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Zhongguo Gu Shang 2019 Mar;32(3):283-287

People's Hospital of Linxi City, Linxi 276003, Shandong, China;

Isthmic spondylolisthesis is a common degenerative disease of the spine and seriously affects people's quality of life. At present, surgical indications for lumbar spondylolisthesis have basically reached consensus. The surgical plan for the disease is mainly isthmus repair, decompression of spinal canal, reduction of spondylolisthesis, and spinal fusion. Read More

Zhongguo Gu Shang 2019 Mar;32(3):234-238

Department of Spinal Surgery, the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing 210008, Jiangsu, China;

Objective: To compare the sagittal morphological features of the spine and pelvis between L₅S₁ dysplastic spondylolisthesis and isthmus spondylolisthesis in adolescent.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of 24 cases of adolescent L₅S₁ spondylolisthesis with complete imaging data from May 2002 to December 2016. Those included 8 males and 16 females, aged from 10 to 18 years old with an average of (13. Read More

Zhongguo Gu Shang 2019 Mar;32(3):199-206

People's Hospital of Gansu Province, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu, China;

Objective: To investigate the advantages of minimally invasive surgery-transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion(MIS-TLIF) under Quadrant channel in the treatment of grade I and II degree degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis.

Methods: The clinical data of 100 patients with grade I and II degree degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis treated from March 2014 to March 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. Among them, 50 patients were treated with MIS-TLIF, including 19 males and 31 females, aged from 44 to 73 years old with an average of (49. Read More

Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 2019 Mar 20. Epub 2019 Mar 20.

Health Science University, Department of Radiology, GOP Taksim Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul.

Study Design: A cross-sectional, retrospective cohort study.

Objective: To examine the prevalence of the pedicle stress injury, spondylolysis in children and adolescents with low back pain. And secondly, to test the hypothesis that these pathologies are associated with lumbar lordosis angle. Read More

World Neurosurg 2019 Feb 26. Epub 2019 Feb 26.

Department of Orthopaedic surgery, Taichung Branch of Buddhist Tzu-Chi General Hospital, Taichung City, Taiwan. Electronic address:

Background: The postoperative infection rates for transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) have ranged from <2% to 4%. However, no consensus has been reached on the treatment strategies. TLIF cage preservation or revision surgery for lumbar spine reconstruction are 2 possible treatments. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2019 Feb;98(8):e14700

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Soonchunhyang University Hospital Cheonan, Dongam-gu, Cheonan.

Rationale: Degenerative spondylolisthesis is defined as forward slippage of a vertebra with respect to the underlying vertebra and is associated with the induction of lumbar canal stenosis. The use of anterior column support for degenerative lumbar conditions has been well documented. Direct lateral interbody fusion (DLIF) gains access via a lateral approach through the retroperitoneal fat and psoas muscle. Read More

J Neurosurg Spine 2019 Feb 22:1-5. Epub 2019 Feb 22.

OBJECTIVEThe aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of lumbar sacralization on the level of vertebral slip and disc degeneration in patients with L4 spondylolysis.METHODSThe authors analyzed data from 102 cases in which patients underwent surgical treatment for L4 spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis at their institution between March 2007 and September 2016. Lumbar sacralization was characterized by the presence of pseudarthrosis and/or bony fusion between the L5 transverse process and sacrum, and the type of lumbosacral transitional vertebra (LSTV) was evaluated with the Castellvi classification. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2019 Feb;98(7):e14415

Orthopaedics Surgery Department, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province, China.

Rationale: Gout occurs mainly in joints, but rarely in the spine. In the spine, urate crystals can cause intervertebral space instability but rarely lead to retrolisthesis. Here, we present an extremely rare disease with gout invaded the intervertebral disc with lumbar retrolisthesis. Read More

Chin J Traumatol 2019 Feb 7;22(1):51-58. Epub 2019 Jan 7.

