OBJECTIVE: Anterior-alone surgery has gained wider reception for subaxial cervical spine facets dislocation. Questions remain on its efficacy and safety as a stand-alone entity within the contexts of concurrent facet fractures, unilateral versus bilateral dislocations, anterior open reduction, and old dislocation.
METHODS: A systematic review was performed with search strategy using translatable MESH terms across MEDLINE, EMBASE, VHL Regional Portal, and CENTRAL databases on patients with subaxial cervical dislocation intervened via anterior-alone approach. Two reviewers independently screened for eligible studies. PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis) flow chart was adhered to. Nine retrospective studies were included. Narrative synthesis was performed to determine primary outcomes on spinal fusion and revisions and secondary outcomes on new occurrence or deterioration of neurology and infection rate.
RESULTS: Nonunion was not encountered across all contexts. A total of 0.86% of unilateral facet dislocation (1 out of 116) with inadequate reduction due to facet fragments between the facet joints removed its malpositioned plate following fusion. No new neurological deficit was observed. Cases that underwent anterior open reduction did not encounter failure that require subsequent posterior reduction surgery. One study (N = 52) on old dislocation incorporated partial corpectomy in their approach and limited anterior-alone approach to cases with persistent instability.
CONCLUSIONS: This systematic review supports the efficacy and success of anterior reduction, fusion, and instrumentation for cervical facet fracture dislocation. It is safe from a neurological standpoint. Revision rate due to concurrent facet fracture is low. Certain patients may require posteriorly based surgery or in specific cases combined anterior and posterior procedures.
METHODS: Group I (N=12) underwent ORIF. Group II (N=15) underwent APSF. Anthropometric data, pre and post-operative stay, complications and duration off work were recorded in this retrospective case cohort study. Radiographs were analyzed for Bohler's, Gissane's angle and Sanders' classification. AOFAS Hindfoot and SF 36 scores were collected at final follow-up.
RESULTS: Anthropometric data, Bohler's and Gissane's angles, AOFAS and SF 36 scores were not significantly different. Pre-operative duration was 12.3 days in ORIF and 6.9 days in APSF. Post-operative duration was 7.3 days vs 3.8 days. Duration off work was 6.2 months vs 2.9 months.
CONCLUSION: The APSF group was able to have surgery earlier, go home faster, and return to work earlier. This study was not powered to demonstrate a difference in wound complication rates.
Material and methods: This prospective cohort study was conducted on 68 patients who underwent surgical management for an unstable ankle injury. Demographic details, fracture type and associated medical comorbidities were recorded. Pre-operative radiographic assessment was done for all patients. At the end of one year follow-up, clinical (American Orthopaedic foot and ankle society-AOFAS and Olerud-Molander ankle - OMAS) scores and radiological parameters were assessed and analysed.
Results: Fracture dislocation (0.008), diabetes mellitus (0.017), level of alchohol consumption (0.008) and pre-operative talocrural angle (TCA) > 100° (0.03) were significant predictors of poor outcomes as per AOFAS. Fracture dislocation (0.029), diabetes mellitus (0.004), pre-operative TCA > 100° (0.009), female gender (0.001), age more than 60 years (0.002) and open injuries (0.034) had significantly poor outcome as per OMAS. Other parameters (smoking, hypertension, classification, syndesmotic injury, medial clear space and tibiofibular overlap) did not affect the outcome significantly.
Conclusion: Our study showed that poor outcome predictors in unstable ankle fractures are age >60 years, female gender, diabetes mellitus, alcohol consumption, fracture dislocation, open fractures and pre-op TCA >100°.