Objective. To analyze the results of surgical treatment of chronic infectious cervical spondylitis and literature data.Material and Methods. Design: retrospective monocentric cohort study for 2017–2020. The study included medical history and clinical and instrumental data of 25 patients who underwent 28 reconstructive surgeries on the suboccipital (n₁ = 3) and subaxial (n₂ = 25) spine. The average follow-up period was 1 year 2 months ± 4 months. Statistical analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), version 22.0.Results. The effect of the duration of the therapeutic pause (p = 0.043) and the T1 slope (T1S) (p = 0.022) on the intensity of vertebrogenic pain syndrome was established. When assessing the parameters of the sagittal balance a direct relationship between the age of patients and the value of cervical sagittal vertical axis (CSVA) (p = 0.035) was revealed, while CSVA (p = 0.514) and neck tilt angle (NTA) (p = 0.617) did not significantly affect the intensity of vertebral pain syndrome. The extent of vertebral destruction did not affect either the intensity of vertebral pain (p = 0.872) or the indices of the sagittal balance: CSVA (p = 0.116), T1S (p = 0.154), and NTA (p = 0.562). A significant predictor of postoperative complications is the level of comorbidity with an index of 7 or more (p = 0.027) according to the Charlson scale.Conclusion. The leading predictors of complications of surgical treatment of cervical infectious spondylitis are the Charlson comorbidity index (7 points or more) and the variant of anterior reconstruction (the use of a blocked extraspinal plate). The factors influencing the intensity of vertebrogenic pain syndrome in this pathology are the duration of the therapeutic pause and the magnitude of T1S compensation. Anterior reconstruction of the cervical spine in the presence of infectious spondylitis provides a correction of the sagittal balance parameters, with the possibility of long-term maintaining the achieved values.

Introduction Primary total knee arthroplasty has long been proven effective in the treatment of stage 3–4 knee osteoarthritis. It is well known that this intervention not only improves the quality of life, but also helps to restore the function of the joint and eliminate axial deformities.Purpose To compare early results of total knee arthroplasty using robot-assisted technology with conventional manual technique.Materials and Methods 20 patients diagnosed with stage 3 osteoarthritis of the knee joint and varus deformity of the knee joint axis were included in a prospective randomized study. Patients were divided into 2 representative groups, 10 subjects underwent robot-assisted knee arthroplasty, and the conventional manual technique was used in the other 10 patients. For clinical assessment, functional scales KSS, WOMAC, Lysholm Score were used, postoperative radiographs were evaluated.Results According to clinical functional scales, 10 days after surgery, there was an improvement in performance in the patients of both groups (p < 0.05); the duration of the operation in the patients of both groups did not differ in general; intra-operative blood loss in the group with robot‑assisted arthroplasty was lower; and assessment of postoperative results by radiological imaging showed a better component positioning according to preoperative planning in the robotic group.Discussion When the operation is performed by experienced surgeons, one can expect the correct position of the components and the balance of the ligamentous apparatus in standard arthroplasty. However, the use of robot-assisted technology provides a secure intervention performance even at a hospital where a small number of such operations is performed.Conclusion Despite the high cost and the need for additional consumables, robot-assisted arthroplasty has a number of advantages over classical manual techniques. These advantages include: accurate restoration of the limb axis even in extra-articular deformities, correct position of the endoprosthesis components, reduction of intraoperative blood loss due to closed medullary canals, and safety for patients. However, the role of the surgeon in such operations remains paramount, as it is the surgeon who is responsible for planning the operation, performing it, and achieving soft tissue balance.

