scholarly journals Transdural reduction of a bone fragment protruding into the spinal canal during surgical treatment of lumbar burst fracture: A case report

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 406
Author(s):  
Wakiko Saruta ◽  
Toshiyuki Takahashi ◽  
Toshihiro Kumabe ◽  
Manabu Minami ◽  
Ryo Kanematsu ◽  
...  

Background: There have been many reports on the clinical, radiographic, and surgical management of thoracolumbar burst fractures attributed to high-energy trauma. Interestingly, few reports have described how to extract bone fragments associated with these injuries protruding into the spinal canal contributing to significant neurological deficits. Methods: An 18-year-old male presented with a severe L3-level paraparesis (i.e., loss of motor/sensory function below L3 lower extremity hyporeflexia, and sphincter dysfunction: American Spinal Injury Association [ASIA] Impairment Scale B) following a high-speed crash. The computed tomography and magnetic resonance studies revealed a L3 burst fracture with bone fragments protruding into the spinal canal causing marked cauda equina compression. Following a L3-L4 laminectomy, and opening of the dorsal dura, the bone fragments were ventrally impacted into the fractured L3 vertebral body a pedicle/screw L1-L5 fusion was then completed. Results: One month later, the patient recovered to an ASIA Scale of C, (i.e., residual proximal 3/5 and distal 2/5 motor deficits, with partial sensory sparing). Conclusion: Transdural ventral impaction of protruded bone fragments attributed to high speed lumbar burst fractures contributing to significant cauda equina compression can be safely/effectively accomplished.

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Charanjit Singh Dhillon ◽  
Ahamed Shafeek Nanakkal ◽  
Nilay Prafulsinh Chhasatia ◽  
Narendra Reddy Medagam ◽  
Anandkumar Khatavi

Introduction: Burst fractures occur frequently in high energy trauma and are commonly associated with falls from height and road traffic accidents. While multiple burst fractures are not uncommon in thoracic spine, three or more contiguous level burst fractures are a relative rarity especially, in lumbar spine. The treatment of multilevel burst fractures must be individualized, and each fracture should be treated according to its inherent stability. To the best of our knowledge, this is the only case of such injury reported in English literature. Case Report: A 17-year-old girl who sustained contiguous three-level lumbar burst fractures with neurological compromise following alleged history of fall from height. Radiographs/computed tomography scan revealed burst fractures of L2, L3, and L4 vertebrae with retropulsion of bony fragments at all the levels. Patient underwent minimally invasive posterior stabilization and anterior Hemi-corpectomy of L2, L4, and fusion. The patient recovered completely from neurological deficits by the end of 6 months. Conclusion: Multiple contiguous burst fractures in the lumbar spine are a rare entity. To the best of our knowledge, this is the only case of such injury reported in English literature. The treatment requires a thorough assessment of the fracture pattern and often requires a combination of surgical approaches. Each fracture merits treatment based on individual characteristics of fracture patterns and the amount of canal compromise at each level. Keywords: Lumbar, burst fracture, multiple, contiguous.


Open Medicine ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 322-326
Author(s):  
Johannes Schröder ◽  
Bernhard Fischer ◽  
Stefan Palkovic ◽  
Hansdetlef Wassmann

AbstractMeningiomas of the spinal canal are rare, in contrast to their cranial counterparts. This study reports on the dominant features of spinal meningiomas before and after treatment. We treated 30 patients (23 female) with meningiomas of the spinal canal from 1992 to 2003. The mean age was 68 (range: 43–91). Upon admission, 26 patients presented with a marked neurological deficit (11 paraparesis, 9 motor weakness, 4 myelopathic ataxia, 1 quadriplegia, and 1 cauda equina syndrome). Two patients had sensory deficits, and two had pain only. The distribution of the tumors was as follows: 8 cases were cranio-cervical, 1 case was cervical, 6 cases were at the cervico-thoracic junction, 9 cases were of the thoracic spine, 5 cases were of the thoracolumbar spine, and 1 case was of the lumbar spine. Five cases also had intracranial manifestations. The mean interval between the onset of the first symptoms and treatment was 12 months. All cases were treated via (hemi)-laminectomy for complete removal of the tumor and occasionally via duraplasty. After a mean follow-up of 3 years, symptoms had improved by 3 points (on a 5-point scale) in 3 cases, by 2 points in 7 cases, and by 1 point in 12 cases; 7 cases were unchanged, and 1 case had worsened by 1 point. We observed 3 local recurrences. One case developed manifestations at a different site. Spinal meningiomas are often diagnosed late, after they have already caused major neurological deficits. Nevertheless, owing to their benign character, the outcome is favorable when treated appropriately. The outcome depends above all on the initial neurological status. The worse the deficit is, the less probable it is that the patient will recover neurologically.


