The authors present a retrospective study based on a homogeneous series of 34 patients with burst fractures of the thoracolumbar junction, fixed using Cotrel-Dubousset instrumentation. These patients underwent instrumentation using a short construct of hooks and screws gripping the two vertebrae above the lesion (2HS) and screws and hooks gripping the first vertebra below the lesion (1SH). This construct was therefore called "2HS-1SH". In order to evaluate just the material resistance after getting up, only the patients who were upright on the 4th day without a body cast and with no secondary anterior osteosynthesis were included in this study. Four patients showed some neurological symptoms on admission but recovery was so quick that they could be included in this study. Mean follow-up was 4 years 1 month (range 3 years 1 month and 6 years 2 months). Vertebral and regional kyphosis angles were measured preoperative, postoperatively and at the final follow-up. Functional recovery and complications were analyzed. Mean vertebral kyphosis was 21.2 degrees preoperatively, 3.8 degrees postoperatively and 5.3 degrees at the final follow-up. Regional kyphosis angles were respectively 19.2, 0.2, and 2.7 degrees. We had two cases of deep suppuration, one early and the other late. None of the patients required analgesics for more than 6 months after the operation. Patients returned to work after 5 months on average. The authors concluded that fixation by screw-and-hook constructs is an effective way to stabilize thoracolumbar junction burst fractures.
IntroductionVideosurgery is widely used in gynecology, abdominal and general surgery. The main success with this technique has been obtained in surgery of the gall bladder, where it provides better results than the classic procedure [14]. In addition to laparoscopy, the technique of retroperitoneoscopy has been developed and has been used in several diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. In vascular surgery retroperitoneoscopy has been employed for lumbar sympathectomy [3], allowing dissection close to the lumbar spine. In orthopedic surgery, videoscopic procedures have been used mainly in arthroscopy, but videoscopic techniques have also been successfully applied to surgery of the spine, first via laparoscopy at the lumbosacral level [9,12], then via thoracoscopy at the thoracic level [7,12,13]. With the development of lumbar retroperitoneal, thoracolumbar retroperitoneal, and retropleural approaches, all segments of the thoracic and lumbar spine can now be reached by the videoscopic method. Retroperitoneal surgery on lumbosacral segments has also been developed on lumbosacral segments and has several advantages [10]. Various techniques are used, but the aim is always to diminish the parietal lesion and increase the tolerability of the anterior surgery. In this paper we present techniques for lumbar and thoracolumbar retroperitoneal approaches and report on our 5 years' clinical experience. Materials and patients Lumbar approachWe use a left-side video-assisted retroperitoneal approach. The patient is placed in a right lateral position. This technique is used to Abstract Retroperitoneal videoscopic spine surgery has been developed in our department since 1994. It has been used not only at the lumbar, but also at the thoracolumbar and lumbosacral level. Thirty-eight patients have been operated on. We have performed 12 thoracolumbar approaches, 23 lumbar approaches, and 3 retroperitoneal lumbosacral approaches. In every case, a video-assisted technique has been employed. These techniques have been used for anterior grafting in 18 cases of fracture, for corporectomy and grafting with or without anterior osteosynthesis in 6 cases of malunion, for cage implantation or isolated grafting in 10 cases of degenerative disc disease, and for the treatment of 4 cases of spondylodiscitis. Results were satisfactory for every type of pathology. The complications related to the approach were the same as those seen with open surgery; however, the videoscopic approach seems to us less invasive, with cosmetic benefit, less blood loss, and more rapid recovery. A video-assisted technique appears to be a good compromise between videoscopic technique and open surgery. With the development of these techniques, few indications remain for open anterior surgery on the lumbar spine in our opinion.
Four patients underwent lumbar interbody fusion, performed via a video-assisted retroperitoneal laparoscopic approach, complementary to posterior osteosynthesis at the L2-L3, L3-L4 and/or L4-L5 level. In three cases the interventions were for lumbar fractures, and in one case for microcristalline arthritis. After surgical training on human cadavers and several porcine operative sessions, retroperitoneal lateral approaches on the left side were performed by the authors without CO2 insufflation, assisted by videoscopy. The fusion process was monitored by fluoroscopy. It is possible to perform this technique cranially above L2 or caudally below L5. Minimal blood loss was observed. Average time for these interventions was 127 min. Interbody fusion was achieved in the first, second and fourth cases; the outcome in the third case at the final check-up, 6 months after operation, was uncertain. The first patient had a complication of ureteral wound, which was certainly caused by insufficient experience with the new technique. The authors hope to extend the application of this technique to other procedures as they become more experienced.
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