Department of Orthopaedic, The Second Clinical Medical College of Shanxi Medical University, Shanxi Key Laboratory of Bone and Soft Tissue Injury Repair, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, China. Electronic address:

Purpose: To compare the efficacy and safety of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein (rhBMP) and iliac crest autograft in the fusion treatment of lumbar spondylolisthesis.

Methods: The studies using randomized controlled trials to compare the rhBMP with iliac crest autograft in the treatment of lumbar spondylolisthesis were retrieved from Embase, Pubmed, ProQuest dissertations & theses (PQDT), China national knowledge infrastructure (CNKI), Chinese Biomedical Database, Wanfang Data, Cochrane Library (from March 1998 to March 2018). Postoperative fusion rate, clinical success rate, postoperative intervertebral height, complications, operation time, blood loss and duration of hospitalization were chosen as the outcome indicators. Read More

NMC Case Rep J 2019 Jan 18;6(1):29-34. Epub 2018 Dec 18.

Department of Neurosurgery, Kagawa Rosai Hospital, Marugame, Kagawa, Japan.

Lumbar spondylolysis is commonly recognized at a single-level of the lumbar spine and frequently affects the L5 pars interarticularis unilaterally or bilaterally. Some reports have described multiple-level spondylolysis, most cases of which occur at consecutive lumbar segments. We herein present a rare case of lumbar spondylolysis involving nonconsecutive multiple-level segments; only eight such cases have been reported previously. Read More

Turk Neurosurg 2019 ;29(2):205-212

Kirikkale University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, Kirikkale, Turkey.

Aim: To investigate the mid-term efficacy of bilateral decompression with a unilateral approach (BDUA) on symptoms and quality of life of in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS), with low grade (with percentage slip < 25%) degenerative spondylolisthesis or without spondylolisthesis.

Material And Methods: The study included patients who underwent BDUA due to one or two-level LSS related to degenerative spondylosis and/ or degenerative spondylolisthesis. Pre- and postoperative data of the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), and walking distance were compared. Read More

Biomed Res Int 2018 19;2018:5806037. Epub 2018 Nov 19.

Department of Orthopaedics, The Second Affiliated Xinqiao Hospital of Army Medical University, Chongqing 400037, China.

Objective: Endoscopic surgeries have been attempted in the field of lumbar decompression and fusion surgery in the past decade. Percutaneous endoscopic lumbar interbody fusion (PELIF) is a new-emerging technique taking advantages of an anatomical (Kambin's triangle) to achieve simultaneous decompression and fusion under endoscopic visualization. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the feasibility and safety of PELIF technique with general anesthesia and neuromonitoring. Read More

World Neurosurg 2019 Mar 18;123:226-238. Epub 2018 Dec 18.

Department of Orthopedics, Suining Central Hospital, Suining, People's Republic of China. Electronic address:

Objective: To investigate whether the preoperative presence of degenerative spondylolisthesis (DS) worsens the outcome of patients undergoing decompression alone for degenerative lumbar stenosis.

Methods: We conducted a comprehensive search in the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases. All comparative studies were included in this meta-analysis. Read More

Rev Assoc Med Bras (1992) 2018 Dec;64(12):1147-1153

Professor - Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.

Objective: The surgical management of high-grade lumbar spondylolisthesis (HGLS) is complex and aims to achieve both a solid fusion that is able to support the high shear forces of the lumbosacral junction, as well as neural decompression. We performed a systematic literature review of the safety and efficacy of posterior transdiscal (PTD) screw fixation from L5S1 for HGLS and its variations.

Methods: A systematic literature review following the PRISMA guidelines was performed in the PubMed database of the studies describing the use of PTD screw fixation for HGLS. Read More

Zhongguo Xiu Fu Chong Jian Wai Ke Za Zhi 2018 12;32(12):1560-1566

Department of Orthopedics, Affiliated Hospital of Logistics University of Chinese People's Armed Police Forces, Tianjin, 300162, P.R.China.

Objective: To observe vertebral three-dimensional motion characteristics of adjacent segments in patients with symptomatic L isthmic spondylolisthesis (IS).

