Quantitative assessment of sagittal dural sac diameters is comparable between lumbar myelography and positional MR imaging. In a selected patient population, only small changes in the sagittal diameter of the dural sac and foraminal size can be expected between various body positions, and the information gained in addition to that from standard MR imaging is limited [corrected].
A prospective study of 1,017 patients who received MIOM during spine surgery procedures between March 2000 and December 2005. To determine the sensitivity and specificity of MIOM techniques used to monitor spinal cord and nerve roots function during spine surgery. MIOM has become a widely used method of monitoring neural function during spine surgery. Several techniques only monitor either ascending or descending pathways and thus may not provide sensitive or specific results. MIOM aims to monitor both ascending and descending pathways therefore giving immediate feedback information regarding any neurological deficits during the operation. Intraoperative sensory spinal and cortical evoked potentials, combined with monitoring of EMG and motor evoked potentials recorded from the spinal cord and muscles elicited by electrical motor cortex, spinal cord, cauda equina and nerve root stimulation, was evaluated and compared with post-operative clinical neurological changes. One thousand and seventeen consecutive patients underwent a total of 4,731 h of MIOM to evaluate any neural deficits that may have occurred during spine surgery. Of these, 935 were true negative cases, 8 were false negative cases, 66 were true positive cases and 8 were false positive cases, resulting in a sensitivity of 89% and a specificity of 99%. Based on the results of this study, MIOM is an effective method of monitoring the spinal cord functional integrity during spine surgery and therefore can lead to reduction of neurological deficit and consequently improve postoperative results.
Radiologic, surgical, and histologic findings suggest that the pseudocystic degeneration of the ligamentum flavum represents a genuine entity that is associated with degenerative changes of the structures of the respective lumbar spine segment. These pseudocystic lesions may compress the adjacent nerve roots, provoking symptoms and signs of radiculopathy. The findings suggest that the surgical treatment not only must consist of removal of the pseudocyst but must also include a radical extirpation of the ligamentum flavum surrounding the pseudocyst to avoid recurrence of such a lesion.
In a prospective study of 109 patients with tumor of the spine MIOM was performed during the surgical procedure between March 2000 and December 2005. To determine the sensitivity and specificity of MIOM techniques used to monitor spinal cord and nerve root function during surgical procedure of spinal tumors. MIOM become an integrated procedure during surgical approach to intramedullar and extramedullar spine tumors. The combination of monitoring ascending and descending pathways may provide more sensitive and specific results than SEP alone giving immediate feedback information regarding any neurological deficit during the operation. Intraoperative sensory spinal and cerebral evoked potential combined with EMG recordings and motor evoked potential of the spinal cord and muscles were evaluated and compared with postoperative clinical neurological changes. One hundred and nine consecutive patients with spinal tumors of different aetiologies were monitored by the means of MIOM during the entire surgical procedure. Eighty-two patients presented true negative findings while two patients monitored false negative, one false positive and 24 patients true positive findings where neurological deficits after the operation were present. All patients with neurological deficit recovered completely or to preexisting neurological situation. The sensitivity of MIOM applied during surgery of spinal tumors has been calculated of 92% and specificity 99%. Based upon the results of the study MIOM is an effective method of monitoring the spinal cord and nerve root function during surgical approach of spinal tumors and consequently can reduce or prevent the occurrence of postoperative neurological deficit.
A technique is described for lumbar canal stenosis and disc protrusion combining safe and selective decompression and translaminar screw fixation. After experience with 166 cases from 1987 to 1991 we consider this technique particularly suitable for the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis and also for the few cases of lumbar disc displacement which need a primary fusion.
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