[Aims - Primary spinal tumors are rare diseases and there are less objective data in the international literature. We analyzed the epidemiology and clinical consequences of primary spinal tumors based on the clinical experience of the National Center for Spinal Disorders. Methods - Demographic and clinical data of 300 patients treated in our institute between 1995 and 2007 was collected retrospectively and analysed. Results - Beyond the relatively more frequent pathologies (chordoma, myeloma multiplex) we treated in our hospital some of the very rare types of tumors (spinal leiomyosarcoma, synovial sarcoma). Primary spinal tumors are most often located in the lumbosacral region causing most frequently (73%) local or radiating pain. Modern therapy of these patologies is based on the surgical intervention. Mean operation time was 130 minutes, mean blood loss was 650 ml in our pratice during these often technically challenging surgeries. We found a significant association among the operation time, the blood loss and the extension of the tumor (p<0.01). Histology (p<0.0001), severity of symptomes (p<0.05) and blood loss (p<0.05) were significantly related to mortality. Local recurrence was more than 5-fold in case of patients previously operated in another institute (p<0.0001). Conclusions - We successfully determined some significant prognostic factor on clinical behavior of primary spinal tumors performing a large scale retrospective study. Long time follow up of the patients and completion of our database with prospective data are planned for the future.]

[INTRODUCTION - The prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus in children and adolescents is increasing worldwide. PATIENTS AND METHODS - Authors have investigated the prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus and of impaired glucose tolerance among the patients of the 1st Department of Pediatrics at the Semmelweis University between January 1989 and September 1998. RESULTS - During this period, 161 children with impaired glucose tolerance and 34 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus were diagnosed. There was a female predominance. 53% of the patients were already in puberty. The majority of the patients were obese. Serum triglyceride and cholesterine levels exceeded normal values as compared to age matched healthy children. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring revealed relative nocturnal hypertension. 35% of the patients also had microalbuminuria. CONCLUSION - In type 2 diabetes mellitus the early signs of late complications can be detected in the young. It reveals the importance of establishing the diagnosis of this disease as soon as possible.]

[Long-term central venous access devices are essential in the management of oncology patients, as they minimize the discomfort caused by frequent venipuncture and cannulation. Indications of application of central venous accesses, possibilities of implantations, immediate and long term complications, they prevention and obviation has been reported based on guidelines and relevant publications. Long term implantable central venous accesses handled by well-trained and exercised team, working with principles of maintenance, these manipulations are effective and safe, therefore suitable in oncological practice.]

[Both acute and chronic instability of the cervical spine can be succesfully treated by anterior crevical fusion. The main goal is to create a spondylodesis through which the instable motion segments are fixed in the position defined by the surgeon. The spondylodesis is realised by the bone healing of the intervertebral space. The consolidation itself is facilitated by the operative stabilisation of the segments involved, and also by the implantation/transplantation of the osteoproductive/ osteoinductive materials. The sooner consolidation is achieved, the more likely it is to be able to avoid the material dependent complications and/or that of dislocation. So as to support this theory a retrospective clinical/radiological study was performed. During this the length and the safety of the consolidation was measured by applying various anterior cervical plating systems. A total of 485 patients having cervical injuries or degenerative disc disease were treated by anterior cervical plating. For bone transplantation partly pure autolog spongious partly autolog cortico-spongious morsalised bone chips, furthermore autolog tricortical bone block were applied. A standard protocoll was used for data collection, evaluation and also follow-up. The patients treated with plate systems were divided into 3 groups: Group 1: Non-locked H-plate system with autogeneous cancellous bone (155 trauma patients, for a total of 210 cervical motion segments, 1.35 segments/patients). Group 2: Non-locked H-plate system with tricortical autograft (167 patients, for a total of 290 cervical motion segments, 1.73 segments/patients). Group 3: Locked cervical plate system with tricortical autograft (73 patients, for a total of 110 cervical motion segments, 1.5 segments/patients). Patients treated with standalone cage belong to group 4. These cages were filled with autogenous cortico-spongiosus bone chips (90 patients, for a total of 90 cervical motion segments, 1.0 segments/patients). Evaluations included postoperative clinical, X-ray and CT examination, and follow-ups at 6, 16, 52, and 104 weeks. We established three grades, and classified the degree of bony fusion between the graft and vertebra: not-yet-fused, fused or non-union. When evaluating the results the following statements/observations were made: a) There is a fast and safe consolidation in the case of those patients that underwent dinamic disc osteosynthesis (p=0.00001). b) Whereas performing fixation with non-locked or locked screw plate systems and strutgrafted with tricortical autograft created prolonged healing requiring months and developed non-unions more often (non-locked screw-plate system versus locked screwplate system) (p>0.05). c) Using locked screw-plate fixation systems non-union rate in our study was 21%, suggesting that this form of fixation has only a limited use. d) In our study complete consolidation without pseudoarthrosis was achieved by using standalone cages filled with autolog cortico- spongiosus bone chips, but bony healing was delayed due to cage coating and the substitution of pure autogenous spongiosa for cortico-spongiosus bone chips. It is recommended to treat acute/chronic instability of the cervical spine both by using non-fixed plate system with autolog cancellosus bone and by standalone cage filled with cortico-spongiosus bone chips as well. It is worth keeping in mind that by applying this lattest an extra surgery to harvest the graft will be avoided.]

[Purpose - Percutaenous Vertebroplasty (PVP) is effective in alleviating pain and facilitating early mobilization following vertebral compression fractures. The relatively high risk of extravertebral leakage due to uncontrolled delivery of low viscosity bone cement is an inherent limitation of the technique. The aim of this research is to investigate the ability of controlled cement delivery in decreasing the rate of such complications by applying radiofrequency heating to regulate cement viscosity. Method and material - Thirty two vetebrae were treated in 28 patients as part of an Ethics Committee approved multicenter clinical trial using RadioFreqency assisted Percutaenous Vertebral Augmentation (RF-PVA) technique. This technique is injecting low viscosity polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) bone cement using a pressure controlled hydraulic pump and applying radiofrequency heating to increase cement viscosity prior to entering the vertebral body. All patients were screened for any cement leakage by X-ray and CT scan. The intensity of pain was recorded on a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and the level of physical activiy on the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) prior to, one day, one month and three months following procedure. Results - All procedures were technically successful. There were no clinical complication, intraspinal or intraforaminal cement leakage. In nine cases (29%) a small amount of PMMA entered the intervertebral space through the broken end plate. Intensity of pain by VAS was reduced from a mean of 7.0 to 2.5 and physical inactivity dropped on the ODI from 52% to 23% three months following treatment. Conclusion - In this small series controlled cement injection using RF-PVA was capable of preventing clinically hazardous extravertebral cement leakage while achieving outcomes similar to that of conventional vertebroplasty.]