Decompression via posterior-anterior approach and anterior fixation in treatment of fracturedislocation of the lower cervical spine with bilateral facet joints dislocation

Objective To evaluate surgical strategy of decompression via posterior-anterior approach and anterior fixation in treatment fracture-dislocation of lower cervical spine with bilateral facet joints dislocation. Methods This

Biomechanical Comparison of Anterior Lumbar Screw-plate Fixation versus Posterior Lumbar Pedicle Screw Fixation

Anterior lumbar interbody fusion （ALiF） followed by posterior pedicle screw fixation （PSF） in a second procedure is mostly used to implement lumbar spine fusion. ALIF followed by an- terior lumbar screw-plate has a lot of advantages, but its biomechanical stability requires confirma- tion. This study evaluated the biomechanical stability of a novel anterior lumbar locked screw-plate （ALLSP） by comparison with posterior lumbar PSF. Twelve fresh human cadaveric lumbar speci- mens （L4-L5） were assigned to four groups： ALIF^PSF group, ALIF＋ALLSP （both fixed） group, ALIF group and an untreated control （both non-fixed） group. The first three groups received implan- tation of a rectangular titanium cage. Tests under axial compression, flexion, extension, lateral bend- ing, or rotation showed that the fixed groups had significantly stronger stability than the non-fixed groups （P=-0.000 for all）. The ALIF＋ALLSP group had significantly greater axial stiffness under ap- plied axial compression and significantly less angular displacement under rotational forces than the ALIF＋PSF group. The angular displacement of the ALIF＋ALLSP group was less under flexion than that of the ALIF＋PSF, and the angular displacement under lateral bending and extension was greater, but these differences were not statistically significant. In summary, the ALLSP conforms to the ante- rior lumbar spine and has good biomechanical stability. It is a reliable choice for enhancing the sta- bility of ALIF.

Atlantoaxial joint fusion using anterior transarticular screw fixation and bone grafting for atlantoaxial joint instability

Objective To evaluate the clinical application of atlantoaxial joint fusion using anterior transarticular screw fixation and bone grafting for atlantoaxial joint instability. Methods Twenty-three cases of atlantoaxial joint instability were

Association between anterior internal fixation systems and post-operative lateral angulation in thoracolumbar fractures

Objective To explore the effects of the anterior internal fixation systems on the post-operative lateral angulation in treatment of thoracolumbar fractures.Methods A retrospective study was done to analyze the 172 patients who had

Safety factors for anterior pedicle screw fixation tunnel in axis

Objective To investigate feasibility and safety of anterior pedicle screw fixation tunnel in the axis so as to provide theoretic evidence for further clinical application.Methods Thirty-two dry axis specimens were used foranterior

Cervicogenic exophthalmos: Possible etiology and pathogenesis

BACKGROUND Unilateral exophthalmos is often caused by inflammation, neoplasm, infection,metabolic disease, vascular disorder and several other less common conditions.Reflex sympathetic dystrophy related to unilateral exophthalmos has not been reported in the past literature.CASE SUMMARY We describe a 45-year-old female with unilateral exophthalmos caused by reflex sympathetic dystrophy and its unexpected spontaneous disappearance after a standard anterior cervical discectomy and fixation operation with two PEEK interbody cages and a plate. To our surprise, the patient’s left unilateral exophthalmos improved spontaneously in the morning on postoperative day 2-with no relapse, without any further medication, as of seven years. We have named this condition "cervicogenic exophthalmos."CONCLUSION We would inform other clinicians that unilateral exophthalmos was caused not only by inflammation, vascular disorder, infection, neoplasm, or metabolic disease, but also by reflex sympathetic dystrophy related with cervicogenic spondylosis. To the best of our knowledge, ours is the first related case report and use of the term "cervicogenic exophthalmos" after reviewing previous literature.

Comparison of the effects of two types of intraocular lens

Objective To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of implantation of flexible open-loop anterior chamber intraocular lens (FOAC-IOLs) and scleral fixated posterior chamber intraocular lens (PC-IOLs).Methods Sixty-eight eyes of 68 patients with implanted intraocular lenses in the absence of posterior capsular support were reviewed retrospectively. According to the type of intraocular lens, patients were classified into two groups. In groupⅠ (30 eyes), FOAC-IOLs was implanted primarily or secondarily. In group Ⅱ (38 eyes), scleral fixated PC-IOLs was implanted primarily or secondarily. By gonioscopy and ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM), accurate positions of IOLs' haptics and the relationship between the haptics and surrounding tissues were observed postoperatively and used to evaluate the influence of the two types of IOLs on ocular anterior segments. Follow-up was 6 to 20 months. Results Best corrected visual acuity of 20/40 or better was achieved in 27 eyes (90.0%) in group Ⅰ, and 35 eyes (92.1%) in group Ⅱ and the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). In group Ⅰ, 23 eyes (76.7%) had a total of 40 complications, while 13 eyes (34.2%) had 19 complications in group Ⅱ (P<0.05). Gonioscopy and ultrasound biomicroscopy showed that in group Ⅰ, all haptics of IOLs contacted with the iris completely and compressed the iris to different degrees, sometimes causing the anterior chamber angles to widen. Anterior synechia of the iris was caused by the haptics of FOAC-IOLs in 12 eyes. Among the 60 IOLs haptics, 39 foot plates of the haptics were properly fixed at the ciliary band; 21 haptics (12 eyes) penetrated through the iris into the stroma of the ciliary body with accompanying recurrent uveitis. In group Ⅱ, among the 76 IOLs haptics, 52 were adequately fixed in the ciliary sulcus regions, and 8 (8 eyes) were placed below the iris, causing goniosynechia. This type of angle closure was localized, with an open angle on each side of the haptics. The remaining 16 haptics were fixed onto the ciliary crown.Conclusions The current sutured mode of scleral fixated PC-IOLs can not ensure that IOLs haptics are placed in the ciliary sulcus. The haptics of FOAC-IOLs compress the iris and may penetrate through the iris into the stroma of the ciliary body. This can cause peripheral iris anterior synechia and chronic recurrent uveitis. The implantation of scleral fixated PC-IOLs is safer and shows better effects than that of FOAC-IOLs.