Evaluation of Challenges in Diagnosis of Spontaneous Subacute Pyogenic Spondylodiscitis in Immunocompetent Patients: Experiences from a Tertiary Care Center

Naveen Pandita,Souvik Paul,Gagandeep Yadav,Roop Bhushan Kalia,Pankaj Kandwal 대한척추외과학회 2019 Asian Spine Journal Vol.13 No.4

Study Design: Prospective clinical study. Purpose: We evaluated the challenges faced during diagnosis and management of patients with subacute pyogenic discitis and discussed various clues in clinical history, radiologic and hematologic parameters of these patients that helped in establishing their diagnosis. Overview of Literature: Present literature available shows that in patients with subacute spondylodiscitis and infection with less virulent organisms, the clinical picture often is confusing and the initial radiologic and hematologic studies do not contribute much toward establishing the diagnosis. Methods: Demographic pattern, predisposing factors, clinical presentation, comorbidities, microbiology, treatment, neurologic recovery, and complications of 11 patients were prospectively reviewed regarding their contribution toward the conformation of diagnosis of subacute pyogenic discitis. Results: Mean age at presentation was 46.0 years with average preoperative Oswestry Disability Index and Visual Analog Scale scores of 83.4 and 7.18, respectively. Mean follow-up duration was 12.0 months. The most common site of infection was the lumbar spine, followed by the thoracic spine (n=1). Infective organisms were isolated in only 45% of cases. Staphylococcus aureus was the most common causative organism isolated. Conclusions: Diagnosing subacute spondylodiscitis in a patient presenting with subacute low backache poses a diagnostic challenge. Clinical and radiologic picture are deceiving, and bacteriologic results often are negative, further complicating the picture. A detailed medical history along with clinical, radiologic, and biochemical parameters prevents missing the diagnosis. Serial serum C-reactive protein and alkaline phosphatases were more reliable blood parameters in cases of subacute presentation.

Atypical Radiographic Presentation of Aggressive Vertebral Haemangioma: Experience of Two Cases

Samarth Mittal,Syed Ifthekar,Kaustubh Ahuja,Gagandeep Yadav,Subhajit Maji,Sonal Saran,Pankaj Kandwal 대한척추외과학회 2021 대한척추외과학회지 Vol.28 No.1

Study Design: Case report Objective: We report two cases of vertebral body haemangioma with atypical radiological features causing neurological deficit. Summary of Literature Review: Vertebral haemangiomas are usually asymptomatic and are discovered incidentally during imaging. However, complications such as pain, neurological deficit, vertebral body fracture can arise due to different mechanisms. Materials and Method: We report two cases of vertebral hemangioma of dorsal spine with atypical radiological features. Results: Good pain relief, neurological recovery and functional outcome was achieved by embolization and surgical decompression/ tumor resection along with stabilization in case of aggressive vertebral hemangioma. Aggressive vertebral hemangioma may present with atypical radiographic features. Conclusions: Aggressive vertebral haemangioma may have atypical radiographic presentation. Surgical decompression is one of the preferred treatment of it.

Effect of Acupressure on Pain during Inferior Alveolar Nerve Block Injection in Children Aged 5-10 Years Old - An Experimental Study

Gurharikar Ayushi Shashikant,Nagpal Devendra,Yadav Prabhat Singh,Chaudhari Purva,Hotwani Kavita,Lamba Gagandeep 사단법인약침학회 2023 Journal of Acupuncture & Meridian Studies Vol.16 No.4

Background: Acupressure, which is related to acupuncture, is a noninvasive therapy suitable for use in children. However, data examining acupressure’s effects on the pain of local anesthetic injection in children are sparse. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate acupressure’s effects on the pain of local anesthetic injection in children. Methods: This randomized, double-blind, parallel-group clinical study included 37 5- to 10-year-olds who had an inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB) for a mandibular extraction and were randomized to one of two groups: acupressure (study group) or non-acupressure (control group). The Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale (WBFPS) and the Sound, Eye, Motor (SEM) scale were utilized for subjective and objective pain assessment during injection. Results: The objective and subjective assessment of pain during injection significantly differed between the groups, with the acupressure group displaying lower scores. Conclusion: Acupressure at the extra one point (EX-HN1) reduced pain during IANB injection in 5- to 10-year-olds and can be used as an adjunct to conventional measures like topical anesthesia to reduce pain.