Methods: Fourteen symptomatic L IS patients who underwent surgery treatment (trial group) and 15 asymptomatic volunteers without back pain and other lesions of spine (control group) were recruited. There was no significant difference in gender, age, body mass index, and bone mineral density between the two groups ( >0. Read More

J Spine Surg 2018 Sep;4(3):594-601

Department of Orthopaedics, Iwai Orthopaedic Medical Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.

Background: Percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy (PELD) is a relatively less invasive treatment for lumbar disc herniation (LDH). This study investigated the usefulness of a full-endoscopic system for PELD to treat L5 nerve root compression caused by lumbar foraminal stenosis (L5-LFS).

Methods: Between November 2016 and December 2017, a total of 10 patients with unilateral leg pain due to L5-LFS underwent surgery using a full-endoscopic system for PELD. Read More

Neurosurg Focus 2018 Dec;45(6):E12

4Department of Neurosurgery, University of Health Sciences, Gulhane Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.

OBJECTIVEThe aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between lumbar spondylolysis and payload weight between different combat units of Turkish land forces (TLF).METHODThe authors reviewed clinical and radiological data of the military personnel with low-back pain (LBP) admitted to their clinic between July 2017 and July 2018. Age, BMI, average payload weight, and military service unit were recorded. Read More

World Neurosurg 2019 Mar 27;123:e474-e481. Epub 2018 Nov 27.

Department of Neurosurgery, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA; Department of Neurosurgery, Buffalo General Medical Center, Kaleida Health, Buffalo, New York, USA. Electronic address:

Objective: To study the differences between robot-guided (Mazor X, Mazor Robotics Ltd., Caesarea, Israel) and 3-dimensional (3D) computed tomography (CT) navigation (O-arm Surgical Imaging System, Medtronic, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA) for the insertion of pedicle screws.

Methods: We reviewed the charts of 50 patients who underwent robot-guided pedicle screw insertion (between May 2017-October 2017), and 49 patients who underwent 3D-CT navigation pedicle screw insertion (between September 2015-August 2016). Read More

World Neurosurg 2019 Feb 24;122:674-679. Epub 2018 Nov 24.

Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; NeuroSpine Surgery Research Group, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia; Prince of Wales Private Hospital, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia. Electronic address:

Background: Cortical bone trajectory (CBT) technique for pedicle fixation has been proposed and adopted in recent years. This technique involves a mediolateral direction and a caudocephalad path to maximize screw purchase in cortical bone. Various techniques have been proposed to increase the accuracy of screw placement. Read More

Eur Spine J 2018 Nov 26. Epub 2018 Nov 26.

Orthopedics Department, Centro Hospitalar São João, Porto, Portugal.

Purpose: To describe and analyze the use of the V-rod technique described by Gillet to repair spondylolysis in both early and late postoperative periods.

Methods: Patients submitted to surgical correction of lumbar spondylolysis with a V-rod system were selected upon exclusion of adjacent disk degenerative changes and high-grade spondylolisthesis. A preoperative clinical (ODI and VAS) and radiological evaluation was performed, along with assessments on the early (clinical evaluation-up to 1 year) and late (clinical and radiological-at least 10 years) postoperative periods. Read More

J Clin Neurosci 2019 Feb 22;60:170-175. Epub 2018 Nov 22.

University of Miami Hospital, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, 1400 N.W. 12th Ave, Miami, FL 33136, United States.

Surgical treatment of high-grade spondylolisthesis and spondyloptosis is recommended in symptomatic patients, yet there exists much debate regarding the optimal surgical approach and the need for reduction. Similar to the Bohlman technique in that fixation is achieved across two vertebral endplates, we discuss a novel technique with the advantage of using bilateral threaded pedicle screws of large diameter and length instead of a single fibula allograft. Patients underwent posterior instrumented fusion without spondylolisthesis reduction using a novel technique placing pedicle screws with a transvertebral trajectory through the two end plates involved in the spondylolisthesis. Read More

Zhongguo Xiu Fu Chong Jian Wai Ke Za Zhi 2018 11;32(11):1371-1376

Department of Spine Surgery, Honghui Hospital Affiliated to Medical College of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an Shaanxi, 710054, P.R.China.

