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New Advances in Spine Surgery

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A special issue of Life (ISSN 2075-1729). This special issue belongs to the section "Medical Research".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 October 2023) | Viewed by 8054

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Giorgio Lofrese

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Ospedale “M. Bufalini”—AUSL Romagna, Cesena, Italy
Interests: spine surgery; neurosurgery; neurotraumatology; craniocervical junction; degenerative and traumatic spinal diseases; skull base; neuro-oncology

Dr. Luca Ricciardi

E-Mail Website
Co-Guest Editor

Department of Neuroscience, Mental Health and Sense Organs (NESMOS), Sant’Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, 00189 Rome, Italy
Interests: spine surgery; spinal surgery; spinal cord injury; microneurosurgery; neuroanatomy; brain injury; traumatic brain injury; glioma; spine
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Enrico Gallazzi

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Co-Guest Editor

Spine Surgery Division, ASST Gaetano Pini—CTO, Milano, Italy
Interests: spinal deformities; spinal tumors; degenerative thoracolumbar disease

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, innovations in spine surgery have suffered from relative under-representation in the literature due to the overwhelming attention paid to the pandemic implications in spinal diseases and to the large number of AI studies published. However, the development and improvement of surgical techniques, new technologies applied to spinal surgery, and innovative methods of clinical and radiological evaluation have not stopped. Spinal surgery today benefits from innovations that, over time, are significantly changing surgical planning, minimally invasive procedures and the safety and the reliability of clinical and radiological evaluation, with increasingly accurate predictive models.

Our goal is to identify the most significant advancements in spine surgery based on their impact on clinical and radiological outcome, focusing not only on the new techniques and devices adopted, but also on imaging, neurophysiology and software implementations supporting both surgical planning and patient’s assessment, thus advocating for tailored treatment strategies while improving safety and effectiveness.

The aims of this Special Issue are: to identify how multidisciplinary collaborations and technologic implementations have reduced invasiveness and complications of complex spinal procedures; to assess the role of robotic devices, exoscopes and endoscopes in minimally invasive spine surgery; to investigate how software imaging programs, functional radiological studies and 3D technologies lead to safer surgery; and to identify diagnostic methods, software, applications and prediction models that can help in circumscribing the target of treatment when facing multilevel spinal diseases. Review articles and meta-analyses on the most recent surgical techniques, preoperative strategies for surgical planning and intraoperative devices for assisting, guiding and monitoring are especially welcome. We also encourage the submission of studies evaluating the contribution of the latest surgical techniques and devices in the treatment of patients whose spinal disorders or general clinical conditions made them previously ineligible for any surgical treatment.

Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

Minimally invasive spine surgery;
Functional monitoring in spinal procedures;
Imaging of the spine and software imaging tools for surgical planning;
Prediction models of surgical outcome;
Targeted treatments in spine surgery;
Safety strategies for complex spinal procedures.

Submitted studies can be focused on degenerative spine disorders, spinal deformities, spinal primary and secondary tumors or trauma.

Dr. Giorgio Lofrese
Dr. Luca Ricciardi
Dr. Enrico Gallazzi
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Life is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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12 pages, 467 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Synergistic Benefits of Motor Control Exercises and Balance Training in Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction: A Randomized Controlled Trial

by Raee Saeed Alqhtani, Hashim Ahmed, Adel Alshahrani, Abdullah Mohammed Alyami, Abdur Raheem Khan and Ashfaque Khan

