Background: The alignment correction after high tibial osteotomy (HTO) is made both by bony correction and soft-tissue correction around the knee. Change of the joint-line convergence angle (JLCA) represents the soft-tissue correction after HTO, which is the angle made by a tangential line between the femoral condyles and the tibial plateau. We described the patterns of JLCA change and related factors after HTO and investigated the appropriate preoperative planning method.Methods: Eighty patients who underwent HTO between 2013 and 2016 were included for this retrospective study. Standing, whole-limb radiograph, supine knee anteroposterior (AP) and lateral were measured on the preoperative and postoperative radiographs. The patterns of JLCA changes and related factors were analyzed.Results: JLCA decreased by a mean of 0.9° ± 1.2° (P < 0.001) after HTO. Sixteen patients (20%, group II) showed a greater JLCA decrease ≥ 2°, while 64 (80%, group I) patients remained in a narrow range of JLCA change < 2°. Group II showed more varus deformity (varus 8.1° vs. varus 4.7° in the mechanical femorotibial angle,P < 0.001), greater JLCA on standing (4.9° vs. 2.1°,P < 0.001), and the difference of JLCA in the standing and supine positions (2.8° vs. 0.7°,P < 0.001) preoperatively compared to group I. The risk of a greater JLCA decrease ≥ 2° was associated with greater preoperative JLCA in the standing position and the difference between the JLCA in the standing and supine positions. Postoperative JLCA correlated better with preoperative JLCA in the supine position than those in the standing position. A preoperative JLCA ≥ 4° or the difference of preoperative JLCA in the standing and supine positions ≥ 1.7° was the cut-off value to predict a large JLCA decrease ≥ 2° after HTO in the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.Conclusions: Surgeons should consider the effect of the JLCA change during the preoperative planning and intraoperative procedure to avoid unintended overcorrection.

Background/Objectives: Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols optimize perioperative care and improve recovery. This study evaluated the effectiveness of ERAS in one- or two-level posterior lumbar fusion surgeries, focusing on perioperative medication use, pain management, and functional outcomes. Methods: Eighty-eight patients undergoing lumbar fusion surgery between March 2021 and February 2022 were allocated into pre-ERAS (n = 41) and post-ERAS (n = 47) groups. Outcomes included opioid and antiemetic consumption, pain scores (numerical rating scale (NRS)), functional recovery (Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and EuroQol 5 Dimension (EQ-5D)), and complication rates. Pain was assessed daily for the first four postoperative days and at 6 months. Linear Mixed Effects Model analysis evaluated pain trajectories. Results: The post-ERAS group showed significantly lower opioid (p = 0.005) and antiemetic (p < 0.001) use. No significant differences were observed in NRS pain scores in the first 4 postoperative days. At 6 months, the post-ERAS group reported significantly lower leg pain (p = 0.002). The time:group interaction was not significant for back (p = 0.848) or leg (p = 0.503) pain. Functional outcomes at 6 months, particularly ODI and EQ-5D scores, showed significant improvement in the post-ERAS group. Complication rates were lower in the post-ERAS group (4.3% vs. 19.5%, p = 0.024), while hospital stay and fusion rates remained similar. Conclusions: The ERAS protocol significantly reduced opioid and antiemetic use, improved long-term pain management and functional recovery, and lowered complication rates in lumbar fusion patients. These findings support the implementation of ERAS protocols in spinal surgery, emphasizing their role in enhancing postoperative care.

Study design: Retrospective cohort study. Objectives: This study evaluated the outcomes of radiation therapy (RT) as the initial treatment for Bilsky grade 2 metastatic epidural spinal cord compression (MESCC) and identified the risk factors associated with RT failure. Methods: This retrospective cohort study enrolled 151 patients diagnosed with Bilsky grade 2 MESCC. Patients were divided into 2 groups, viz. those who initially underwent RT (n = 127) and those treated with surgery at presentation (n = 24). The patient demographics, treatment outcomes, and risk factors for RT failure were analyzed. The Spinal Instability Neoplastic Score (SINS) and clinical outcomes such as ambulatory status and neurological function were compared. Logistic regression was performed to identify factors predictive of RT failure. Results: RT was successful in 85.8% (109/127) of patients, and only 14.2% (18/127) required surgery due to symptom progression. The SINS were significantly higher in the RT-failure group (9.6 ± 3.2) than in the RT-success group (7.4 ± 2.8, P = 0.003). SINS scores >8 were associated with a higher risk of RT failure. Patients the surgery group were younger and presented more frequently with neurological deficits. No significant differences in final ambulatory status or survival were observed between the RT-success and RT-failure subgroups. Conclusions: RT can be a viable initial treatment option for Bilsky grade 2 MESCC in the absence of neurological deficits or severe mechanical pain. However, patients with greater spinal instability (SINS >8) face a higher risk of RT failure and may benefit from surgical intervention at diagnosis.

Background and Objectives: Posterior cervical foraminotomy (PCF) aims to resolve cervical radiculopathy while preserving range of motion (ROM). However, its effectiveness in maintaining ROM is uncertain. This study investigates the changes in ROM after PCF and identifies preoperative factors that influence ROM reduction post surgery. Materials and Methods: This retrospective cohort study included patients treated at our hospital from August 2016 to September 2021. Clinical outcomes were assessed using the visual analog scale (VAS) for neck and arm pain and the neck disability index (NDI). Radiological outcomes included the segmental angle (SA), cervical angle (CA), C2–C7 SVA, Pfirrmann grade, extent of facetectomy, foraminal stenosis, and ROM. Patients were categorized into two groups based on segmental ROM changes: decreased (Group D) and maintained (Group M). Radiological and clinical outcomes were compared between the groups. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors for ROM loss after PCF. Results: 76 patients were included: 34 in Group D and 42 in Group M, with no demographic differences. Preoperatively, Group D had significantly larger flexion segmental and cervical angles than Group M (segmental, p < 0.001; cervical, p = 0.001). Group D also had a higher Pfirrmann grade (p = 0.014) and more bony bridge formations (p = 0.004). While no significant differences were observed in arm pain VAS and NDI scores, Group D exhibited worse neck pain VAS at the last follow-up (p = 0.03). Univariate linear regression indicated that preoperative segmental ROM (p < 0.001, B = 0.82) and bony bridge formation (p = 0.046, B = 5.33) were significant predictors of ROM loss post PCF. Conclusions: Patients with higher preoperative flexion angles and Pfirrmann grades at the operative level are at an increased risk for ROM loss and neck pain and often exhibit bony bridge formation. Accounting for these factors can improve surgical planning and patient outcomes.

Choi JU, et al. Clin Orthop Surg. 2025 Dec;17:e76. https://doi.org/10.4055/cios25155

전득수, et al. J Korean Orthop Assoc. 2020 Aug;55(4):318-323. https://doi.org/10.4055/jkoa.2020.55.4.318