Objective. To perform validation study of the E. Pola classification (2017) and to assess expert consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of infectious lesions of the spine in the national professional community.Material and Methods. A clinical and radiological database on 15 cases of infectious spondylitis, as well as the information about original article by Pola and a Russian translation of the classification and tactical tables from this article, were distributed to 408 orthopedic traumatologists, neurosurgeons and radiologists who have experience in treating patients with spinal pathology and whose data are available in the registers of the relevant professional associations of the Russian Federation. The coincidence/difference in the responses concerning the definition of lesion types and the choice of treatment tactics, as well as proposals for the use of classification were assessed.Results. Answers were obtained from 37 respondents from 11 regions of the Russian Federation. The general interobserver agreement index (Fleiss kappa) for all types of spondylodiscitis was 0.388 (95 % CI 0.374–0.402), including for lesion types: type A – 0.480 (95 % CI 0.460–0.499, type B – 0.300 (95 % CI 0.281–0.320), and type C – 0.399 (95 % CI 0.380–0.419). Agreement levels were higher among radiologists (type A – 0.486, type B – 0.484, and type C – 0.477), orthopedic traumatologists (type A – 0.474, type B – 0.380, and type C – 0.479), and specialists with clinical experience less than 10 years (type A – 0.550, type B – 0.318, and type C – 0.437). The pooled data for all 12 lesion subtypes showed general poor agreement (k = 0.247, CI 0.240–0.253), satisfactory level was found for B3.2 type (k = 0.561, CI 0.542–0.581), good agreement (k > 0.61) was achieved between orthopedic traumatologists for type B3.2 and between radiologists for B3.1 and B3.2 lesion types. Respondents refused to use basic treatment options for type A in 15.1 %, type B in 7.5 % and type C in 3.2 % of answers, while indicating the need for interventions through anterior approach in 24.7 %, 43.0 % and 46.2 %, respectively. Limitations of the classification use depending on the localization and etiology of spondylitis were noted. Authors recommended taking into account the presence of systemic inflammatory response syndrome, mandatory CT scanning, clarification of spinal instability criteria, and the addition of anterior surgical interventions to the treatment algorithm.Conclusion. The Pola classification of spondylodiscitis is currently considered the most successful for tactical algorithms and implementation in broad clinical practice for spondylodiscitis. However, at the stages of its clinical application, there is an unsatisfactory interobserver expert consensus on the types of lesions, and there are limitations related to the etiology, localization and severity of the disease. A modified classification taking into account the identified limitations and including anterior procedures in the tactical options is advisable.

Background. Spinal hydatid disease is an extremely rare pathology that could leads to the serious orthopedics and neurological complications. Conservative antimicrobial therapy is not effective for spinal echinococcus. This case is unique for the next reasons: disease manifestation during pregnancy, a long period from a spine decompression to a reconstruction procedure and a technique of the surgery. Case description. A 27 year-old lady at 34 gestation weeks, previously operated on the urgent indications of paraplegia with neurogenic bladder dysfunction after 1 year and 10 months follow-up suffered vertebral column reconstruction due to recurrence of the cervico-thoracic hydatid disease, complicated by angular kyphosis. The echinococcus cyst had a closed contact with a right brachiocephalica vein, compressed the spinal canal and leads to three-column spine instability. Conclusion. Three-column spine reconstruction with anterior corpectomy, cystectomy and fusion provide resolution of the back pain syndrome, improve neurological status and achieve local control of the infectious process in patients with echinococcosis of the spine. In the postoperative period, staged therapy with antiparasitic drugs should be prescribe.

Цель исследования — изучить влияние особенностей техники экстирпации полупозвонков при моносегментарной реконструкции на травматичность операции. Материал и методы. В рамках моноцентровой 4-летней когорты 34 пациентам были выполнены 36 моно-сегментарных экстирпаций полупозвонков с задней инструментальной фиксацией. Средний возраст детей на момент операции составил 4 года 3 мес. (min — 1 год; max — 14 лет). Изучено влияние уровня патологии, оперативного доступа, варианта удаления костных структур и возраста пациентов на длительность операции и объем кровопотери.  Результаты. Экстирпации полупозвонков в грудном отделе в сравнении с поясничным оказались более длительными и связанными с большей кровопотерей. Были сформированы три группы пациентов в зависи-мости от техники экстирпации полупозвонка: 1) экстирпация из двух доступов с использованием высокоско-ростного бора; 2) из одного дорсального доступа с той же техникой экстирпации; 3) из дорсального доступа с использованием ультразвукового костного скальпеля). Длительность операции составила в первой, вто-рой и третьей группах соответственно 208±72 мин, 187±54 мин, 170±30 мин, а объем кровопотери — 181±39, 181±53, 132±73 мл, или 11,5±4,3%, 9,4±2,8% и 9,6±5,2% от ОЦК.  Выводы. Оперативный доступ и техника экстирпации полупозвонков у детей в разной степени влияют на длительность операции и операционную кровопотерю, при этом наименьшие значения достигаются при операции из заднего доступа, осуществляемой с использованием ультразвукового костного скальпеля.