Scheuermann’s disease surgery. Major problems: non-systematic literature review (part II)

Objective. To analyze literature data on the frequency of junctional kyphosis in surgery for Scheuermann’s disease, its relationship withspinopelvic parameters, risk factors and prevention of its development.Material and Methods. A search for sources in Scopus and Web of Science databases revealed 62 articles published from 1975 to 2021 and containing the required information. Of these, 56 publications meet the inclusion criteria.Results. The selected 56 articles contain data on 2,110 patients. In total, 247 (11.8 %) cases of proximal junctional kyphosis were diagnosed, including 6 (0.3 %) cases of proximal junctional failure. The total number of distal junctional kyphosis cases was 124 (5.9 %). Forty-five reoperations were performed. Many potential risk factors have been identified in publications, but there is no consensus on any of them.As a result, there is no a well-founded common position on the prevention of junctional kyphosis development. Spinopelvic parameters in Scheuermann’s disease are significantly less than those in the general population and do not tend to change after surgical correction of kyphosis. As for their relationship with the risk of development of proximal and distal junctional kyphosis, there is no consensus to date.Conclusion. This review is the largest in terms of coverage of literary sources on the problem of the development of junctional kyphosis in surgery for Scheuermann’s disease. The causes for the development of this complication remain unknown, hence there is the lack of generally accepted methods of prevention. New studies with long postoperative follow-up are needed.

Scheuermann’s disease surgery. Major problems: non-systematic literature review (part I).

Objective. To perform multivariate comparison of two surgical strategies in the treatment of patients with severe Scheuermann’s disease.Material and Methods. The search of sources (in Scopus and Web of Science databases) revealed 56 publications containing the required information. The literature data were analyzed in four directions: the results of one- and two-stage interventions are compared in terms of the magnitude of achieved correction and its preservation, the complication rate, the surgery duration and the volume of intraoperative blood loss, and the quality of life of patients in the postoperative period.Results. The magnitude of the achieved correction of kyphotic deformity and postoperative loss of correction in patients after one- and two-stage operations are almost identical. Implant-associated complications are more often observed after one-stage operations, and purulent, neurological and other complications – after two-stage operations. Surgery duration and intraoperative blood loss volume are greater in two-stage operations. The quality of life assessed by various questionnaires is significantly improved, regardless of the type of surgery.Conclusion. Two-stage surgical correction of Scheuermann’s kyphosis has no noticeable advantages over one-stage surgery, however, new studies with long (more than 15–18 years) postoperative follow-up are needed.

Neurological symptoms in Scheuermann’s disease: review of rare clinical observations

Neurological symptoms in Scheuermann’s disease are very rare, only a few dozen cases have been described. The main causes of spinal cord compression with the development of neurological symptoms in spinal deformities due to Scheuermann’s disease are compression by the anterior wall of the spinal canal, together with the dorsal leaflet of the dura mater, intervertebral hernia, and extradural bone cyst. The review provides a description of 38 clinical observations found in the literature. Compressing factors can also be spinal epidural lipomatosis and a displaced fragment of the annular apophysis. Scheuermann’s disease can be combined with syringomyelia. The magnitude of the kyphotic deformity does not correlate with the severity of neurological symptoms. Preoperative examination of a patient with Scheuermann’s disease should include methods that allow visualizing the condition of the spinal canal and its contents.

Neurological symptoms in Scheuermann’s disease: review of rare clinical observations

Neurological symptoms in Scheuermann’s disease are very rare, only a few dozen cases have been described. The main causes of spinal cord compression with the development of neurological symptoms in spinal deformities due to Scheuermann’s disease are compression by the anterior wall of the spinal canal, together with the dorsal leaflet of the dura mater, intervertebral hernia, and extradural bone cyst. The review provides a description of 38 clinical observations found in the literature. Compressing factors can also be spinal epidural lipomatosis and a displaced fragment of the annular apophysis. Scheuermann’s disease can be combined with syringomyelia. The magnitude of the kyphotic deformity does not correlate with the severity of neurological symptoms. Preoperative examination of a patient with Scheuermann’s disease should include methods that allow visualizing the condition of the spinal canal and its contents.

Lumbar Scheuermann’s disease found in a patient with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) caused by a heterozygous mutation in COL1A2 (c.4048G > A): a case report

Background Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a heterogeneous connective tissue disorder characterized by increased bone fragility and a series of extraskeletal manifestations. Approximately 90 % of OI cases are caused by type I collagen variants encoded by the collagen type I alpha 1 (COL1A1) or type I alpha 2 (COL1A2) gene. Lumbar Scheuermann’s disease is an atypical type of Scheuermann’s disease accompanied by Schmorl’s nodes and irregular endplates but without pronounced kyphosis. Although the etiology of Scheuermann’s disease is unclear, genetic and environmental factors are likely. Case presentation Here, we report a 32-year-old male patient who experienced multiple brittle fractures. Gene sequencing revealed a heterozygous mutation, c.4048G > A (p.G1350S), in the COL1A2 gene, and the patient was diagnosed with OI. Magnetic resonance imaging of his thoracolumbar spine revealed multiple Schmorl’s nodes. Conclusions This is the first reported case of OI coexisting with the spinal presentation of Scheuermann’s disease. It is speculated that the COL1A2 gene mutation might be an underlying novel genetic cause of Scheuermann’s disease. In conclusion, this case demonstrates the relationship between Scheuermann’s disease and OI for the first time and enriches the genotype-phenotype spectrum of OI.

Introduction of the Novel Radiographic Line (L5-Kyphosis Apex Line) Intended to Evaluate Scheuermann’s Disease and Postural Kyphosis Progression on Standard Lateral X-Rays

Study Design: Cross-sectional and follow-up nested study.Purpose: To assess the reliability of the L5-kyphosis apex line (L5-KAL) evaluation and determine the association between changes in L5-KAL, changes in radiological parameters, and changes in clinical symptoms.Overview of Literature: Scheuermann’s disease is the most common cause of hyperkyphosis of the thoracolumbar and thoracic spine during adolescence. Scheuermann’s disease patients usually show compensatory hyperlordosis of the lumbar spine, which is usually flexible, and express an anterior translation of the lumbar section. The L5-KAL was developed on the basis of our clinical experience, displaying the horizontal distance between the thoracic and lumbar curves.Methods: In the cross-sectional segment, 150 initial lateral X-rays of patients with Scheuermann’s disease and postural kyphosis were analyzed, and 80 additional X-rays were analyzed in the follow-up segment. The data taken from the X-rays of the whole spinal column included the thoracic kyphosis angle, the C7 plumb line, and the L5-KAL. Clinical data included a numerical rating scale of self-perceived body image, pain, and a Scoliosis Research Society-22 questionnaire (SRS-22).Results: Significant positive associations were observed in a cross-sectional study between the L5-KAL and thoracic kyphosis, lumbar lordosis, C7 line, and self-perceived body image. In the follow-up nested study, in a mixed analysis of variance, the main effect of time was significant for the L5-KAL, kyphotic deformity and SRS-22, which indicated a change in these parameters after treatment of Scheuermann’s disease patients. Significant positive associations were observed between the changes in L5-KAL and the changes in thoracic kyphosis.Conclusions: Our evidence suggests that the L5-KAL can serve as an indicator of the thoracic curve change in Scheuermann’s disease and postural kyphosis patients and should be considered in clinical practice.