A Case of Thoracic Spinal Stenosis Secondary to Paget's Disease

PAGET＇S disease, also called osteitis deformans, is a metabolic bone disorder. It is characterized by increased bone resorption and the compensatory formation of new bones. The increased bone conversion and remodeling lead to the incrustation of woven bones and lamellar bones and finally result in the expansion, loosening, and excessive vascularization of the affected bones, rendering them susceptible to deformity and fracture. Paget＇s disease occurs much more commonly in Anglo-Saxons than in Asians and Africans.

Transfacet approach decompression for thoracic spinal stenosis caused by anterior compression

Objective To study the efficiacy and safety of transfacet approach decompression to treat thoracic spinal stenosis caused by anterior compression. Methods Thirty-three patients with thoracic spinal stenosis caused by anterior

"Cave-in"technique: 360° circumferential decompression for thoracic spinal stenosis with ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament

Objective To investigate the surgical techniqueand efficiency of the "Cave-in" 360° circumferential decompression for thoracic spinal stenosis(TSS)with ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament(OPLL).Methods From October 2005 to

Surgical strategy to dural ossification of thoracic spinal stenosis

Objective To explore the surgical strategies of thoracic spinal stenosis with dural ossification.Methods One-hundred and eight patients with thoracic spinal stenosis were treated.Dural ossification was found in 29 cases during operation

Transpedicular osteotomy en bloc lamina resection for the treatment of thoracic spinal stenosis

Objective To study the safety and efficacy of transpedicular osteotomy en bloc lamina resection to treat thoracic spinal stenosis.Methods A retrospective study of 23 consecutive patients underwent transpedicular osteotomy en bloc lamina

Diagnosis and one stage surgical treatment of lower thoracic ossification of ligamentum flavum combined with lumbar spinal stenosis

Objective To study the diagnosis and treatment of lower thoracic ossification of ligamentum flavum(OLF) combined with lumbar spinal stenosis.Methods Retrospective analysis was carried out on 11 cases of lower thoracic OLF combined with

Young thoracic vertebra diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis with Scheuermann disease:A case report

BACKGROUND Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis(DISH)is a disorder characterised by the calcification and ossification of ligaments and entheses.It is a frequent occurrence in elderly males,but rarely encountered in younger individuals.CASE SUMMARY A 24-year-old male was admitted to the hospital due to low back pain accompanied with numbness in both lower limbs for 10 d.Upon clinical examination and imaging tests,the patient was diagnosed with DISH with Scheuermann disease and thoracic spinal stenosis.Before the operation and medical treatment,the patient had hypoesthesia of the skin below the xiphoid process.Afterward,a standard laminectomy was conducted using ultrasonic bone curette and internal fixation was applied.Subsequently,the patient was given corticosteroids,neurotrophic drugs,hyperbaric oxygen and electric stimulation.As a result of the treatment,the patient’s sensory level decreased to the navel level and there was no major change in the muscle strength of the lower limbs.During follow-up,the patient’s skin sensation has returned to normal.CONCLUSION This case is a rare instance of DISH co-existing with Scheuermann’s disease in a young adult.This provides a valuable reference point for spine surgeons,as DISH is more commonly observed in middle-aged and elder adults.

Circumferential decompression via the posterior approach for the surgical treatment of multilevel thoracic ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligaments： a single institution comparative study

Background The treatment strategies for multilevel thoracic ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligaments （T-OPLL） were rarely reported. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical outcomes and complications of circumferential decompression for multilevel T-OPLL and compare two different methods in the management of the OPLL （resection or floating）. Methods Data of sequentially treated patients who received surgical treatment for thoracic spinal stenosis caused by multilevel T-OPLL from January 2005 to February 2012 were retrospectively reviewed. Based on the surgical approaches applied, the patients were divided into two groups. Group A consisted the patients who received posterior decompression and group B consisted the patients who received circumferential decompression via the posterior approach. Group B was further divided into two subgroups： subgroup 1 （the resection group） where the OPLL was completely resected and subgroup 2 （the floating group） where the OPLL was floated. Results A total of 49 patients were included in the study. Fourteen patients with single posterior decompression were included in group A and 35 patients who received circumferential decompression were included in group B. In group B, 29 patients had complete resection of the ossified posterior longitudinal ligaments, while the other six underwent a flotation procedure. The follow-up data were available in 39 patients. Mean JOA scores improved from 5.4 ± 1.8 to 7.5 ± 2.8 in group A and from 3.7 ± 1.8 to 7.9 ± 2.4 in group B. The main complications included cerebrospinal fluid （CSF） leakage and postoperative neurelogic deterioration （ND）. Twenty-three of the 25 cases with postoperative CSF leakage achieved a complete recovery at the last follow-up and 12 of the 15 cases with ND achieved some neurological improvement at the last follow-up. Conclusions Circumferential decompression via the posterior approach is an effective surgical method for thoracic spinal stenosis caused by multilevel OPLL of the thoracic spine. Patients who receive complete resection of the ossified posterior longitudinal ligaments may have better recovery rate than the ＂floating＂ group.

Computer-assisted minimally invasive spine surgery for resection of ossification of the ligamentum flavum in the thoracic spine

Background Ossification of the ligamentum flavum （OLF） has been widely recognized as one of the main causes of thoracic spinal canal stenosis and thoracic myelopathy.Decompression is the only effective strategy for treating thoracic myelopathy caused by OLF.The purpose of this study was to describe the clinical outcomes of computer-assisted minimally invasive spine surgery （CAMISS） for posterior decompression in patients with thoracic myelopathy caused by OLF.Methods In all cases,the surgical procedure was performed with the assistance of an intraoperative three-dimensional navigation system.Decompression of the spinal cord was performed with a high-speed drill; the supraspinal ligaments and spinous process were partially preserved.The outcomes were evaluated by a modified Japanese Orthopedic Association （JOA） scoring system and recovery rates.Results The mean duration of follow-up for the 14 cases was 3.9 years.All patients experienced neurological recovery,the mean JOA score improving from 6.1 points preoperatively to 8.6 points at final follow-up and the mean rate of recovery being 52.7% （excellent in two cases,good in eight,fair in three,and unchanged in one）.Conclusion CAMISS is a safe and effective procedure for resection of the OLF in the thoracic spine.