Evidence map›Paper›PMID 28196468›Full record

ArticleBMC musculoskeletal disorders2017

Posterior pedicle screw fixation to treat lower cervical fractures associated with ankylosing spondylitis: a retrospective study of 35 cases.

Liang Yan, Zhenguo Luo, Baorong He, Jijun Liu, Dingjun Hao

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC musculoskeletal disorders, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
0.7field-weighted citation impact, top 30% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 17 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Liang YanDepartment of Spinal Surgery, Hong Hui Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University College of Medicine, 555 Friendship East Road, Xi'an, 710054, Shaanxi, China.
Zhenguo LuoDepartment of Anesthesiology, Hong Hui Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University College of Medicine, 555 Friendship East Road, Xi'an, 710054, Shaanxi, China.
Baorong HeDepartment of Spinal Surgery, Hong Hui Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University College of Medicine, 555 Friendship East Road, Xi'an, 710054, Shaanxi, China. hebr888@sina.com.
Jijun LiuDepartment of Spinal Surgery, Hong Hui Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University College of Medicine, 555 Friendship East Road, Xi'an, 710054, Shaanxi, China.
Dingjun HaoDepartment of Spinal Surgery, Hong Hui Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University College of Medicine, 555 Friendship East Road, Xi'an, 710054, Shaanxi, China. haodingjunspine@sina.com.
Xi'an Jiaotong University · CNXi'an Honghui Hospital · CN

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe most common site of fractures in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is the cervical spine, especially the lower cervical spine and cervicothoracic junction. The optimal treatment for cervical spine fractures secondary to AS is controversial. This study aimed to explore the effects of posterior pedicle screw fixation alone on fractures of the lower cervical spine in patients with AS.

methodsFrom January 2006 to January 2013, a total of 35 patients with AS and a lower cervical spine fracture were treated using only posterior cervical/thoracic pedicle screw fixation. In this retrospective study, we reviewed the patients' charts to assess their case histories, operations, neurological outcomes, and complications. We also evaluated their postoperative radiographs to determine the time of bone fusion.

resultsAltogether, 32 (91.4%) of the 35 fractures resulted from an acute injury and 3 (8.6%) from a chronic injury. In 25 cases, the fracture resulted from a low-energy spinal injury and in 8 cases from a high-energy injury. Posterior pedicle screw fixation was successful in all patients, with radiographic fusion confirmed by computed tomography. The average time of bone fusion was 3.6 months (range 3 - 6 months). The surgery improved the American Spinal Injury Association grade in 15 (42.9%) patients. No intraoperative complications occurred. None of the corrections resulted in neurological decompensation. The average postoperative correction was 18°.

conclusionsPedicle screw fixation and autologous bone grafting through a single posterior approach to lower cervical spine fractures in AS patients could stabilize the spine, correct kyphosis, and relieve pressure. It is thus reasonable to recommend this surgical strategy for AS-associated fractures of the lower cervical spine.

trial registrationNot applicable.

Indexed as

AdultAgedBone ScrewsCervical VertebraeFemaleFracture Fixation, InternalHumansMaleMiddle AgedRetrospective StudiesSpinal FracturesSpondylitis, AnkylosingAnkylosing spondylitisCervicalFracturePedicle screwPosterior

Identifiers

PMID28196468
PMCPMC5309973
OpenAlexW2588232459

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.