Objective: To evaluate the lumbar triangular safety zone, its boundaries and its relationship with the dorsal root ganglion through Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Methods: The boundaries, shape and dimensions of 303 triangular safety zones were analyzed in Tesla 3.0 Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) coronal sections from L2 to L5, including the dorsal root ganglion. Results: The sample consisted of 101 patients with a mean age of 32 years. The height of the triangular safety zone was formed by the lateral edge of the dura mater, the width by the upper plateau of the lower vertebra and the hypotenuse by the corresponding nerve root. The mean dimensions and the area varied according to the level studied. The dorsal root ganglion invaded the dimensions of the triangle in all the images studied. Conclusion: Based on the data and the analyses performed, we concluded that knowledge of the boundaries of the triangular safety zone through MRI increases the safety of minimally invasive procedures in the lumbar spine. Level of evidence I; Diagnostic studies – Investigation of a diagnostic test.

Objective: To analyze aspects related to the diagnostic difficulty in patients with bacterial spondylodiscitis. Methods: Cross-sectional observational study with retrospective data collected in the period from March 2004 to January 2014.Twenty-one patients diagnosed with bacterial spondylodiscitis were analyzed. Results: Women were the most affected, as well as older individuals. Pain in the affected region was the initial symptom in 52% of patients, and 45.5% of the patients had low back pain, and those with dorsal discitis had back pain as the main complaint; the patients with thoracolumbar discitis had pain in that region, and only one patient had sacroiliac discitis. The average time between onset of symptoms and treatment was five months. The lumbar segment was the most affected with 11 cases (52%), followed by thoracolumbar in 24%, dorsal in 19% of cases and a case in the sacroiliac segment. Only seven patients had fever. Pain in the affected level was coincidentally the most common symptom. Conclusions: Early diagnosis of bacterial spondylodiscitis remains a challenge due to the nonspecific signs and symptoms reported by the patient and the wide variability of laboratory results and imaging. The basis for early diagnosis remains the clinical suspicion at the time of initial treatment.

OBJETIVO: Apresentar o resultado de pesquisa realizada entre 257 cirurgiões de coluna sobre os principais procedimentos cirúrgicos que não são mais utilizados para o tratamento das doenças traumáticas, degenerativas e deformidades da coluna vertebral. MÉTODO: Os participantes da pesquisa responderam a um questionário abrangendo o tratamento das diferentes doenças traumáticas, degenerativas e deformidades dos segmentos cervical, torácico e lombar, sendo que cada quesito apresentava três opções de resposta: não faço mais, nunca utilizei e ainda utilizo. RESULTADOS: Os cirurgiões entrevistados eram oriundos de 22 estados brasileiros, 97% eram do sexo masculino com idade variando de 28 a 72 anos de idade (média 43,16 anos ±11,54 anos), e com 0 a 23 anos de atuação na área da cirurgia da coluna vertebral. A formação básica dos cirurgiões entrevistados era Ortopedia em 78,2% e Neurocirurgia em 20,2%. CONCLUSÃO: A avaliação das respostas dos questionários evidencia a mudança de atitude terapêutica e abandono de técnicas classicamente utilizadas no tratamento das doenças da coluna vertebral, influência da formação básica do cirurgião na escolha do tratamento das doenças da coluna vertebral e grande espectro de opções terapêuticas entre os cirurgiões entrevistados considerando o tempo de experiência na área de atuação, idade e formação básica.

The clinical, radiological and operative findings in 10 consecutive patients with cervical spine trauma presenting with locked facets (bilaterally in nine patients) are reported. The treatment was cervical traction until reduction of the locked facets was achieved, followed by anterior surgical decompression and ostheosynthesis. Intervertebral disc herniation was present in nine of the patients, and ruptured calcified posterior longitudinal ligament was present in the remaining patient. Four patients improved after treatment (none of these had clinically complete tetraplegia preoperatively), and three patients died. Associated soft tissue injuries producing spinal cord compression after reduction of cervical locked facets were verified in all of the patients of this series, suggesting that systematic surgical exploration should be done in this category of patients.

Objectives: To compare the measurement of the Cobb angle on printed radiographs and on scanned radiographs viewed through the software "PixViewer". Methods: Preoperative radiographs of 23 patients were evaluated on printed films and through the software "PixViewer". The same evaluator, a spine surgeon, chose the proximal and distal limiting vertebrae of the main curve on printed radiographs, without identification of patients, and measured the Cobb angle based on these parameters. The same parameters and measurements were applied to scanned radiographs. The measurements were compared, as well as the choice of limiting vertebrae. Results: The average variation of the Cobb angle between methods was 1.48 ± 1.73°. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was 0.99, demonstrating excellent reproducibility. Conclusion: The Cobb method can be used to evaluate scoliosis through the "PixViewer" tool with the same reliability as the classic method on printed radiographs.