Objective: To explore the clinical application value of the spinal robot-assisted surgical system in mild to moderate lumbar spondylolisthesis and evaluate the accuracy of its implantation.

Methods: The clinical data of 56 patients with Meyerding grade Ⅰ or Ⅱ lumbar spondylolisthesis who underwent minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MIS-TLIF) between January 2017 and December 2017 were retrospectively analysed. Among them, 28 cases were preoperatively planned with robotic arm and percutaneous pedicle screw placement according to preoperative planning (group A); the other 28 cases underwent fluoroscopy-guided percutaneous pedicle screw placement (group B). Read More

World Neurosurg 2019 Feb 9;122:e1059-e1068. Epub 2018 Nov 9.

Spinal Column Biomechanics and Surgical Outcomes Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA. Electronic address:

Background: The pathogenesis of synovial cysts is largely unknown; however, they have been increasingly thought of as markers of spinal facet instability and typically associated with degenerative spondylosis. We specifically investigated the incidence of concomitant synovial cysts with underlying degenerative spondylolisthesis.

Methods: A literature search was performed using 4 online databases to assess the association between lumbar synovial cysts and degenerative spinal pathological features. Read More

World Neurosurg 2019 Feb 7;122:e1037-e1040. Epub 2018 Nov 7.

Department of Neurosurgery, Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, Arizona, USA. Electronic address:

Background: A comparative evaluation of operative costs between single-level transforaminal interbody fusion (TLIF) and stand-alone lateral transpsoas interbody fusion (LIF) has not yet been done. We analyzed the costs, operative parameters, and early outcomes of single-level stand-alone LIF versus single-level TLIF.

Methods: Ten patients who underwent single-level TLIF and 10 patients who underwent single-level stand-alone LIF were included in the analysis. Read More

World Neurosurg 2019 Feb 7;122:180-189. Epub 2018 Nov 7.

Department of Orthopedics, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China; Jiangsu Clinical Medicine Center of Tissue Engineering and Nerve Injury Repair, Nantong, Jiangsu, China. Electronic address:

Objective: To compare the clinical efficacy and safety between minimally invasive and traditional open transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion in the treatment of single-level spondylolisthesis grades 1 and 2.

Methods: This was a systematic review and meta-analysis. A comprehensive literature retrieval was performed in 3 electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane library). Read More

World Neurosurg 2019 Feb 1;122:e790-e794. Epub 2018 Nov 1.

Department of Neurosurgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Electronic address:

Objective: Lumbar spondylolisthesis can be related to facet arthropathy and disc degeneration or to a fracture of the pars interarticularis, but the mechanistic underpinnings of spondylolisthesis remain unclear. We posit that high sacral slope and body weight increase sacral inclination vector forces, which leads to pars fractures and exacerbates risk for spondylolisthesis.

Methods: To investigate this hypothesis, we measured the sacral slope, body weight, and S1 endplate vector forces for patients who underwent L5-S1 fusion for grade I spondylolisthesis. Read More

Acta Chir Orthop Traumatol Cech 2018 ;85(5):305-318

Klinika spondylochirurgie 1. lékařské fakulty Univerzity Karlovy a Fakultní nemocnice v Motole, Praha.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY An optimal technique to surgically treat high-grade high-dysplastic (HG HD)spondylolistheses remains disputable. There are multiple surgical procedures described, ranging from a simple posterior fusion in situ without fixation through a standalone anterior lumbar interbody fusion with the oblique insertion of a structural bonegraft to instrumented full reduction and 360-degree fusion. At our department, preference is given to the instrumented monosegmental reduction and fixation by a fixator with Schanz screws. Read More

Chin Med J (Engl) 2018 Nov;131(21):2537-2543

Department of Orthopedics, Army General Hospital of Chinese People's Liberation Army, Beijing 100700, China.

