Clinical effectiveness of treatment of combined upper thoracic spinal stenosis and multilevel cervical spinal stenosis with different posterior decompression surgeries

Computed Tomography-Based Morphometric Analysis of Lower Cervical Anterior Transpedicular Screw Fixation and Related Factors in the Chinese Population

BACKGROUND

Anterior transpedicular screw (ATPS) internal fixation of the lower cervical spine is an alternative for patients who cannot tolerate combined anterior and posterior surgery. The cervical vertebral anatomy varies with many factors, including age, gender, height, weight, and race.

METHODS

Three-dimensional (3D) CT reconstructions were performed on 122 patients. We selected the best level and measured the relevant parameters on both sides of the cervical vertebrae.

RESULTS

We identified the entry point and orientation parameters of ATPS fixation for the C3-C7 vertebrae, and analyzed cervical pedicle parameters. Outer pedicle width (OPW), outer pedicle height (OPH), and pedicle axis length (PAL) were not correlated with body weight and age, but were positively correlated with body height (P < 0.05). After multiple linear regression analysis to exclude the effects of body height, no significant differences in OPW, OPH, and PAL were found between male and female subjects at most cervical levels. Pedicle cortical thickness was negatively correlated with age (P < 0.05). The percentage of pedicles with OPW <4.5 mm was: C3, 38.10%; C4, 34.92%; C5, 12.70%; C6, 9.52%; and C7, 0%. The percentage of pedicles with OPWs ≤4.5 mm, ≤4.0 mm, and ≤3.5 mm was higher among subjects with body height <160 cm.

CONCLUSIONS

This study presents the internal anatomy of the cervical spine and provides accurate preoperative evaluation data for ATPS fixation. OPW, OPH, and PAL are positively correlated with body height, while pedicle cortical thickness is negatively correlated with age.

Current understanding of tandem spinal stenosis: epidemiology, diagnosis, and surgical strategy

Tandem spinal stenosis (TSS) is defined as the concomitant occurrence of stenosis in at least two or more distinct regions (cervical, thoracic, or lumbar) of the spine and may present with a constellation of signs and symptoms. It has four subtypes, including cervico-lumbar, cervico-thoracic, thoraco-lumbar, and cervico-thoraco-lumbar TSS. The prevalence of TSS varies depending on the different subtypes and cohorts.

The main aetiologies of TSS are spinal degenerative changes and heterotopic ossification, and patients with developmental spinal stenosis, ligament ossification, and spinal stenosis at any region are at an increased risk of developing TSS.

The diagnosis of TSS is challenging. The clinical presentation of TSS could be complex, concealed, or severe, and these features may be confusing to clinicians, resulting in an incomplete or delayed diagnosis. Additionally, a consolidated diagnostic criterion for TSS is urgently required to improve consistency across studies and form a basis for establishing treatment guidelines.

The optimal treatment option for TSS is still under debate; areas of controversies include choice of the decompression range, choice between simultaneous or staged surgical patterns, and the order of the surgeries.

The present study reviews publications on TSS, consolidates current awareness on prevalence, aetiologies, potential risk factors, diagnostic dilemmas and criteria, and surgical strategies based on TSS subtypes. This is the first review to include thoracic spinal stenosis as a candidate disorder in TSS and aims at providing the readers with a comprehensive overview of TSS.

Should asymptomatic cervical stenosis be treated in the setting of progressive thoracic myelopathy? A systematic review of the literature

PURPOSE

Unlike tandem stenosis of the cervical and lumbar spine, tandem cervical and thoracic stenosis (TCTS) of the spine is less common, and the approach and order of intervention are controversial. We aim to review the literature to evaluate the incidence and interventions for patients with cervical and thoracic stenosis. We provide illustrative cases to demonstrate that thoracic myelopathy in the setting of asymptomatic cervical stenosis can be treated safely.

METHODS

A systematic review of the literature through electronic databases of PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library was performed to present the current literature that evaluates TCTS as it relates to incidence and surgical interventions. We also present two cases of patients undergoing operative intervention for thoracic myelopathy in the setting of concurrent cervical stenosis.

RESULTS

A total of 26 English original studies and case reports were identified. Nine studies evaluated the incidence of TCTS. 20 studies with a total of 168 patients with TCTS presented information on surgical intervention options. There is an overall aggregate incidence of 11.6% (530/4751) based on incidence studies. 165 patients underwent thoracic intervention. Of these patients, 63 patients underwent cervical intervention first, 29 underwent thoracic intervention first, and 73 underwent simultaneous, single-stage intervention.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients presenting with myelopathy, both cervical and thoracic spine should be evaluated for TCTS. Order of operative intervention is tailored to clinical and radiographic information. In cases of thoracic myelopathy with asymptomatic cervical stenosis, thoracic intervention can be pursued with precautions to prevent further cervical cord injury.

