Experience in diagnosis and treatment of 112 patients with spine osteomyelitis is presented. In 8 patients cervical spine, in 23 patients thoracic spine and in 81 patients lumbar spine was involved. Neurological deficit was observed in 45 (40.2%) patients. Forty seven (42%) patients underwent conservative and 65(58%) surgical treatment. Conservative treatment included intraarterial injection of antibacterial drugs. Surgical treatment consisted of radical resection of the osteomyelitis focus followed by stabilization of the spine with autografts. Long-term results were evaluated in terms from 1 to 20 years. In all patients the formation of bone block and regression of neurological symptoms was observed.

Objective - to analyze the long-term results of surgical treatment of patients with injuries of middle- and lower cervical spine in diving. Materials and methods. An analysis of surgical treatment of 27 patients and assessment of the long-term results of 20 patients in a period of 6 months to 6 years were performed with analysis of clinical, neurological, radiographic data and mortality. Results. Mostly the C5 vertebra was damaged - in 17 patients (63%). Compression fractures of vertebral bodies met in 6 (22%), compression-comminuted fractures - in 16 (59%) patients, dislocations - in 5 (19%). All patients had neurological disorders. All observations noted rigid stabilization of the spine with an implant made of porous nickel-titanium, the presence of bone-metal block at the level of the damaged vertebral body Mortality in the postoperative period was 26%. In the long-term period the initial neurological symptoms were observed in 7 (30%) patients, 13 (48%) patients had marked regression of neurological symptoms. Full functional maladjustment was observed in 6 patients with no motor function below the damaged segment, originally belonging to groups A and B on the classification of H.L. Frankel. Moderate and mild degree of functional adaptation disorders were present in 5 and 4 patients respectively. In the remaining patients we did not reveal a functional maladjustment. Range of motion in the cervical spine in all patients was considered as good. Conclusions. Anterior decompressive-stabilizing surgeries on the spine with an implant made of porous nickel-titanium and metal plate CSLP allows reliably stabilization of the injured spine and the rehabilitation of this severe category of patients.

Objective. To analyze diagnosis and treatment results of 38 patients with concomitant injuries to the spine and hindfoot. Material and Methods. Thirty eight patients with concomitant injury to the spine and hindfoot were treated. One group of patients received surgical treatment of injured segments, and another was treated conservatively. All patients have undergone X-ray examination of the injured foot in two planes, estimation of calcaneostragaloid angle and Boehler angle. The spine was studied for the presence of muscle strain and kyphosis. Spondylography in two planes was performed for the assessment of kyphotic deformity, compression degree, and fracture stability. Results. Complete correction of kyphosis was achieved in 86.0% of the second group patients; and in 80.0 % of the first group patients. The mean value of Boehler angle was 21° ± 3° in surgery group and 4° ± 6° in conservative group. In the group of patients with conservatively treated calcaneus fractures the events of posttraumatic arthritis were detected in 9 (64.2%) cases, in the group of operated patients they were detected in 2 (67.0%) cases. Conclusion. Concomitant spine and hindfoot injuries are in most cases the result of catatrauma. The most efficient and reasonable technique of hindfoot fracture treatment is open re

Osteomyelitis of the spine (OP) is a relatively rare disease. The acute form of OP was first described by Lannelongue in 1897, the chronic form by Wohlgemuth in 1898 [cit. 33]. According to V.F. Voyno-Yasenetsky [12], in 1910 Grisel collected only 85 cases of this disease in the literature. Of subsequent early publications, Wilensky [161] and Kulowsky [108] should be noted. By 1964, about 450 patients with OP treated with surgical and conservative methods were described in the literature [46]. In the future, reports of OP are much more common [3,15,16,23,35,39,96].