BACKGROUND: Lateral mass screw fixation is the standard for posterior cervical fusion between C3 and C6. Traditional trajectories stabilize but carry risks, including nerve root and vertebral artery injuries. Minimally invasive spine surgery (MISS) is gaining popularity, but trajectories present anatomical challenges.
OBJECTIVE: This study proposes a novel pars interarticularis screw trajectory to address these issues and enhance in-line instrumentation with cervical pedicle screws.
METHODS: A retrospective analysis of reformatted cervical CT scans included 10 patients. Measurements of the pars interarticularis morphology were performed on 80 segments (C3-C6). Two pars interarticularis screw trajectories were evaluated: Trajectory A (upper outer quadrant entry, horizontal trajectory) and Trajectory B (lower outer quadrant entry, cranially pointed trajectory). These were compared to standard lateral mass and cervical pedicle screw trajectories, assessing screw lengths, angles, and potential risks to the spinal canal and transverse foramen.
RESULTS: Trajectory B showed significantly longer pars lengths (15.69 ± 0.65 mm) compared to Trajectory A (12.51 ± 0.24 mm; p < 0.01). Lateral mass screw lengths were comparable to pars interarticularis screw lengths using Trajectory B. Both trajectories provided safe angular ranges, minimizing the risk to delicate structures.
CONCLUSIONS: and Conclusion. Pars interarticularis screws offer a viable alternative to lateral mass screws for posterior cervical fusion, especially in MISS contexts. Trajectory B, in particular, presents a feasible and safe alternative, reducing the risk of vertebral artery and spinal cord injury. Preoperative assessment and intraoperative technologies are essential for successful implementation. Biomechanical validation is needed before clinical application.

OBJECTIVE: To present our experience in the surgical management of completely extradural dumbbell spinal schwannomas with a new surgical strategy.
METHODS: This study is a case series of patients treated at the Neurosurgery Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, between January 2018 and June 2021.
RESULTS: 24 patients met the inclusion criteria, with cervical and lumbar spines being the most frequent locations. All patients underwent surgical treatment. Total gross resection was accomplished in all patients. Two cases had numbness and no case exhibited motor deficit. There was no postoperative CSF leakage or wound infection.
CONCLUSIONS: Based on a limited number of observations, we conclude that our technique was feasible and effective for the treatment of extradural dumbbell spinal schwannomas.
BACKGROUND: http://www.chictr.org.cn/ , No. ChiCTR2400086171.

Although anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) is one of the most frequently performed spinal surgeries, there is no consensus regarding the necessity of prescribing a cervical brace after surgery. This study aimed to investigate any difference in radiological and clinical outcomes when wearing or not wearing cervical braces after single- or double-level ACDF. We examined 2 cohorts of patients who underwent single- or double-level ACDF surgery with and without a cervical brace: patients who underwent ACDF between March 2018 and December 2019 received a cervical brace, while patients who underwent ACDF between January 2020 and May 2021 did not. Each patient was evaluated radiologically and functionally using plain X-ray, modified Japanese Orthopedic Association score, and visual analog scale for neck and arm until 12 months after surgery. Fusion rate, subsidence, and postoperative complications were also evaluated. Eighty-three patients were included in the analysis: 38 were braced and 45 were not. The demographic characteristics and baseline outcome measures of both groups were similar. There was no statistically significant difference in any of the clinical measures at baseline. The modified Japanese Orthopedic Association score and visual analog scale for neck and arm were similar in both groups at all time intervals and showed statistically significant improvement when compared with preoperative scores. In addition, fusion rate, subsidence, and postoperative complications were similar in both groups. Our results suggest that the use of cervical braces does not improve the clinical outcomes of individuals undergoing single- or double-level ACDF.

BACKGROUND: Poor neurological recovery in patients after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion has been frequently reported; however, no study has analyzed the preoperative imaging characteristics of patients to investigate the factors affecting surgical prognosis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors that affect the preoperative imaging characteristics of patients and their influence on poor neurologic recovery after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion.
METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 89 patients who met the criteria for anterior cervical discectomy and fusion for the treatment of single-level cervical spondylotic myelopathy and evaluated the patients\' neurological recovery based on the recovery rate of the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) scores at the time of the final follow-up visit. Patients were categorized into the \"good\" and \"poor\" groups based on the JOA recovery rates of ≥ 50% and < 50%, respectively. Clinical information (age, gender, body mass index, duration of symptoms, preoperative JOA score, and JOA score at the final follow-up) and imaging characteristics (cervical kyphosis, cervical instability, ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL), calcification of herniated intervertebral discs, increased signal intensity (ISI) of the spinal cord on T2-weighted imaging (T2WI), and degree of degeneration of the discs adjacent to the fused levels (cranial and caudal) were collected from the patients. Univariate and binary logistic regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors for poor neurologic recovery.
RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 52.56 ± 11.18 years, and the mean follow-up was 26.89 ± 11.14 months. Twenty patients (22.5%) had poor neurological recovery. Univariate analysis showed that significant predictors of poor neurological recovery were age (p = 0.019), concomitant OPLL (p = 0.019), concomitant calcification of herniated intervertebral discs (p = 0.019), ISI of the spinal cord on T2WI (p <0.05), a high grade of degeneration of the discs of the cranial neighboring levels (p <0.05), and a high grade of discs of the caudal neighboring levels (p <0.05). Binary logistic regression analysis showed that ISI of the spinal cord on T2WI (p = 0.001 OR = 24.947) and high degree of degeneration of adjacent discs on the cranial side (p = 0.040 OR = 6.260) were independent risk factors for poor neurological prognosis.
CONCLUSIONS: ISI of the spinal cord on T2WI and high degree of cranial adjacent disc degeneration are independent risk factors for poor neurological recovery after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion. A comprehensive analysis of the patients\' preoperative imaging characteristics can help in the development of surgical protocols and the management of patients\' surgical expectations.

UNASSIGNED: To investigate the relationship between degeneration of cervical intervertebral disc and degeneration of paravertebral muscles[multifidus (MF), cervical semispinalis (SCer), semispinalis capitis (SCap) and splenius capitis (SPL)].
UNASSIGNED: 82 patients with chronic neck pain were randomly selected, including 43 males and 39 females, with 50.73 0.7.51 years old. All patients were scanned by 3.0T MRI Philips Ingenia performed conventional MRI sequence scanning and fat measurement sequence mDIXON-Quant scanning of cervical. Fat infiltration (FI) and cross-sectional area (CSA) of cervical paravertebral muscle (MF, SCer, SCap and SPL) at central level of C5-6 disc were measured by Philips 3.0T MRI image post-processing workstation. According to Pfirrmann grading system, there was no grade I in the included cases. The number of grade IIr IV cases were n=16, 40, 19 and 7 respectively. CSA and FI of cervical paravertebral muscles were compared with t test or one-way ANOVA, Spearman correlation analysis was used to evaluate the correlation between age, disc degeneration, and CSA, FI of cervical paravertebral muscles, and multiple linear regression analysis was used to analyze the independent influencing factors of CSA and FI.
UNASSIGNED: CSA of cervical paravertebral muscles in male patients was significantly higher than that in female patients (all P<0.001), but there was no significant difference in FI (all P>0.05). Age was weakly correlated with CSA of MF+SCer, moderately correlated with CSA of SCap and SPL (r=-0.256, -0.355 and -0.361, P<0.05), weakly correlated with FI of SCap and SPL (r= 0.182 and 0.264, P<0.001), moderately correlated with FI of MF+SCer (r=0.408, P<0.001). There were significant differences in FI with disc degeneration (P<0.001, P=0.028 and P=0.005). Further correlation analysis showed that disc degeneration was strongly correlated with FI of MF+SCer (r=0.629, P<0.001), and moderately correlated with FI of SCap and SPL (r=0.363, P=0.001; r=0.345, P=0.002). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that sex and age were the influencing factors of CSA of SCap and SPL, sex was the independent influencing factor of CSA of MF+SCer, and disc degeneration was the independent influencing factor of FI.
UNASSIGNED: Age is negatively correlated with CSA and positively correlated with FI. Disc degeneration was correlated with FI of paravertebral muscles, especially with FI of MF and SCer. Sex and age were the influencing factors of CSA, while disc degeneration was the independent influencing factor of FI.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to compare radiological and clinical outcomes between alternate levels (C4 and C6) and all levels mini-plate fixation in C3-6 unilateral open-door laminoplasty.
