Tag: foraminotomy

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Clinical and radiological results of posterior cervical foraminotomy at two or three levels: a 3-year follow-up

Acta Neurochir (2017) 159:2369–2377

Single-level unilateral posterior cervical foraminotomy is regarded as a safe method. However, the outcomes of posterior cervical foraminotomy performed on two or three levels are uncertain and debated. We aimed to analyze the long-term clinical and radiological outcomes of posterior cervical foraminotomy at two or three levels.

Methods From September 2008 to December 2011, a total of 42 patients who underwent a posterior cervical foraminotomy at two or three levels and were followed for at least 3 years were analyzed with retrospective cohort study. Clinical assessments were performed using the visual analog scale (VAS), neck disability index (NDI) and modified MacNab criteria. Radiological evaluation included the assessment of static and dynamic lateral radiographs to identify instability, postlaminectomy kyphotic deformity, adjacent segmental degeneration (ASD), and focal degeneration.

Results The mean VAS improved from preoperative score 8.5 ± 0.3 to postoperative score 1.8 ± 0.5 significantly. The mean presenting NDI score was 32.9 ± 2.0 and the mean postoperative NDI score was 14.2 ± 1.3. Improvement of radiculopathy was displayed in 39 patients (92.9%). During radiological evaluation, no significant change in disc height related to ASD and focal degeneration was noted. However, we confirmed one patient with radiological instability and one patient with radiological postlaminectomy kyphotic deformity.

Conclusions Posterior cervical foraminotomy at two or three levels is fairly effective for treating patients with cervical radiculopathy, and results in long-lasting pain relief and improved quality of life in nearly all patients. However, further studies of three levels that include more patients are needed.

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Ultrasonic Total Uncinectomy

Ultrasonic Total Uncinectomy

Operative Neurosurgery 10:535–541, 2014

In standard anterior cervical diskectomy, complete resection of the uncinate process is not commonly attempted because of the risk of injury to the vertebral artery. This may result in incomplete decompression of the nerve root when there is severe osseous foraminal stenosis.

OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate the feasibility of total uncinectomy with an ultrasonic bone dissector in patients with concomitant central and foraminal stenosis requiring anterior decompression and fusion.

METHODS: A case series of patients with cervical radiculopathy or myeloradiculopathy who underwent single-level or multilevel ultrasonic total uncinectomy (UTU) in combination with anterior cervical diskectomy and fusion is presented. The uncinate process was amputated along its base with an ultrasonic bone dissector and removed en bloc to expose the cervical root and the vertebral artery. Data gathered in accordance with routine practice were analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTS: Forty-four uncinate processes were resected in 38 patients. No UTU procedures were aborted because of technical difficulties, and no vertebral artery or nerve root injury occurred. Mean follow-up was 28 weeks (range, 14-37 weeks). Mean Neck Disability Index and Visual Analog Scale scores for neck and arm pain improved from 42%, 4.9%, and 6.8% to 23%, 2.6%, and 2.1%, respectively. Postoperative computed tomography and oblique radiographs revealed complete decompression of the neural foramen after UTU.

CONCLUSION: UTU is a safe and effective technique for complete decompression of cervical nerve roots when the coexistence of central and foraminal pathology dictates an anterior approach. The surgical technique is described in detail.

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Percutaneous Endoscopic Lumbar Foraminotomy

Percutaneous_Endoscopic_Lumbar_Foraminotomy___AnNeurosurgery 75:124–133, 2014

Although several authors have reported the use of endoscopic techniques to treat lumbar foraminal stenosis, the practical application of these techniques has been limited to soft disc herniation.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the details of the percutaneous endoscopic lumbar foraminotomy (ELF) technique for bony foraminal stenosis and to demonstrate the clinical outcomes.

