The findings suggest that preoperative diastolic blood pressure, intraoperative use of gelfoam for dura coverage and postoperative drain output are risk factors for symptomatic epidural hematoma after lumbar decompression surgery. Major blood loss and multilevel surgical procedure could result in poor recovery of muscle power. After spine decompression surgery, early detection and evacuation of hematoma are the key to avoid neurologic deterioration and have better clinical outcomes.

No abstract

Identifying offending pathogens is crucial for appropriate antibiotic administration for infectious spondylitis. Although computed tomography (CT)-guided biopsy for bacteriologic diagnosis is a standard procedure, it has a variable success rate. Some reports claim percutaneous endoscopic discectomy and drainage offer a sufficient amount of tissue for microbiologic examination and easy application. We therefore compared the diagnostic value of CT guidance with that of endoscope guidance in 52 patients with suspected infectious spondylitis. Twenty patients underwent percutaneous endoscopic discectomy and drainage by an orthopaedic surgeon and the other 32 patients underwent CT-guided biopsies by a radiologist. Patients were followed a minimum of 12 months after treatment. Culture results of the biopsy specimens were recorded. Causative bacteria were identified more frequently with percutaneous endoscopy than in CT-guided biopsy (18 of 20 [90%] versus 15 of 32 [47%]). We observed no biopsy-related complications or side effects in either group. The data suggest percutaneous endoscopic discectomy and drainage yield higher bacterial recovery rates than CT-guided spinal biopsy. Level of Evidence: Level III, therapeutic study. See the Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Damaging the integrity of the posterior complex between the fused segments and the neighboring motion segments may jeopardize lumbar spine stability. Sacrificing either the supraspinous ligament or the tendon insertion points on the spinous processes leads to an accelerated development of adjacent instability.

Autogenous posterolateral arthrodesis combined with pedicle screw fixation led to successful radiologic and clinical outcome in patients with lumbar adjacent instability. Adequate decompression of the adjacent stenosis requires medial facetectomy, thus preventing aggressive nerve root manipulation and reducing the incidence of dural tear.

Repeat surgery for recurrent sciatica is effective in cases of true recurrent disc herniation. Disc excision alone is recommended for managing recurrent disc herniation.

Our study suggests that larger height restoration and solid lump filling cement are risk factors of refracture of cemented vertebral bodies. Symmetric cement distribution and fluid aspiration would be the potential ways to avoid refracture of cemented vertebral bodies.

The fusion rate and fusion size between the two groups are similar. Calcium sulfate pellets may play a role as a bone graft extender in short-segment spinal fusion.