Life 2023, 13(12), 2258; https://doi.org/10.3390/life13122258 - 27 Nov 2023

Viewed by 1316

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Chronic low back pain, frequently attributed to Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction (SIJD), remains a prevalent concern in orthopedic and physiotherapy arenas. Despite the recognition of motor control exercises (MCEs) and balance training (BT) as potential rehabilitative measures, studies elucidating their combined efficiency for SIJD are scarce. This research study aimed to ascertain the combined and individual efficacies of MCE and BT in alleviating SIJD symptoms. Methods: A double-blinded randomized controlled trial was conducted, enrolling 120 SIJD-diagnosed patients aged 30–60 years. Participants were randomly allocated into four groups: MCEs alone, BT alone, combined MCEs and BT, and a control group receiving usual care. Interventions spanned 12 weeks, with evaluations at the start and end and a 24-week follow-up. Primary outcomes encompass pain intensity (assessed via Visual Analog Scale), functional disability (utilizing the Oswestry Disability Index), and life quality (using the Short Form-36). Results: Post a 12-week intervention, participants receiving combined MCE and BT demonstrated substantial improvements in VAS (Median: 3.5, IQR: 2–5; p = 0.0035), ODI (Median: 15%, IQR: 10–20%; p = 0.0035), and SF-36 scores (Median: 70, IQR: 65–75; p = 0.0035) compared to baseline. In contrast, standalone MCE or BT and control groups exhibited lesser efficacy. By the 24-week follow-up, the combined group maintained their gains, outperforming the other groups. The research tools employed showed high reliability with Cronbach’s alpha >0.85. Conclusions: Our findings underscore the superior efficacy of integrating motor control exercises (MCEs) and balance training (BT) for Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction (SIJD)-related chronic low back pain. This combined approach promises enhanced patient outcomes, highlighting its potential as a primary strategy in SIJD management. Future studies should further explore its long-term benefits and integration with other therapeutic modalities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Advances in Spine Surgery)

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10 pages, 659 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Two-Level Corpectomy and Fusion vs. Three-Level Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion without Plating: Long-Term Clinical and Radiological Outcomes in a Multicentric Retrospective Analysis

by Giorgio Lofrese, Sokol Trungu, Alba Scerrati, Pasquale De Bonis, Francesco Cultrera, Lorenzo Mongardi, Nicola Montemurro, Amedeo Piazza, Massimo Miscusi, Luigino Tosatto, Antonino Raco and Luca Ricciardi

Life 2023, 13(7), 1564; https://doi.org/10.3390/life13071564 - 14 Jul 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1101

Abstract

Background: Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) and anterior cervical corpectomy and fusion (ACCF) represent effective alternatives in the management of multilevel cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM). A consensus on which of these techniques should be used is still missing. Methods: The databases of three centers were reviewed (January 2011–December 2018) for patients with three-level CSM, who underwent three-level ACDF without plating or two-level ACCF with expandable cage (VBRC) or mesh (VBRM). Demographic data, surgical strategy, complications, and implant failure were analyzed. The Neck Disability Index (NDI), the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and the cervical lordosis were compared between the two techniques at 3 and 12 months. Logistic regression analyses investigated independent factors influencing clinical and radiological outcomes. Results: Twenty-one and twenty-two patients were included in the ACDF and ACCF groups, respectively. The median follow-up was 18 months. ACDFs were associated with better clinical outcomes at 12 months (NDI: 8.3% vs. 19.3%, p < 0.001; VAS: 1.3 vs. 2.6, p = 0.004), but with an increased risk of loss of lordosis correction ≥ 1° (OR = 4.5; p = 0.05). A higher complication rate in the ACDF group (33.3% vs. 9.1%; p = 0.05) was recorded, but it negatively influenced only short-term clinical outcomes. ACCFs with VBRC were associated with a higher risk of major complications but ensured better 12-month lordosis correction (p = 0.002). No significant differences in intraoperative blood loss were noted. Conclusions: Three-level ACDF without plating was associated with better clinical outcomes than two-level ACCF despite worse losses in lordosis correction, which is ideal for fragile patients without retrovertebral compressions. In multilevel CSM, the relationship between the degree of lordosis correction and clinical outcome advantages still needs to be investigated. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Advances in Spine Surgery)

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10 pages, 1458 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Is Advanced Age a Factor That Influences the Clinical Outcome of Single- or Double-Level MIS-TLIF? A Single-Center Study with a Minimum Two-Year Follow-Up on 103 Consecutive Cases

by Daniele Bongetta, Camilla de Laurentis, Raffaele Bruno, Alessandro Versace, Elena Virginia Colombo, Carlo Giorgio Giussani and Roberto Assietti

