ObjectiveTo compare the effectiveness of short-segment and long-segment bone cement-augmented fixation combined with vertebroplasty in treatment of stage Ⅲ Kümmell disease.MethodsA clinical data of 44 patients with stage Ⅲ Kümmell disease met the selection criteria between January 2014 and December 2017 was retrospectively analyzed. Eighteen cases were treated with short-segment bone cement-augmented fixation combined with vertebroplasty (short-segment group) and 26 cases were treated with long-segment bone cement-augmented fixation combined with vertebroplasty (long-segment group). There was no significant difference in gender, age, disease duration, fracture segment, bone mineral density (T value), Frankle grading, and preoperative pain visual analogue scale (VAS) score, Oswestry disability index (ODI), anterior edge height of injured vertebrae, kyphosis Cobb angle, and thoracolumbar kyphosis (TLK) between the two groups (P>0.05). The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, bone cement injection volume, bone cement leakage rate, VAS score, ODI, anterior edge height of injured vertebrae, kyphosis Cobb angle, and TLK were compared between the two groups.ResultsThe operation time and the intraoperative blood loss in the short- segment group were significant lower than those in the long-segment group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in bone cement injection volume and bone cement leakage rate between the two groups (P>0.05). All patients were followed up 12-36 months, with an average of 24.4 months. The VAS score, ODI, anterior edge height of injured vertebrae, kyphosis Cobb angle, and TLK significantly improved at 1 week after operation and last follow-up in the two groups (P<0.05), there was no significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05). At last follow-up, the neurological function of the two groups recovered, and there was no significant difference in Frankle grading between the two groups (P>0.05). There were 3 cases (16.67%) of non-surgical vertebral fractures in the short-segment group and 6 cases (23.08%) in the long-segment group, showing no significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05). Bone rejection occurred in 1 case in the short-segment group, and neither internal fixation failure nor collapse of the injured vertebrae occurred during follow-up.ConclusionBoth short-segment and long-segment bone cement-augmented fixation combined with vertebroplasty can achieve good effectiveness in treatment of stage Ⅲ Kümmell disease, and can maintain the height of the injured vertebra and prevent the collapse of the injured vertebra. Compared with long-segment fixation, short-segment fixation has the advantages of shorter operation time and less intraoperative bleeding.
Objective To review the research progress of upper instrumented vertebra (UIV) selection strategy for long-segment fixation (LSF) in adult degenerative scoliosis (ADS). Methods The relevant domestic and foreign literature in recent years was reviewed, and the selection strategy of sagittal and coronal UIV for LSF in ADS patients, the relationship between UIV selection and proximal junctional kyphosis (PJK) and proximal junctional failure (PJF), the impact of minimally invasive spine surgery on the selection strategy of UIV were summarized. Results LSF can restore the biomechanical balance of the spine and reconstruct the physiological curve of the spine for ADS patients. LSF should be selected for ADS patients with severe scoliosis, vertebral rotation, and severe sagittal imbalance. For patients with poor general condition, UIV can choose the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae to reduce the operation time and intraoperative bleeding, which is conducive to early mobilization and reduce complications; for patients with good general condition, the upper thoracic vertebrae can be considered if necessary, in order to achieve satisfactory long-term effectiveness. However, the lower thoracic vertebra (T9、10) should be selected as much as possible to reduce postoperative complications such as PJK and PJF. In recent years, a new reference marker, the first coronal reverse vertebra was proposed, to guide the selection of UIV. But a large-sample multicenter randomized controlled study is needed to further verify its reliability. Studies have shown that different races and different living habits would lead to different parameters of the spine and pelvis, which would affect the selection of UIV. Minimally invasive surgeries have achieved satisfactory results in the treatment of ADS, but the UIV selection strategy in specific applications needs to be further studied. Conclusion The selection strategy of UIV in LSF has not yet been unified. The selection of UIV in the sagittal plane of the upper thoracic spine, the lower thoracic spine, or the thoracolumbar spine should comprehensively consider the biomechanical balance of the spine and the general condition of the patient, as well as the relationship between the upper horizontal vertebra, the upper neutral vertebra, and the upper end vertebra on the coronal plane.