Efficacy of Posterior Cervical Laminectomy and Decompression plus Lateral Mass Screw-Rod Internal Fixation in the Treatment of Multisegment Cervical Spinal Canal Stenosis and Effects on Cervical Curvature and Range of Motion Parameters

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the clinical effects of posterior laminectomy and decompression plus lateral mass screw-rod internal fixation for the treatment of multisegment cervical spinal canal stenosis and the improvement of cervical curvature and range of motion in patients.

METHODS

A total of 68 patients with multisegment cervical spinal stenosis who were treated in our hospital from January 2019 to June 2020 were selected and randomly divided into the control group and the observation group according to the random number table, with 34 patients in each group. The patients in the control group were treated with traditional posterior cervical open-door laminoplasty with silk suture fixation, while those in the observation group were treated with posterior cervical laminectomy and decompression plus lateral mass screw-rod internal fixation. The perioperative index of patients in the two groups was recorded, and the clinical efficacy of patients was evaluated. The patient's JOA score, cervical physiological curvature, and cervical range of motion were evaluated. The occurrence of complications was recorded during follow-up.

RESULTS

The amount of intraoperative bleeding and postoperative rehabilitation training time in the observation group was less than that in the control group (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in operation time between the two groups (P > 0.05). The total effective rate of the observation group was significantly higher than that of the control group (P < 0.05). The JOA scores at 1 week, 6 months, and 12 months after operation in the observation group were higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05). The physiological curvature of cervical spine in the observation group at 1 week, 6 months, and 12 months after operation was higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05). The cervical range of motion at 12 months after operation in the observation group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05). The incidence of postoperative complications in patients of the observation group was significantly lower than that of the control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Posterior laminectomy and decompression plus lateral mass screw-rod internal fixation can help patients to improve various clinical symptoms caused by nerve compression and obtain better improvement of cervical curvature and range of motion. It is an ideal surgical method for the treatment of multisegment cervical spinal canal stenosis, and it is conducive to improving the clinical efficacy of patients.

Clinical Comparison of Selective versus Nonselective Decompression for Symptomatic Tandem Stenosis of the Cervical and Thoracic Spine: A Retrospective Cohort Study

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the present paper was to reveal the clinical differences between selective and nonselective decompression for symptomatic tandem stenosis of the cervical and thoracic spine (TSCTS).

METHODS

A total of 34 patients were eligible and included in the study. Among them, 8 patients underwent selective cervical decompression (CD), 15 patients underwent selective thoracic decompression (TD), and 11 patients underwent combined CD and TD (CTD) surgery. Age, sex, operative time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative hospital stay, inpatient expenditure, preoperative upper Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) rate, canal occupation rate, high-intensity T2-weighted image (T2WI) of the spinal cord, and preoperative and postoperative JOA scores were compared among the three groups.

RESULTS

The CD group had shorter operative time (138.8 ± 36.1 vs 229.7 ± 95.8 vs 328.6 ± 94.8, min, P < 0.001), less intraoperative blood loss (141.3 ± 116.7 vs 496.7 ± 361.8 vs 654.6 ± 320.5, mL, P = 0.004), and shorter postoperative hospital stay (4.6 ± 1.6 vs 9.0 ± 3.5 vs 10.3 ± 6.6, days, P = 0.008), as well as lower preoperative upper JOA rate (34.1 ± 5.6 vs 53.9 ± 8.4 vs 48.2 ± 15.2, %, P = 0.001) than the TD and CTD groups. The CTD group had higher inpatient expenditure than the CD and TD groups (87,850 ± 18,379 vs 55,100 ± 12,890 vs 55,772 ± 15,715, CNY, P < 0.001). The cervical canal occupation rates were similar among different groups (P > 0.05); however, the TD group showed a higher thoracic canal occupation rate than the CD group (58.3 ± 14.7 vs 43.3 ± 12.3, %, P = 0.035). All positive levels in high-intensity T2WI of the spinal cord were decompressed. The preoperative JOA scores as well as the postoperative JOA scores at 6 months and at last follow-up were comparable among the three groups (P > 0.05). Similarly, the JOA recovery rate showed no significant difference among the groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Selective CD or TD alone demonstrated similar clinical effectiveness to nonselective and combined CTD for TSCTS. Individualized surgical decision should be made after meticulous assessments of clinical and radiological manifestations, general patient condition, and socioeconomic factors.