Background: Many clinical studies over the past decade have indicated positive outcomes for patients treated with Dynesys dynamic stabilization for lumbar degenerative disease. However, long-term outcomes of Dynesys for lumbar spinal stenosis are rarely reported. The aim of this study was to analyze the long-term clinical and radiologic outcomes for patients with lumbar spinal stenosis treated with Dynesys stabilization. Read More

World Neurosurg 2019 Feb 12;122:469-473. Epub 2018 Oct 12.

Department of Neurosurgery, St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, South Korea. Electronic address:

Objective: We sought to describe a novel technique in managing a patient with adjacent segment disease at the L5/S1 level.

Methods: We performed an endoscope-assisted anterior lumbar interbody fusion with computed tomography-guided, image-navigated unilateral cortical bone trajectory screw fixation to treat L5/S1 intervertebral disk pathology.

Results: Patient was successfully treated by a direct endoscopic decompression through the anterior access, interbody fusion using an anterior lumbar interbody fusion cage, unilateral cortical bone trajectory instrumentation under computed tomography-guided image navigation. Read More

World Neurosurg 2019 Jan 10;121:e808-e816. Epub 2018 Oct 10.

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Osaka Rosai Hospital, Sakai, Japan.

Background: Although posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) has provided satisfactory clinical outcomes, adjacent segment disease (ASD) is one of the most important complications affecting long-term results. However, according to ASD studies, few have described repeat surgery. The purpose of this study was to elucidate incidence, time period, and clinical features of multiple-repeated ASD after PLIF. Read More

J Rehabil Med 2018 Nov;50(10):898-907

Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan ROC.

Objective: To evaluate the relationships among spino-pelvic parameters, trunk balance and functional disability in patients with degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis.

Design:  Cross-sectional study.

Subjects: Forty-five patients with degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis and 32 patients without degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis. Read More

World Neurosurg 2019 Jan 5;121:e691-e699. Epub 2018 Oct 5.

Department of Neurosurgery, University of Texas South Western Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate regional variations in use of opioids after lumbar decompression and fusion surgery for patients with symptomatic lumbar stenosis or spondylolisthesis.

Methods: An insurance database, including private/commercially insured and Medicare Advantage beneficiaries, was queried for patients undergoing 1-level, 2-level, or 3-level index lumbar decompression and fusion procedures between 2007 and 2016. Research records were searchable by International Classification of Diseases diagnosis and procedure codes, and generic drug codes specific to Humana. Read More

World Neurosurg 2019 Jan 29;121:e554-e565. Epub 2018 Sep 29.

Department of Pharmacology, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Martin, Slovakia.

Objective: In lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis (DSL), the criteria and extent of surgical treatment have not been strictly defined owing to the adjacent segment disease theory and unclear molecular pathogenesis. The present study analyzed the clinical and radiographic findings of patients after lower lumbar fusion surgery with single and 2-level DSL and explored the inflammatory mediator's role in DSL evolution and symptoms.

Methods: The prospective follow-up of patients with DSL, stratified by the stabilization extent (L4-L5, L5-S1, and L4-S1), included the Back Illness Pain and Disability 9-item questionnaire and native and dynamic radiographs to evaluate the intervertebral disc height and adjacent segments' angular motion. Read More

J Clin Neurosci 2018 Sep 6;55:103-108. Epub 2018 Jul 6.

Department of Neurosurgery, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.

Midline lumbar inter-body fusion (MIDLF) surgery with cortical bone trajectory (CBT) screw insertion is a modern fusion technique for spinal surgery. The difference in entry point of this trajectory from conventional pedicle screw surgery offers the potential benefits of less soft tissue dissection and reduced blood loss, post-operative wound pain, and infection risks. Because this is a newly developed technique first announced by Santoni in 2009, most surgeons perform this surgery in a mini-open fashion and require more intra-operative fluoroscopy and ionizing radiation exposure during screw placement. Read More

World Neurosurg 2018 Dec 7;120:e1017-e1023. Epub 2018 Sep 7.