Deformity Correction with Interbody Fusion Using Lateral versus Posterior Approach in Adult Degenerative Scoliosis: A Systematic Review and Observational Meta-analysis

Mittal Samarth,Sudhakar Pudipeddi Venkata,Ahuja Kaustubh,Ifthekar Syed,Yadav Gagandeep,Sinha Shivendra,Goyal Nikhil,Verma Vishal,Sarkar Bhaskar,Kandwal Pankaj 대한척추외과학회 2023 Asian Spine Journal Vol.17 No.2

This study was designed to systematically review and meta-analyze the functional and radiological outcomes between lateral and posterior approaches in adult degenerative scoliosis (ADS). Both lateral (lumbar, extreme, and oblique) and posterior interbody fusion (posterior lumbar and transforaminal) are used for deformity correction in patients with ADS with unclear comparison in this cohort of patients in the existing literature. A literature search using three electronic databases was performed to identify studies that reported outcomes of lateral (group L) and posterior interbody fusion (group P) in patients with ADS with curves of 10°–40°. Group P was further subdivided into minimally invasive surgery (MIS-P) and open posterior (Op-P) subgroups. Data on functional, radiological, and operative outcomes, length of hospital stay (LOHS), fusion rates, and complications were extracted and meta-analyzed using the random-effects model. A total of 18 studies (732 patients) met the inclusion criteria. No significant difference was found in functional and radiological outcomes between the two groups on data pooling. Total operative time in the MIS-P subgroup was less than that of group L (233.86 minutes vs. 401 minutes, p <0.05). The total blood loss in group L was less than that in the Op-P subgroup(477 mL vs. 1,325.6 mL, p <0.05). Group L had significantly less LOHS than the Op-P subgroup (4.15 days vs. 13.5 days, p <0.05). No significant difference was seen in fusion rates, but complications were seen except for transient sensorimotor weakness (group L: 24.3%, group P: 5.6%; p <0.05). Complications, such as postoperative thigh pain (7.7%), visceral injuries (2%), and retrograde ejaculation (3.7%), were seen only in group L while adjacent segment degeneration was seen only in group P (8.6%). Lateral approach has an advantage in blood loss and LOHS over the Op-P subgroup. The MIS-P subgroup has less operative time than group L, but with comparable blood loss and LOHS. No significant difference was found in functional, radiological, fusion rates, pseudoarthrosis, and complications, except for transient sensorimotor deficits. Few complications were approach-specific in each group.

Variability in Management Practices and Surgical Decision Making in Spinal Tuberculosis: An Expert Survey-Based Study

Ahuja Kaustubh,Gupta Tushar,Ifthekar Syed,Mittal Samarth,Yadav Gagandeep,Kandwal Pankaj 대한척추외과학회 2022 Asian Spine Journal Vol.16 No.1

Study Design: Electronic survey–based study.Purpose: The aim of the study was to objectively review the variability in the prevailing treatment protocols and surgical decision making in the management of patients with spinal tuberculosis (TB) among spine surgeons with expertise in spinal TB across the country.Overview of Literature: A lack of good-quality evidence, ambiguities in the national spinal TB guidelines, and the demand for early rehabilitation and a better quality of life in patients with spinal TB has led to the emergence of various gray zones in the management of spinal TB.Methods: Seventeen fellowship-trained spinal TB experts representing different geographical regions of India completed an online survey consisting of questions pertaining to the conservative management of spinal TB (antitubercular therapy) and 30 clinical case vignettes including a wide spectrum of presentations of spinal TB with no or minimal neurological deficit. The variability in the responses for questions and case wise variability with respect to surgical decision making was assessed using the index of qualitative variation (IQV). The average tendency to operate (TTO) was calculated for various groups of respondents.Results: High variability was observed in all questions regarding conservative spinal TB management (IQV > 0.8). Among the 30 case vignettes, 14 were found to have high variability with respect to surgical decision making (IQV > 0.8). With respect to levels of fixation, all but two cases had poor or slight agreement. Younger age and practice in a government or tertiary care teaching hospital were factors associated with a higher TTO.Conclusions: Significant variability was detected in treatment practices for the management of spinal TB among experts. Most of the case vignettes were found to have significant heterogeneity with respect to surgical decision making, which reflects a significant lack of consensus and lacunae in literature.