METHODS: Two years of prospective data were collected from 33 consecutive patients with lumbar foraminal stenosis who underwent ELF. The surgical outcomes were assessed using the visual analog scale, Oswestry Disability Index, and modified MacNab criteria. The procedure begins at the safer extraforaminal zone rather than the riskier intraforaminal zone. Then, a full-scale foraminal decompression can be performed using a burr and punches under endoscopic control.

RESULTS: The mean age of the 18 female and 15 male patients was 64.2 years. The mean visual analog scale score for leg pain improved from 8.36 at baseline to 3.36 at 6 weeks, 2.03 at 1 year, and 1.97 at 2 years post-surgery (P , .001). The mean Oswestry Disability Index improved from 65.8 at baseline to 31.6 at 6 weeks, 19.7 at 1 year, and 19.3 at 2 years post-surgery (P , .001). Based on the modified MacNab criteria, excellent or good results were obtained in 81.8% of the patients, and symptomatic improvements were obtained in 93.9%.

CONCLUSION: Percutaneous ELF under local anesthesia could be an efficacious surgical procedure for the treatment of foraminal stenosis. This procedure may offer safe and reproducible results, especially for elderly or medically compromised patients.

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Minimally invasive spine surgery for adult degenerative lumbar scoliosis

Minimally invasive spine surgery for adult degenerative lumbar scoliosis

Neurosurg Focus 36 (5):E7, 2014

Historically, adult degenerative lumbar scoliosis (DLS) has been treated with multilevel decompression and instrumented fusion to reduce neural compression and stabilize the spinal column. However, due to the profound morbidity associated with complex multilevel surgery, particularly in elderly patients and those with multiple medical comorbidities, minimally invasive surgical approaches have been proposed. The goal of this meta-analysis was to review the differences in patient selection for minimally invasive surgical versus open surgical procedures for adult DLS, and to compare the postoperative outcomes following minimally invasive surgery (MIS) and open surgery.

Methods. In this meta-analysis the authors analyzed the complication rates and the clinical outcomes for patients with adult DLS undergoing complex decompressive procedures with fusion versus minimally invasive surgical approaches. Minimally invasive surgical approaches included decompressive laminectomy, microscopic decompression, lateral and extreme lateral interbody fusion (XLIF), and percutaneous pedicle screw placement for fusion. Mean patient age, complication rates, reoperation rates, Cobb angle, and measures of sagittal balance were investigated and compared between groups.

Results. Twelve studies were identified for comparison in the MIS group, with 8 studies describing the lateral interbody fusion or XLIF and 4 studies describing decompression without fusion. In the decompression MIS group, the mean preoperative Cobb angle was 16.7° and mean postoperative Cobb angle was 18°. In the XLIF group, mean pre- and postoperative Cobb angles were 22.3° and 9.2°, respectively. The difference in postoperative Cobb angle was statistically significant between groups on 1-way ANOVA (p = 0.014). Mean preoperative Cobb angle, mean patient age, and complication rate did not differ between the XLIF and decompression groups. Thirty-five studies were identified for inclusion in the open surgery group, with 18 studies describing patients with open fusion without osteotomy and 17 papers detailing outcomes after open fusion with osteotomy. Mean preoperative curve in the open fusion without osteotomy and with osteotomy groups was 41.3° and 32°, respectively. Mean reoperation rate was significantly higher in the osteotomy group (p = 0.008). On 1-way ANOVA comparing all groups, there was a statistically significant difference in mean age (p = 0.004) and mean preoperative curve (p = 0.002). There was no statistically significant difference in complication rates between groups (p = 0.28).

Conclusions. The results of this study suggest that surgeons are offering patients open surgery or MIS depending on their age and the severity of their deformity. Greater sagittal and coronal correction was noted in the XLIF versus decompression only MIS groups. Larger Cobb angles, greater sagittal imbalance, and higher reoperation rates were found in studies reporting the use of open fusion with osteotomy. Although complication rates did not significantly differ between groups, these data are difficult to interpret given the heterogeneity in reporting complications between studies.

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