Life 2023, 13(6), 1401; https://doi.org/10.3390/life13061401 - 16 Jun 2023

Viewed by 822

Abstract

As life expectancy rises, more elderly people undergo spinal fusion surgery to treat lumbar degenerative diseases. The MIS-TLIF technique, which minimizes soft tissue manipulation, is a promising fusion technique for frailer patients. The aim of this study was to investigate if older age is a significant factor in the clinical outcome of single- or double-level MIS-TLIF. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 103 consecutive patients. Data were compared between younger (<65 y.o.) and older (≥65 y.o.) patients. We observed no significant differences between baseline characteristics of the two groups apart from the frequency of disk space treated, with a relative predominance of L3-L4 space treated in the elderly (10% vs. 28%, p = 0.01) and L5-S1 space in younger patients (36% vs. 5%, p = 0.006). There was no significant difference in complication rate, surgical satisfaction, EQ 5D-5L, or Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) global or specific scores, with the exception of the EQ 5D-5L “mobility” score, where older patients fared worse (1.8 ± 1.1 vs. 2.3 ± 1.4; p = 0.05). The minimal invasiveness of the surgical technique, age-related specific outcome expectations, and biomechanical issues are all potential factors influencing the lack of age group differences in outcome scores. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Advances in Spine Surgery)

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13 pages, 3615 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Association between Age, Sex and Cervical Spine Sagittal Plane Motion: A Descriptive and Correlational Study in Healthy Volunteers

by Carlos Antonio Zárate-Tejero, Pere Ramón Rodríguez-Rubio, Lindsay Brandt, John Krauss, Mar Hernández-Secorún, Orosia Lucha-López and César Hidalgo-García

Life 2023, 13(2), 461; https://doi.org/10.3390/life13020461 - 7 Feb 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1393

Abstract

Active motion examination of patients with cervical spine-related pathologies is necessary to establish baseline function, set physical therapy goals, and choose interventions. This study investigated the sagittal plane active range of motion (ROM) of the global (GCS) and upper cervical spine (UCS) in relation to age and sex in healthy volunteers. One hundred twenty-two volunteers aged 18 to 75 years participated. Volunteers were excluded if they displayed any characteristic that could affect cervical spine ROM. GCS and UCS flexion and extension were each measured three times using a CROM device. Linear regression models (LRMs) were developed to explore the relationships between age and sex and GCS and UCS ROM. The LRM for age showed a decrease in GCS flexion (−2.01°), GCS extension (−3.33°), and UCS extension (−1.87°) for every decade of increasing age. The LRM for sex showed that men displayed less ROM than women in GCS extension (−6.52°) and UCS extension (−2.43°). These results suggest an age-related loss of sagittal plane GCS ROM and UCS extension ROM, and sex-related differences in GCS and UCS extension with women having greater motion than men. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Advances in Spine Surgery)

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Review

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0 pages, 1083 KiB

Open AccessReview

Emerging Technologies within Spine Surgery

by David Foley, Pierce Hardacker and Michael McCarthy

Life 2023, 13(10), 2028; https://doi.org/10.3390/life13102028 - 9 Oct 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2602 | Correction

Abstract

New innovations within spine surgery continue to propel the field forward. These technologies improve surgeons’ understanding of their patients and allow them to optimize treatment planning both in the operating room and clinic. Additionally, changes in the implants and surgeon practice habits continue to evolve secondary to emerging biomaterials and device design. With ongoing advancements, patients can expect enhanced preoperative decision-making, improved patient outcomes, and better intraoperative execution. Additionally, these changes may decrease many of the most common complications following spine surgery in order to reduce morbidity, mortality, and the need for reoperation. This article reviews some of these technological advancements and how they are projected to impact the field. As the field continues to advance, it is vital that practitioners remain knowledgeable of these changes in order to provide the most effective treatment possible. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Advances in Spine Surgery)

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