1972 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 83-88 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiroshi Yamada ◽  
Masaki Ohya ◽  
Tsuguo Okada ◽  
Zenji Shiozawa

✓ Five patients with intermittent claudication due to compression of the cauda equina in the presence of lumbar spinal canal stenosis or midline intervertebral disc protrusion are described. The characteristic myelographic evidence was complete obstruction during extension of the spine and release of the block with flexion. The cause of this syndrome is considered to be intermittent bulging of the ligamentum flavum into a narrow spinal canal so as to compress the cauda equina during extension of the back.


Author(s):  
Guillermo Alejandro Ricciardi ◽  
Ignacio Gabriel Garfinkel ◽  
Gabriel Genaro Carrioli ◽  
Daniel Oscar Ricciardi

Introducción: Las lesiones del saco dural con atrapamiento de la cauda equina entre los fragmentos óseos pueden estar asociadas con fracturas toracolumbares.Objetivo: Realizar un análisis retrospectivo de las variables clínico-radiográficas y el sistema de clasificación AOSpine y la posibilidad de lesión dural asociada en una serie de fracturas toracolumbares por estallido, tratadas en nuestro Centro.Materiales y Métodos: Estudio retrospectivo, observacional de una serie de pacientes con fracturas toracolumbares con compromiso del muro posterior operados en nuestra institución, entre enero de 2012 y diciembre de 2017.Resultados: Se incluyeron 46 pacientes, 16 casos con lesión del saco dural asociada. Las variables porcentaje de ocupación del canal, distancia interpedicular, ángulo del fragmento retropulsado y déficit neurológico asociado mostraron diferencias estadísticamentesignificativas según la comparación en función de la presencia o ausencia de lesión dural (p = 0,046, p = 0,007, p = 0,046 y p = 0,004, respectivamente).Conclusiones: Según nuestros resultados, la lesión dural traumática podría ser contemplada en la planificación del tratamiento de fracturas toracolumbares ante fragmentos voluminosos del muro posterior con ángulo agudo, compromiso severo del canal raquídeo, distancia interpedicular elevada y daño neurológico asociado, tal como se propone en la bibliografía. AbstractIntroduction: Fractures of the thoracolumbar spine can trigger thecal sac injuries due to the impingement of the cauda equina between bone fragments.Objective: To carry out a retrospective analysis of clinical and radiological variables, the AOSpine Classification System and the possibility of secondary thecal sac injury in a series of thoracolumbar burst fractures treated at our center.Materials and Methods: A retrospective, observational study of a series of patients with thoracolumbar fractures with compromise of the posterior vertebral body wall, who underwent surgery at our center between January 2012 and December 2017.Results: Forty-six patients were included, 16 of which had secondary thecal sac injury. The differences in the variables—percentage of spinal canal involvement, interpedicular distance, angle of the retropulsed fragment, neurological deficit and type C fractures—were statistically significant according to the comparison made with the presence or absence of thecal sac injury (p=0.046, p=0.007, p=0.046, p=0.004, p=0,001 respectively).Conclusions: This study suggests that traumatic thecal sac injury could be suspectedwhen managing burst fractures with prominent fragments in the posterior vertebral body wall, acute angle of the retropulsed fragment, severe compression of the spinal canal, wide interpedicular distance, neurological deficit and fracture displacement (fracturetype C according to the AOSpine Classification System).