Spine Center, Department of Orthopaedics, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University No. 415, Shanghai, China.

Objective: To explore influence of reduction of slippage on radiologic parameters, clinical outcomes, and perioperative complications in treatment of grade II/III lumbar isthmic spondylolisthesis.

Methods: We divided 156 patients with grade II/III spondylolisthesis into 2 groups with preoperative balanced or unbalanced pelvis. We further divided each group into group A with postoperative grade I or less slippage and group B with persistent grade II/III slippage postoperatively. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2018 Sep;97(36):e12215

Rationale: False localizing sign means that the lesion, which is the cause of the symptom, is remote or distant from the anatomical site predicted by neurological examination. This concept contradicts the classical clinicoanatomical correlation paradigm underlying neurological examinations.

Patient Concerns: A 54-year-old man consulted for the right sciatica-like leg pain that had aggravated 1 year ago. Read More

World Neurosurg 2018 Dec 27;120:e580-e592. Epub 2018 Aug 27.

Department of Neurosurgery, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA. Electronic address:

Objective: The purpose of the present study was to assess for gender-based differences in the usage and cost of maximal nonoperative therapy before spinal fusion surgery in patients with symptomatic lumbar stenosis or spondylolisthesis.

Methods: A large insurance database was queried for patients with symptomatic lumbar stenosis or spondylolisthesis undergoing index lumbar decompression and fusion procedures from 2007 to 2016. This database consists of 20. Read More

J Clin Neurosci 2018 Nov 25;57:79-85. Epub 2018 Aug 25.

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan.

Posterior lumbar interbody fusion with cortical bone trajectory (CBT-PLIF) is a form of minimally invasive decompression and fusion, whereas microendoscopic laminotomy (MEL) is a form of minimally invasive decompression surgery. No study has compared the clinical outcomes of the two methods for patients who have degenerative spondylolisthesis (DS) with instability. In this study, CBT-PLIF and MEL were both offered to 64 patients who met the inclusion criteria. Read More

World Neurosurg 2018 Dec 24;120:e466-e471. Epub 2018 Aug 24.

Department of Neurosurgery, Lille University Hospital, Lille, France.

Objective: We assessed the contribution of a dynamic surgical guidance (DSG) probe in the accurate placement of thoracic and lumbar pedicle screws (PSs) in patients with spinal deformity.

Methods: A retrospective review was performed of 98 patients (104 procedures) with various spinal deformities, who had received posterior instrumentation with PSs inserted using either DSG or the conventional free-hand (FH) technique. A total of 882 PSs were inserted using DSG (DSG group) and 603 using the FH technique (FH group). Read More

World Neurosurg 2018 Nov 10;119:e898-e909. Epub 2018 Aug 10.

Department of Neurosurgery, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, South Korea; The Catholic Central Laboratory of Surgery (CCLS), Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, South Korea. Electronic address:

Objective: To compare the radiologic and clinical outcomes between oblique lumbar interbody fusion (OLIF) without laminectomy and minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MI-TLIF).

Methods: This was a retrospective study. Between April 2012 and January 2017, 25 patients in each of the MI-TLIF and OLIF groups were recruited as matched pairs. Read More

World Neurosurg 2018 Nov 1;119:e502-e512. Epub 2018 Aug 1.

NeuroSpine Surgery Research Group (NSURG), Prince of Wales Private Hospital, Sydney, Australia; Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, Australia; Prince of Wales Hospital Private, Sydney, Australia. Electronic address:

Objective: To assess the validity of the proposed NeuroSpine Surgery Research Group Classification System through a retrospective analysis of patients treated surgically for lumbar facet joint cysts at a single institution.

Methods: In a cohort of 166 patients, sagittal T2-weighted magnetic resonance images were used to measure degree of spondylolisthesis, whereas axial T2-weighted magnetic resonance images were used to determine the percentage of vertebral canal occupied by the cyst. Grading was performed by 2 observers. Read More

World Neurosurg 2018 Dec 30;120:e88-e93. Epub 2018 Jul 30.