METHODS: Ninety-six patients who underwent C3-6 unilateral open-door laminoplasty with alternate levels mini-plate fixation (54 patients in group A) or all levels mini-plate fixation (42 patients in group B) between September 2014 and September 2019 were reviewed in this study. Radiologic and clinical outcomes were assessed. Clinical results included Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) of axial neck pain and Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score. Radiographic results included cervical range of motion (ROM), cervical curvature index (CCI), and the spinal canal expansive parameters including open angle, anteroposterior diameter (APD), and Pavlov`s ratio.
RESULTS: There was no significant difference in VAS, JOA score, ROM, and CCI between two groups. There was no significant difference in canal expansion postoperatively between two groups. However, open angle, APD, and Pavlov`s ratio in group A decreased significantly during the follow-up. In group B, APD, Pavlov`s ratio, and open angle were maintained until the final follow-up. There was no hardware failure or lamina reclosure occurred in both groups during the follow-up. The mean cost of group B was higher than that of group A.
CONCLUSIONS: Despite the differences in the maintenance of canal expansion, alternate levels mini-plate fixation can achieve similar clinical outcomes as all levels mini-plate fixation in C3-6 unilateral open-door laminoplasty. As evidenced in this study, we believe C3-6 laminoplasty with alternate levels (C4 and C6) mini-plate fixation is an economical, effective, and safe treatment method.

BACKGROUND: Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion (ACDF) and Anterior Cervical Corpectomy and Fusion (ACCF) are both common surgical procedures in the management of pathologies of the subaxial cervical spine. While recent reviews have demonstrated ACCF to provide better decompression results compared to ACDF, the procedure has been associated with increased surgical risks. Nonetheless, the use of ACCF in a traumatic context has been poorly described. The aim of this study was to assess the safety of ACCF as compared to the more commonly performed ACDF.
METHODS: All patients undergoing ACCF or ACDF for subaxial cervical spine injuries spanning over 2 disc-spaces and 3 vertebral-levels, between 2006 and 2018, at the study center, were eligible for inclusion. Patients were matched based on age and preoperative ASIA score.
RESULTS: After matching, 60 patients were included in the matched analysis, where 30 underwent ACDF and ACCF, respectively. Vertebral body injury was significantly more common in the ACCF group (p = 0.002), while traumatic disc rupture was more frequent in the ACDF group (p = 0.032). There were no statistically significant differences in the rates of surgical complications, including implant failure, wound infection, dysphagia, CSF leakage between the groups (p ≥ 0.05). The rates of revision surgeries (p > 0.999), mortality (p = 0.222), and long-term ASIA scores (p = 0.081) were also similar.
CONCLUSIONS: Results of both unmatched and matched analyses indicate that ACCF has comparable outcomes and no additional risks compared to ACDF. It is thus a safe approach and should be considered for patients with extensive anterior column injury.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate C2 muscle preservation effect and the radiological and clinical outcomes after C2 recapping laminoplasty.
METHODS: Fourteen consecutive patients who underwent C2 recapping laminoplasty around C1-2 level were enrolled. To evaluate muscle preservation effect, the authors conducted a morphological measurement of extensor muscles between the operated and nonoperated side. Two surgeons measured the cross-sectional area (CSA) of obliquus capitis inferior (OCI) and semispinalis cervicis (SSC) muscle before and after surgery to determine atrophy rates (ARs). Additionally, we examined range of motion (ROM), sagittal vertical axis (SVA), neck visual analogue scale (VAS), Neck Disability Index (NDI), and Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score to assess potential changes in alignment and consequent clinical outcomes following posterior cervical surgery.
RESULTS: We measured the CSA of OCI and SSC before surgery, and at 6 and 12 months postoperatively. Based on these measurements, the AR of the nonoperated SSC was 0.1% ± 8.5%, the AR of the operated OCI was 2.0% ± 7.2%, and the AR of the nonoperated OCI was -0.7% ± 5.1% at the 12 months after surgery. However, the AR of the operated side\'s SSC was 11.2% ± 12.5%, which is a relatively higher value than other measurements. Despite the atrophic change of SSC on the operated side, there were no prominent changes observed in SVA, C0-2 ROM, and C2-7 ROM between preoperative and 12 months postoperative measurements, which were 11.8 ± 10.9 mm, 16.3° ± 5.9°, and 48.7° ± 7.7° preoperatively, and 14.1 ± 11.6 mm, 16.1° ± 7.2°, and 44.0° ± 10.3° at 12 months postoperative, respectively. Improvement was also noted in VAS, NDI, and JOA scores after surgery with JOA recovery rate of 77.3% ± 29.6%.
