Unilateral Pedicle Fracture Accompanying Spondylolisthesis and Contralateral Spondylolysis: A Case Report

Study design Case reportObjective To report a rare case with unilateral pedicle stress fracture accompanying spondylolytic spondylolisthesis. Summary of Background Data Unilateral pedicle stress fracture accompanying spondylolytic spondylolisthesis is rare. Most are association with major trauma, previous spine surgery, osteopetrosis or stress-related activities.Methods We report a patient with spontaneous pedicle fracture associated with contralateral spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis at the L5 level, complaining severe back pain, radicular lower limb pain and intermittent claudication. The pathophysiological mechanism is discussed, and a review of relevant literature is included.Results This patient was successfully treated by decompression laminectomy with transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) and pedicle screw fixation. To our knowledge, cases like this have rarely been reported in the literature.Conclusions Unilateral pedicle stress fracture in patients with spondylolytic spondylolisthesis is rare. It may be related to redistribution of forces in an unstable neural arch resulting from defect in the contralateral pars interarticularis. Our experience suggests that limited decompression and instrumented fusion surgery led to a successful outcome.

Traction screws to reduce a bilateral pedicle fracture of L5: a case report

Pedicle fractures are rare and usually associated with repetitive stress, high-speed trauma, osteoporosis, unilateral spondylolysis, or instrumentation surgery. A review of the current literature on bilateral pedicle fractures of the lumbar spine revealed only a few cases listed as a complication of instrumentation or excessive decompression surgery. The authors present the clinical case of a 49-year-old man with exacerbating low-back pain and intermittent L5 radicular pain. The known comorbidities were rather remarkable for systemic lupus erythematosus and osteopenia. Radiological investigations revealed an acute bilateral pedicle fracture of L5 without any evidence of preexisting spondylolysis. An off-label minimally invasive fracture reduction and fixation was performed using traction screws and intraoperative navigation. The patient reported instant pain relief and did not show any sensorimotor deficits at discharge. The postoperative CT scan revealed an ossification of the former fracture after 3 months, with great 1-year follow-up outcome. This is the first documented report on the effectiveness of traction screws used in a patient with bilateral pedicle fractures of the L5 vertebra. This minimally invasive technique represents a promising treatment option in selected cases by sparing segmental fusion.

Stress Injuries of the Spine in Sports

Spine sports stress injuries account for a significant amount of time loss at play in athletes, particularly if left unrecognized and allowed to progress. Spondylolysis makes up most of these stress injuries. This article focuses on spondylolysis, bringing together discussion from the literature on its pathomechanics and the different imaging modalities used in its diagnosis. Radiologists should be aware of the limitations and more importantly the roles of different imaging modalities in guiding and dictating the management of spondylolysis. Other stress-related injuries in the spine are also discussed including but not limited to pedicle fracture and apophyseal ring injury.

Postoperative Clinical Outcomes of Balloon Kyphoplasty Treatment: Would Adherence to Indications and Contraindications Prevent Complications?

Study Design: We retrospectively assessed the postoperative clinical outcomes of balloon kyphoplasty (BKP).Purpose: To evaluate the risk factors for complications and to reconfirm the indications and contraindications for BKP.Overview of Literature: In Japan, BKP is indicated for cases of osteoporotic vertebral fractures when pain is not improved even after an adequate period of conservative treatment. Contraindications to BKP include pedicle fracture, fracture of a flat vertebra, or fracture of the posterior wall of the vertebral body diagnosed on computed tomography.Methods: Seventy-five patients who underwent BKP in our institution participated in this study; 49 provided follow-up data. Those with complications and persistent pain were assigned to the “eventful” group; the others, to the “uneventful” group. We evaluated risk factors for complications and persistent pain, including the presence or absence of severe posterior wall injury/pedicle fracture, the shape of the vertebral body, and the time period from onset of pain to BKP.Results: The incidences of severe posterior wall injury, pedicle fracture, and flattened vertebral body did not differ significantly between the uneventful and eventful groups. However, there was a significant difference in disease duration between those with and those without adjacent vertebral fractures (AVFs): The incidence of AVF was lower among patients with disease of less than 8 weeks’ duration.Conclusions: Disease duration is a possible risk factor for developing AVF, whereas other characteristics were not risk factors for complications after BKP. Although it has been suggested that BKP treatment in the early phase after injury results in a good outcome, the indications should be determined according to prognosis that is based on findings obtained with tools such as imaging examinations.

Posterior osteosynthesis of a spontaneous bilateral pedicle fracture of the lumbar spine

Spontaneous bilateral pedicle fractures of the lumbar spine are rare, and an optimal surgical treatment has not been suggested. The authors report the case of a 50-year-old woman who presented with low-back pain and right leg radiating pain of 1 year’s duration. Radiological studies revealed a spontaneous bilateral pedicle fracture of L-5. All efforts at conservative treatment failed, and the patient underwent surgery for osteosynthesis of the fractured pedicle using bilateral pedicle screws connected with a bent rod. Her low-back and right leg pain were relieved postoperatively. A CT scan performed 3 months postoperatively revealed the disappearance of the pedicle fracture gap and presence of newly formed bony trabeculation. In rare cases of spontaneous bilateral pedicle fracture of the lumbar spine, osteosynthesis of the fractured pedicle using bilateral pedicle screws and a bent rod is a motion-preserving technique that may be an effective option when conservative management has failed.