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Aim: In this study, our aim was to examine if matrix metalloproteinase expressions (MMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-3) in patients operated with a lumbar disc hernia diagnosis are different in terms of clinical and neuroradiological findings., Material and Methods: The study included 80 patients treated with micro discectomy for lumbar disc hernia. Degeneration was scored via magnetic resonance (MR) images. MMP-1, MMP-2, and MMP-3 antibodies were used for immunohistochemical evaluation of degenerated disc materials. MMP expressions were compared between primary and recurrent cases, and correlation analysis was conducted., Results: Discectomy material showed higher expression of MMP-1 and MMP-3 in cases of recurrent lumbar disc herniation than in primary herniation. There was no significant relationship between MMP expression and MR degeneration score., Conclusion: MMP-1 and MMP-3 expressions were significantly higher in recurrent cases in terms of magnetic resonance degeneration score. We assume that the higher co-expression of MMP-1 and MMP-3 might be used in targeted treatment regiemens in patients with recurrent LDH.

Object: In most cases of lumbar disc herniation, the primary problem is usually limited to radicular pain due to nerve compression on the herniated side, which is generally limited to the side of operation. The aim of this study was to reevaluate the side of the surgical approach in a selected group of patients with leg pain and contralateral lumbar disc herniation., Methods: Included in this study were a total of 5 patients with lumbar disc herniations who presented with contralateral symptoms and neurological signs. In all cases, patients underwent a microdiscectomy from the side ipsilateral to the herniated lumbar disc, the side contralateral to the motor deficits and leg pain., Results: The symptoms and signs, to some extent, resolved during the immediate postoperative period. There were no postoperative complications., Conclusions: The findings confirm that performing a laminotomy via the side of the herniation is sufficient for this group of patients.

Technical improvements in endoscopy have had a major effect in the practice of minimally invasive surgery, which is preferable to more invasive surgical procedures for central and hard thoracic disc herniation. Eleven patients underwent surgery between 2002 and 2008. Data was collected from self-reporting questionnaires completed by the patient at each visit before surgery and after surgery at 3,6,12 and 24 months. The questionnaires included in the study were the Oswestry Disability Questionnaire and a visual analog scale(VAS) for the evaluation of pain. In all eleven patients, the thoracoscopic approach was technically performed satisfactorily. There was a significant initial improvement in both the Oswestry score and the VAS pain score at up to nine months(P<0.05). The average relative difference in the Oswestry and VAS score was not significant at 12 and 24 months. The complication rate(pleurisy and lung contusion) in our small study was 18%, which compares favorably with the literature. Video assisted thoracic spine surgery (VATS) clearly provides a minimally invasive and effective alternative to open thoracic surgery. A surgeon must be familiar with the surgical anatomy and the endoscopic techniques to ensure an optimal surgical outcome. Hence, that is one limitation in the practice of thoracoscopic discectomy.

Background: A prospective pilot study was designed to evaluate the role of a posterior dynamic stabilization technique in the surgical treatment of degenerative disc disease. Posterior dynamic stabilization with a hinged screw is a new concept in the surgical treatment of degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine. The traditional surgical treatment is to apply a fusion procedure. However, numerous reports showed unsatisfactory clinical outcomes even when patients have satisfactory radiological outcomes following fusion procedures., Material and Methods: The study included patients who were surgically treated with a dynamic stabilization technique due to painful degenerative disc disease. Clinical and radiological findings for the 20 participating patients were analyzed in a 2-year follow-up study. Preoperative and postoperative data at the 3 (rd), 12 (th) and 24 (th) month were collected for both clinical and radiological outcomes. Statistical analyses between preoperative and postoperative data were performed using the Wilcoxon test., Results: The clinical outcome measurements (VAS, ODI) showed significant improvement in all postoperative measurements compared to preoperative values. The mean preoperative visual analogue score (VAS, 7.9) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI 59.2) significantly decreased to 0.8 for VAS and 9.2 for ODI, at 2 years post-operation (p<0.05). The radiological studies showed no significant changes between pre- and postoperative values, in all parameters. There was no mortality or morbidity., Conclusions: The results of this pilot study are encouraging. Dynamic stabilization may be an effective technique in the surgical treatment of painful degenerative disc disease. A larger series study, with longer follow-up periods and with control groups is needed to determine the success and safety of posterior dynamic stabilization in the surgical treatment of degenerative disc disease., (Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart . New York.)

Fusion surgeries are still the gold standard in the treatment of the degenerative spine. Spinal fusion has some problems, however. Adjacent segment disease, donor place ailment, and the morbidity of the surgery has emerged as important problems over the years. As a consequence of such complications after fusion, the search for an alternative treatment for the degenerative spine widened. While trying to maintain the motion in the joint, dynamic stabilization aims to remove the pain by distributing the weight between anterior and posterior elements of the spine. Various new devices have now been developed for the dynamic stabilization of the spine. In this report, the dynamic stabilization devices of the spine are classified anew and, the authors explain briefly the historical evolution process, specialties, indications and contraindications of these dynamic stabilization devices.

Aim: In this study, we examined the results of utilizing the agile posterior dynamic stabilization system with dynamic transpedicular screws in our patients., Material and Methods: Posterior dynamic instrumentation with agile rods and dynamic transpedicular screws was employed in 15 (seven male and eight female) patients (mean age = 42, ranging from 30 to 53). The average follow-up duration was 19 months (ranging from 12 to 25). The primary purpose for the surgery was degenerative disc disease. For subjective evaluation, patients underwent a physical examination utilizing the Oswestry disability index (ODI) and visual analogue scale (VAS). Radiographic parameters, including the angle of lumbar lordosis (LL), angle of segmental lordosis (alpha) and intervertebral space (IVS), were also evaluated. Both subjective patient evaluations and radiographic parameters were assessed at the 3rd and 12th postoperative months., Results: Significant postoperative improvements were observed in the ODI and VAS measurements (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in the LL, alpha and IVS parameters. One patient experienced a broken screw., Conclusion: We obtained good clinical results by utilizing dynamic rods with dynamic transpedicular screws.

Study Design: An easy surgical method to reach C7-Th and T1-T2 foraminal disc herniation is described., Objective: To describe a surgical technique that involves an anterior approach to disc herniation with inverted cone-shaped partial minicorpectomy., Summary of Background Data: Anterior approaches to the cervicothoracic junction are difficult in spinal surgery because the operative area is narrow. The manubrium, the clavicles, and the slope of the vertebral bodies obstruct the view of the surgeon. The vascular and neural structures of the superior mediastinum limit the surgical approach. The thoracic duct and recurrent laryngeal nerve present risks for injury, especially with approaches from the right side. Disc herniations at the C7-T2 level are very rare. Posterior approaches at these levels are advocated because radicular symptoms occur more often than myelopathic symptoms, but anterior discectomy and fusion are generally preferred by many spinal surgeons, as these are approaches that are more intuitive., Methods: We review the case histories of all of our patients that underwent inverted cone-shaped partial minicorpectomy and fusion at the C7-T2 disc levels between 2000 and 2008. We applied the surgical techniques described in this manuscript., Results: The mean follow-up duration was 50 months postoperation. Physical examinations were performed and radiographs were taken at the end of the first 6 months postoperative and every 12 months thereafter. No meaningful changes were recorded on either the Visual Analog Scale or the Neck Disability Index. Cervical alignment was unchanged before and after surgery., Conclusion: Minicorpectomy technique of C7 or T1 vertebra is an easy and appropriate method for treating foraminal disc herniation between the C7-T1 and T1-T2 levels.