No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

Introduction: Bleeding from epidural blood vessels may be an unpleasant complication during surgery of the lumbar spine, which is often difficult to manage with electrocoagulation. The use of local hemostatic agents is a possible solution. This paper presents the first experience with an agent of oxidized non-regenerated cellulose. Methods: The agent of oxidized non-regenerated cellulose was used in 21 patients (12 women and 9 men) to stop bleeding from the ventral epi- dural lumbar venous plexus. It was always removed before the end of the operation. Results: In all cases, bleeding was stopped within 2 minutes. Bleeding did not recur until the end of surgery (even after removal of the agent). No early or other complications were observed in the patients studied. Conclusion: The agent of oxidized non-regenerated cellulose appears to be a rational and effective solution for bleeding from epidural veins in the lumbar spine.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDYThe aim of the study was to compare a radiographic position of the acetabular component with a position guided by the navigation system in final acetabular cup alignment. MATERIALBetween May and October 2005, 15 patients underwent implantation of a cementless acetabular component from the posterolateral minimally invasive approach with the use of kinematic navigation. METHODSThe final acetabular cup alignment was determined from the data saved in the navigation system. The radiographic measurement of acetabular cup inclination was made from an anteroposterior projection of both hips on one image, and anteversion was determined by the Ackland method. RESULTSThe average values for inclination and anteversion shown on radiographs were 41.8 degrees (range, 35-51) and 19.8 degrees (range, 5-32), respectively. The average values of cup alignment recorded at implantation by the navigation system were 27.6 degrees (range, 22-35) for inclination and 24.3 degrees (range, 17-28) for anteversion. DISCUSSIONThe acetabular cup alignment is considered optimal when inclination is 45 degrees and anteversion 15 degrees. This is more difficult to achieve in minimally invasive surgery due to a limited view of the operating field. This disadvantage can be overcome by using various navigation systems the function of which depends on the accuracy of recorded data. CONCLUSIONSBecause the data recorded by the system used in our study were not accurate, we do not consider the OrthoPilot navigation system to be an effective aid in minimally invasive posterolateral surgery.