Author(s):  
Halim Rahman Manurung ◽  
Sabri Ibrahim ◽  
Ridha Dharmajaya

Abstract. Spinal fracture and dislocation are among the most feared injuries by patients and physicians alike, as the consequences can be devastating, ranging from mild pain and discomfort to severe paralysis and even death. Spinal trauma is commonly found in patients admitted to level-one trauma centers after serious accidents like traffic, falling, and sports accidents.Injuries of the cervical spine account for one third of spinal fractures and half to two thirds of all spinal cord injuries.In the thoracolumbar spine, the most common unstable fracture is the burst fracture. Altogether, burst fractures have been reported to account for about 15% of spinal injuries.Incidence of burst fractures peaked at the thoracolumbar junction and between levels T5 and T8. In 10% of cases,more than one burst fracture was seen, thereof 53% on noncontiguous levels. Main accident mechanisms were falls, traffic, and sports. Neurological deficit was highest in patients with burst fractures of the cervical spine, independent of accident mechanism, and lowest in thoracolumbar junction fractures. Burst fractures occur frequently in high energy traumas and are most commonly associated with falling and traffic accidents.Multiple burst fractures occur in 10% of cases, half thereof on noncontiguous levels.Access to the anterior thoracic spine via the transthoracic approach (via thoracotomy) can be used for decompression and fusion. To perform adequate decompression and stabilization of the thoracic spine, obtaining good exposure is a must. Preservation and protection of the vascular structures in the thoracic cavity is the key to such an exposure. Preoperative workup should include imaging modalities (plain rontgens, MRI/CT scan) to specifically define the area of decompression. If a tumor is being evaluated, CT angiography and embolization are helpful in preoperative planning. Assistance by a thoracic surgeon for exposure is highly recommended.


2011 ◽  
Vol 02 (01) ◽  
pp. 017-022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tarek A Aly

ABSTRACT Introduction: Patients with spinal injuries have been treated in the past by laminectomy in an attempt to decompress the spinal cord. The results have shown insignificant improvement or even a worsening of neurologic function and decreased stability without effectively removing the anterior bone and disc fragments compressing the spinal cord. The primary indication for anterior decompression and grafting is narrowing of the spinal canal with neurologic deficits that cannot be resolved by any other approach. One must think of subsequent surgical intervention for increased stability and compressive posterior fusion with short-armed internal fi xators. Aim: To analyze the results and efficacy of spinal shortening combined with interbody fusion technique for the management of dorsal and lumbar unstable injuries. Materials and Methods: Twenty-three patients with traumatic fractures and or fracture-dislocation of dorsolumbar spine with neurologic deficit are presented. All had radiologic evidence of spinal cord or cauda equina compression, with either paraplegia or paraparesis. Patients underwent recapping laminoplasty in the thoracic or lumbar spine for decompression of spinal cord. The T-saw was used for division of the posterior elements. After decompression of the cord and removal of the extruded bone fragments and disc material, the excised laminae were replaced exactly in situ to their original anatomic position. Then application of a compression force via monosegmental transpedicular fixation was done, allowing vertebral end-plate compression and interbody fusion. Results: Lateral Cobb angle (T10–L2) was reduced from 26 to 4 degrees after surgery. The shortened vertebral body united and no or minimal loss of correction was seen. The preoperative vertebral kyphosis averaged +17 degrees and was corrected to +7 degrees at follow-up with the sagittal index improving from 0.59 to 0.86. The segmental local kyphosis was reduced from +15 degrees to −3 degrees. Radiography demonstrated anatomically correct reconstruction in all patients, as well as solid fusion. Conclusion: This technique permits circumferential decompression of the spinal cord through a posterior approach and posterior interbody fusion.


1987 ◽  
Vol 66 (4) ◽  
pp. 614-617 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel Smith ◽  
Lyal G. Leibrock ◽  
Benjamin R. Gelber ◽  
Eric W. Pierson

✓ Three cases of acute disc herniation causing cauda equina compression syndrome after chemonucleolysis are described. All three patients had myelographic blocks and, despite emergency decompression procedures, were left with residual neurological deficits. Recommendations are made regarding evaluation and therapeutic intervention, and possible etiologies of this problem are reviewed.


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