Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 27, 2026
05:53
Intraoperative Ultrasound in Spinal Surgery
Published on: August 17, 2022
5.3K
Kyphosis - A risk factor for positioning brachial plexopathy during spinal surgeries
Mirza Biscevic1, Aida Sehic2, Sejla Biscevic3
1Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, General Hospital Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Acta Orthopaedica Et Traumatologica Turcica
|March 23, 2019
Summary
Patients with kyphotic trunk deformities have a higher risk of brachial plexopathy after spinal surgery. Transcranial electric motor-evoked potentials (TceMEP) monitoring is crucial for detecting potential nerve damage during surgery.
Area of Science:
- Neurosurgery
- Orthopedics
- Spinal Deformity Surgery
Background:
- Pediatric spinal deformities necessitate surgical intervention.
- Intraoperative neuro-monitoring is vital for preventing neurological complications.
- Brachial plexopathy is a potential risk following spinal surgery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare upper limb transcranial electric motor-evoked potentials (TceMEP) between kyphotic and scoliotic trunk deformities.
- To evaluate the incidence of postoperative brachial plexopathy in these patient groups.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 61 pediatric spinal deformity patients (2011-2017).
- Categorization into kyphotic (n=8) and scoliotic (n=53) trunk deformities.
- Intraoperative TceMEP monitoring of all four limbs, with upper limb recordings as indicators of brachial plexopathy.
Main Results:
- Significantly higher incidence of TceMEP amplitude decrease (≥65%) in the kyphotic group (50.0%) compared to the scoliotic group (3.8%).
- Two patients (both from the kyphotic group) experienced transitory postoperative brachial plexopathy.
- Statistical significance confirmed (Chi-square, p < 0.05).
Conclusions:
- Kyphotic trunk shapes are associated with an increased risk of positioning-related brachial plexopathy.
- Weight distribution differences between kyphotic and scoliotic trunks may explain this risk.
- Emphasizes the importance of precise patient positioning and comprehensive intraoperative neuro-monitoring.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Factors Affecting the Risk of Infection
13.4K
The hosts' susceptibility to infection depends on several factors. The integrity of the skin and mucous membranes helps protect the body against microbial attacks. When the skin is altered, the chance of infection, limb loss, and even death increases.
The integrity and count of the white blood cells help the body resist pathogens and fight infection. When impaired, it reduces the body's resistance to pathogens. The acidic pH levels of the gastrointestinal, genitourinary tracts, and skin...
The integrity and count of the white blood cells help the body resist pathogens and fight infection. When impaired, it reduces the body's resistance to pathogens. The acidic pH levels of the gastrointestinal, genitourinary tracts, and skin...
13.4K
01:12Relative Risk
2.1K
Relative risk (RR) is a statistical measure commonly used in epidemiology to compare the likelihood of a particular event occurring between two groups. This metric is important for evaluating the relationship between exposure to a specific risk factor and the probability of a particular outcome. It plays a crucial role in medical research, public health studies, and risk assessment. Relative risk quantifies how much more (or less) likely an event is to occur in an exposed group compared to an...
2.1K
02:32Position-effect Variegation
7.1K
In 1928, a German botanist Emil Heitz observed the moss nuclei with a DNA binding dye. He observed that while some chromatin regions decondense and spread out in the interphase nucleus, others do not. He termed them euchromatin and heterochromatin, respectively. He proposed that the heterochromatin regions reflect a functionally inactive state of the genome. It was later confirmed that heterochromatin is transcriptionally repressed, and euchromatin is transcriptionally active chromatin.
7.1K
02:16Transcription Factors
82.7K
Tissue-specific transcription factors contribute to diverse cellular functions in mammals. For example, the gene for beta globin, a major component of hemoglobin, is present in all cells of the body. However, it is only expressed in red blood cells because the transcription factors that can bind to the promoter sequences of the beta globin gene are only expressed in these cells. Tissue-specific transcription factors also ensure that mutations in these factors may impair only the function of...
82.7K
01:31Position and Displacement
25.4K
The position of an object defines its location relative to a convenient frame of reference at any particular time. A frame of reference is an arbitrary set of axes from which the position and motion of an object are described. Earth is often used as a frame of reference, and we often describe the position of an object as it relates to stationary objects on Earth. For example, a rocket launch could be described in terms of the position of the rocket with respect to Earth as a whole. On the other...
25.4K
01:03Serial Position Effect
539
The serial position effect is a cognitive phenomenon where individuals are more likely to recall the first and last items in a list compared to those in the middle. This effect is divided into the primacy effect and the recency effect. The primacy effect is observed when the initial items in a list are remembered better. This occurs because these items are rehearsed more frequently or receive more elaborative processing, allowing them to be encoded into long-term memory more effectively. For...
539