BackgroundThe purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) and bone cement-augmented short segmental fixation (BCA+SSF) for treating Kümmell disease.Material/MethodsBetween June 2013 and December 2015, 60 patients were treated with PKP or BCA+SSF. All patients were followed up for 12–36 months. We retrospectively reviewed outcomes, including Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), visual analogue scale (VAS), and kyphotic Cobb angle.ResultsVAS, ODI, and Cobb angle, measured postoperatively and at the final follow-up, were lower than those measured preoperatively in both groups (P<0.05). VAS, ODI, and Cobb angle measured postoperatively demonstrated no significant differences when compared with those measured at the final follow-up in the PKP group (P>0.05). In the BCA+SSF group, VAS and ODI at the final follow-up were lower than those measured postoperatively (P<0.05), but no significant difference was found in the Cobb angle (P>0.05). The PKP group had better VAS and ODI than the BCA+SSF group, postoperatively (P<0.05). No significant difference was found in VAS and ODI at the final follow-up (P>0.05) or the Cobb angle measured postoperatively and at the final follow-up (P>0.05) between the 2 groups. Operative time, blood loss, and hospital stay in the PKP group were lower than those in the BCA+SSF group (P<0.05). No significant difference was found in complications (P>0.05).ConclusionsPKP patients had better early clinical outcomes, shorter operation times and hospital admission times, and decreased blood loss, but had similar complications, radiographic results, and long-term clinical outcomes compared with BCA+SSF patients.

If there is a medullary canal in the C1 pedicle, a 3.5- or 4.0-mm-diameter pedicle screw can be safely inserted into the atlas and C1 pedicle screw fixation can be performed without any impact on fixation stability and clinical efficacy, even if the C1 pedicle height is less than 4.0 mm.

Introduction:Sacral agenesis is a rare congenital disease with radiologic manifestation of sacrum deformity. Its clinical manifestations include spinopelvic instability due to sacroiliac joint deformity, spinal rotation, scoliosis, difficulties in walking, and claudication. Surgical intervention aims to prevent further deformity progression and to improve the patients’ walking function. It is challenging to achieve solid arthrodesis for this congenital disease, and fusion failure could aggravate deformity.Case presentation:We retrospectively studied one case of a 12-year-old girl with sacral agenesis combined with spinopelvic dissociation and spinal scoliosis. She was presented with intermittent lumbosacral pain and worsening walking instability. We reconstructed the posterior pelvic ring through 1 iliac screw implanted in the bilateral posterior superior iliac spine, and the preflexed connecting rod was tightly locked with bilateral screws through the opening at the right spinal process of S2. With this method, bilateral ilia and sacrum were integrated and hemipelvic floating could be corrected. Bone fusion was achieved between the bilateral ilia and the sacrum.Conclusion:Ilium-sacrum-ilium internal fixation and fusion for treating sacral agenesis combined with spinopelvic dissociation could achieve sacroiliac joint fusion. It is easy to perform and could cause little trauma while preserving the lumbar motion segment, which will provide new insight for treating sacral agenesis.