• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.48 no.1
• /
• pp.70-72
• /
• 2010

Bilateral pedicle stress fracture is a rare entity and few cases have been reported in the literature. Furthermore, the majority of these reports concern previous spine surgery or stress-related activities. Here, the authors report ankylosing spondylitis as a new cause of bilateral pedicle stress fractures accompanying spondylolysis. The reported case adds to the literature on bilateral pedicle stress fracture and spondylolysis by documenting that ankylosing spondylitis is another cause of this condition.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.51 no.6
• /
• pp.388-390
• /
• 2012

There has been no report of bilateral pedicle stress fractures involving two vertebrae. The authors describe a unique case of spondylolisthesis accompanying a bilateral pedicle stress fracture involving two vertebrae. De novo development of spondylolisthesis at the L5-S1 vertebrae accompanying a bilateral pedicle stress fracture at L4 and L5 was observed in a 70-year-old woman. The patient's medical history was unremarkable and she did not have any predisposing factors except severe osteoporosis. Interbody fusion with bone cement augmented screw fixation was performed. Surgical treatment resulted in good pain management and improved functional recovery.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.42 no.6
• /
• pp.495-498
• /
• 2007

Fractures of lumbo-sacral junction involving bilateral sacral wings are rare. Posterior lumbo-sacral fixation does not always provide with sufficient stability in such cases. Various augmentation techniques including divergent sacral ala screws, S2 pedicle screws and Galveston rods have been reported to improve lumbo-sacral stabilization. Galveston technique using iliac bones would be the best surgical approach especially in patients with bilateral comminuted sacral fractures. However, original Galveston surgery is technically demanding and bending rods into the appropriate alignment is time consuming. We present a patient with unstable lumbo-sacral junction fractures and comminuted U-shaped sacral fractures treated by lumbo-sacro-pelvic fixation using iliac screws and discuss about the advantages of the iliac screws over the rod system of Galveston technique.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.56 no.4
• /
• pp.348-352
• /
• 2014

High-flow vertebral arteriovenous fistulas (VAVF) are rare complications of cervical spine surgery and characterized by iatrogenic direct-communication of the extracranial vertebral artery (VA) to the surrounding venous plexuses. The authors describe two patients with VAVF presenting with ischemic presentation after C1 pedicle screw insertion for a treatment of C2 fracture and nontraumatic atlatoaxial subluxation. The first patient presented with drowsy consciousness with blurred vision. The diffusion MRI showed an acute infarction on bilateral cerebellum and occipital lobes. The second patient presented with pulsatile tinnitus, dysarthria and a subjective weakness and numbness of extremities. In both cases, digital subtraction angiography demonstrated high-flow direct VAVFs adjacent to C1 screws. The VAVF of the second case occurred near the left posterior inferior cerebellar artery originated from the persistent first intersegmental artery of the left VA. Both cases were successfully treated by complete occlusion of the fistulous portion and the involved segment of the left VA using endovascular coil embolization. The authors reviewed the VAVFs after the upper-cervical spine surgery including C1 screw insertion and the feasibility with the attention notes of its endovascular treatment.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
• /
• v.25 no.1
• /
• pp.7-16
• /
• 2012

Purpose: Cervical dislocations with locked facets account for more than 50% of all cervical injuries. Thus, investigating a suitable management of cervical locked facets is important. This study examined factors of close reduction failure in traumatically locked facets of the subaxial cervical spine patients to determine suitable surgical management. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed of the case histories of 28 patients with unilateral/bilateral cervical locked facets from Nov. 2004 to Dec. 2010. Based on MRI evaluation of disc status at the injury level, we found unilateral dislocations in 9 cases, and bilateral dislocations in 19 cases, The patients were investigated for neurologic recovery, closed reduction rate, factors of the close reduction barrier, fusion rate and period, spinal alignment, and complications. Results: The closed reduction failed in 23(82%) patients. Disc herniation was an obstacle to closed reduction (p=0.015) and was more frequent in cases involving a unilateral dislocation (p=0.041). The pedicle or facet fracture was another factor, although some patients showed aggravation of neurologic symptoms, most patients had improved by the last follow up. The kyphotic angle were statistically significant (p=0.043). Sixs patient underwent anterior decompression/fusion, and 15 patients underwent circumferential fusion, and 7 patients underwent posterior fusion. All patients were fused at 3 months after surgery. The complications were 1 case of CSF leakage and 1 case of esphageal fistula, 1 case of infection. Conclusion: We recommend closed reduction be performed as soon as possible after injury to maximize the potential for neurological recovery. Patients fot whom closed reduction of the cervical locked facets have a higher incidence of anatomic obstacles to reduction, including facet fractures and disc herniation. Immediate direct open anterior reduction or circumferential fixation/fusion of locked cervical facets is recommended as a treatment of choice for traumatic locked cervical facet patients after closed reduction failure.