rod system) without fusion was performed in all patients. Clinical and radiologic results for patients were evaluated during follow-up visits at 3, 12, and 24 months postoperatively. Results The mean follow-up period was 42.93 months (range, 24–66 months). A clinical evaluation of patients showed that, compared with preoperative assessments, statistically significant improvements were observed in the Oswestry and visual analog scale scores in the last follow-up control. Compared with preoperative values, there were no statistically significant differences in radiologic evaluations, such as segmental lordosis angle (α) scores (P = .125) and intervertebral distance scores (P = .249). There were statistically significant differences between follow-up lumbar lordosis scores (P = .048). There were minor complications, including a subcutaneous wound infection in 2 cases, a dural tear in 2 cases, cerebrospinal fluid fistulas in 1 case, a urinary tract infection in 1 case, and urinary retention in 1 case. We observed L5 screw loosening in 1 of the 3-level decompression cases. No screw breakage was observed and no revision surgery was performed in any of these cases. Conclusions Posterior dynamic stabilization without fusion applied to lumbar decompression leads to better clinical and radiologic results in degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis. To avoid postoperative instability, especially in elderly patients who undergo degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis surgery with chronic instability, the application of decompression with posterior dynamic transpedicular stabilization is likely an important alternative surgical option to fusion, because it does not have fusion-related side effects, is easier to perform than fusion, requires a shorter operation time, and has low morbidity and complication rates.