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Affiliated Xinqiao Hospital, The Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China. Electronic address:

Objective: To characterize the learning curve for a single surgeon during his initial phases of performing minimally invasive surgery oblique lumbar interbody fusion.

Methods: This was a prospective analysis of 49 consecutive patients who underwent a single-level minimally invasive surgery oblique lumbar interbody fusion performed by a single surgeon. Patients were divided into group A (first 24 patients) and group B (25 patients after initial 24 patients). Read More

J Neurol Surg A Cent Eur Neurosurg 2018 Nov 30;79(6):479-485. Epub 2018 Jul 30.

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan.

Background And Study Aims:  Spinopelvic sagittal balance is important in managing lumbar diseases. We evaluated the change in spinal sagittal alignment after microendoscopic laminotomy in patients with low-grade degenerative spondylolisthesis (DS).

Material And Methods:  We retrospectively reviewed the records of 87 patients who underwent microendoscopic laminotomy. Read More

J Orthop Sci 2018 Nov 25;23(6):902-907. Epub 2018 Jul 25.

Department of Spine Surgery, The General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, No. 804, Shengli Road, Yinchuan 750004, China. Electronic address:

Background: Degenerative spondylolisthesis (DS) and lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) are the most common degenerative spinal diseases. The evaluating of spinopelvic sagittal alignment of the two diseases using pelvic radius (PR) technique have not been reported. The purpose of this study was to use PR measurement technique to compare the differences in spinopelvic sagittal alignment between DS and LSS. Read More

World Neurosurg 2018 Oct 19;118:243-245. Epub 2018 Jul 19.

Neurosurgical Department, Hannover Nordstadt Hospital (affiliated to the Hannover Medical School), Hannover, Germany. Electronic address:

J Neurol Surg A Cent Eur Neurosurg 2018 Sep 16;79(5):358-364. Epub 2018 Jul 16.

NESMOS Department, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.

Background:  Lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) and low-grade degenerative spondylolisthesis are frequently associated with facet joint degeneration, considered the main cause of low back pain. Surgery is the treatment of choice in patients affected by LSS unresponsive to conservative treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical and radiologic outcome of patients treated with posterior decompression and transfacet fixation for single-level LSS and facet joint degeneration. Read More

Orthopedics 2018 Sep 16;41(5):e655-e662. Epub 2018 Jul 16.

Fusion outcomes and costs of stand-alone anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF), transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) in association with posterior fusion, and anterior/posterior (A/P) fusion were compared using clinical, radiographic, and billing data. Adult patients with symptomatic 1- or 2-level degenerative disk disease in isolation or in association with a grade 1 or 2 degenerative or lytic spondylolisthesis and canal and/or foraminal stenosis who underwent elective stand-alone ALIF, TLIF, or A/P fusion were compared. The analysis focused primarily on fusion rates and costs and secondarily on radiographic and clinical parameters. Read More

Eur J Clin Invest 2018 Sep 13;48(9):e12991. Epub 2018 Jul 13.

AP-HP, Service de Rhumatologie, Hôpital Bichat-Claude Bernard, Paris, France.

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the prevalence of lumbar spondylolisthesis (SPL) in patients suffering from low back pain (LBP) with or without rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to identify potential factors associated with SPL in patients with RA.

Methods: We performed a case-control study. Cases and control patients had chronic LBP (more than 4 weeks). Read More

World Neurosurg 2018 Sep 22;117:321-325. Epub 2018 Jun 22.

Department of Neurosurgery, Rhode Island Hospital, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.

Background: Lateral subluxation of the vertebra is commonly seen in degenerative lumbar scoliosis. Transforaminal endoscopic spine surgery is an emerging technique in spine surgery but has never been described as a treatment option for lumbar radiculopathy in the setting of lateral lumbar spondylolisthesis.

Methods: A technique for endoscopic treatment of lumbar disc herniation in the setting of lateral spondylolisthesis is presented. Read More