CONCLUSIONS: C2 recapping laminoplasty could be a useful tool for addressing pathologies around the upper cervical spine, potentially mitigating muscle atrophy and reducing postoperative neck pain, while maintaining sagittal alignment and ROM.

UNASSIGNED: Cervical epidural block (CEB) is an effective intervention for managing cervical radicular pain. This study aimed to investigate the current status of performing CEB in South Korea.
UNASSIGNED: Pain physicians affiliated with the Korean Pain Society were asked to complete anonymous questionnaires regarding CEB between September and October 2022. The questionnaire consisted of 24 questions assessing the current status and methods of CEB in detail.
UNASSIGNED: Of the 198 surveys collected, 171 physicians (86.4%) reported performing CEB. Among those, the majority (94.7%) used fluoroscopy during the procedure. The paramedian interlaminar (IL) approach was the most preferred method (50.3%). Respondents performing fluoroscopic-guided IL CEB were categorized into two groups based on clinical experience: those with ≤10 years of experience (≤10-year group, n = 91) and those with >10 years of experience (>10-year group, n = 71). The proportion of physicians obtaining informed consent in the ≤10-year group and >10-year group was 50.5% and 56.3%, respectively. When entering the epidural space during IL CEB, the contralateral oblique view was the second most frequently used in both groups (≤10-year group, 42.9%; >10-year group, 29.6%). In targeting the upper cervical lesions (C3-4), the proportion of respondents who used an IL space higher than C6-7 was 17.6% in the ≤10-year group and 29.5% in the >10-year experience group.
UNASSIGNED: This study demonstrated variability in the CEB technique used by pain physicians in South Korea. The findings highlight the need for education on informed consent and techniques to enhance safety.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of cervical spinal brucellosis is low, only a few case reports have been published, and case series are not widely reported in the medical literature. Therefore, clinical features, management, and outcomes of cervical spinal brucellosis are relatively unknown. In this series, the authors report 15 cases of patients with cervical spinal brucellosis, including clinical characteristic, imaging findings, management plans, the institution\'s experience, and outcomes at 1 year postoperatively.
METHODS: The study reviewed the clinical and radiographic records of 15 patients who received antimicrobial pharmacotherapy, and anterior cervical debridement and fusion for cervical spinal brucellosis. The data collected included patient demographic characteristics, spinal level affected, abscess, neurology, pathological reports, duration and type of antimicrobial regimens, details of orthopedic management, and complications incurred during the procedure.
RESULTS: Neck pain (100%) and limb paralysis (86.7%) were the most common clinical presentations, and the disease had a rapid progression. The C6-7 segment was the most commonly affected segment, followed by C4-5 and C5-6. Imaging commonly revealed epidural or paravertebral abscesses (80%). There was a significant improvement in the VAS, JOA, and NDI scores three months after surgery, and the scores continued to improve until the final follow-up. There was a statistically significant difference between the pre- and postoperative scores (P < 0.05). The ESR and CRP levels returned to normal within three months postoperatively, being 7.7 ± 4.5 mm/h and 7.55 ± 3.48 mg/L, respectively. There were statistically significant differences between the pre- and postoperative levels (P < 0.05). The positive rate of bacterial culture testing of pus or lesion tissues was only 40%, but blood cultures revealed an even lower positivity rate (33.3%). The average antimicrobial pharmacotherapy regimen duration was 6.1 ± 1.9 months. All patients achieved intervertebral bone fusion within 8 months (4.8 ± 1.4 months) after surgery and were cured with non-recurrence.
CONCLUSIONS: Spinal brucellosis rarely affects the cervical region, but its impact is more dangerous due to potential complications such as paraplegia or tetraplegia arising from epidural abscesses that compress the spinal cord. Surgical debridement, along with essential antimicrobial therapy, is an effective strategy and can lead to satisfactory prognosis in managing cervical spinal brucellosis.