BACKGROUND: How to quickly read and interpret intraoperative ultrasound (IOUS) images of patients with degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) to obtain meaningful information? Few studies have systematically explored this topic.
OBJECTIVE: To systematically and comprehensively explore the IOUS characteristics of patients with DCM.
METHODS: This single-center study retrospectively included patients with DCM who underwent French-door laminoplasty (FDL) with IOUS guidance from October 2019 to March 2022. One-way ANOVA and Pearson\'s /Spearman\'s correlation analysis were used to analyze the correlations between the cross-sectional area of the spinal cord (SC) and individual characteristics; the relationships between the morphology, echogenicity, pulsation, decompression statuses, compression types of SC, location of the spinal cord central echo complex (SCCEC) and the disease severity (the preoperative Japanese Orthopedic Association score, preJOA score); the difference of the spinal cord pulsation amplitude(SCPA) and the SCCEC forward movement rate (FMR) between the compressed areas(CAs) and the non-compressed areas (NCAs).
RESULTS: A total of 38 patients were successfully enrolled (30 males and 8 females), and the mean age was 57.05 ± 10.29 (27-75) years. The cross-sectional area of the SC was negatively correlated with age (r = - 0.441, p = 0.006). The preJOA score was significantly lower in the heterogeneous group than in the homogeneous group (P < 0.05, p = 0.005). The hyperechoic area (HEA) was negatively while the SCCEC FMR was positively correlated with the preJOA score (r = - 0.334, p = 0.020; r = 0.286, p = 0.041). The SCCEC FMR and SCPA in CAs were significantly greater than those in NCAs (p < 0.05, p = 0.007; P < 0.001, P = 0.000).
CONCLUSIONS: The cross-sectional area of the SC decreases with age in adults. More changes in intramedullary echogenicity and less moving forward of the SCCEC often indicate poor SC status, and the SCCEC FMR and SCPA are more pronounced in CAs.

Atherosclerotic disease in the vessels that supply the cervical spine may lead to degenerative disease. In angina pectoris (AP), atherosclerotic disease leads to coronary vessel occlusion and resulting symptoms. This study aims to determine the relationship between AP and neck pain. Analysis was focused on respondents who had a history of cervical pain disorders, adjusting for demographic, education, and mental health confounders. A total of 30,461 participated in the survey. Of 1,049 respondents, 21% reported neck pain. Mean age of the respondents was 62.6 ± 16.1 years. Nonwhite race, current everyday smokers, lower family income, hypertension, and diabetes had higher prevalence of neck pain (p < 0.05). On multivariate analysis, AP was associated with increased odds of neck pain (odds ratio [OR] = 1.42 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.04 to 1.92], p = 0.026). AP was independently associated with 42% increased odds of having neck pain. Further study into the association of cardiovascular disease with degenerative disc disease pain should be performed. (Journal of Surgical Orthopaedic Advances 33(2):093-096, 2024).

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.

Cervical artificial disc replacement preserves the range of motion after the decompression, and this technology has achieved good clinical results. The indications, surgical procedures, and perioperative management of cervical disc arthroplasty are different from traditional anterior cervical decompression and fusion. The Health Management and Enhanced Recovery of Cervical Spine Disorders Committee, Chinese Research Hospital Association has established an expert group to draw up this expert consensus through literature analysis and professional discussions. The purpose of this consensus is to standardize the surgical indications and patient selection of cervical artificial disc replacement, to guide surgical procedures and perioperative management, and to improve the clinical outcomes of cervical artificial disc replacement.
颈椎人工椎间盘置换术在减压的同时保留了手术节段的活动度，该项技术可取得较好的临床效果。颈椎人工椎间盘置换术的适应证、手术操作和围手术期管理均不同于传统的前路减压固定融合术。中国研究型医院学会颈椎疾病健康管理与加速康复专业委员会组建专家组，结合文献分析和专家组反复讨论，形成本共识，旨在规范颈椎人工椎间盘置换术的手术适应证和病例选择、指导手术操作和围手术期管理，以提高颈椎人工椎间盘置换术的临床疗效，供业界同仁参考。.

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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.

The cranial cervical vertebral column carries a unique range of mobility with the addition of dorsal and ventral flexion and rotation. The denticulate ligaments provides support and protection of the spinal cord, but little is known of the adaption of this apparatus at the cranial cervical portion of the spinal cord. We present in this publication a new pair of ligaments in dogs that supports the spinal cord inside the vertebral canal at the level of the C1-C2 spinal segments.

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.