title: [Application of intraoperative spinal ultrasonography in thoracic spinal decompressive operations].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the feasibility and clinical value of intraoperative ultrasonography (IOUS) in thoracic spinal decompression surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten patients with confirmed thoracic spinal stenosis underwent thoracic spinal decompression in our center from August 2009 to December 2010. The appearance of the compressed section of spinal cord was observed with IOUS. Before and after the decompression operation, the diameters of dural sac and the spinal cord were recorded respectively. The location and nature of the compression-causing mass were confirmed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  IOUS clearly showed the shape of the normal and the compressed sections of dural sac and spinal cord. In the 14 thoracic spinal cord sections of these 10 patients, the anteroposterior diameter, horizontal diameter, and their ratio were bigger than those before decompression. The values of anteroposterior diameter and anteroposterior/horizontal diameter ratio showed significant differences(the P value of dural sac anteroposterior diameter comparison was 0.008, which of spinal cord was 0.007; the P values of these two structures ratio comparison were both 0.002 before and after decompression), while the horizontal diameter presented no significant differences (the P values of both structures were 0.270 and 0.195 respectively before and after decompression).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IOUS can clearly show the morphological changes of the dural sac and spinal cord before and after the decompression. In addition, it helps surgeons to locate and specify the nature of the compression-causing mass on the ventral side of dural sac. Furthermore, IOUS can suggest whether the decompression is sufficient in a real-time manner.
authors: Department of Diagnostic Ultrasound, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China.
authors: Ling
authors: L
authors: Jiang
authors: Xiao-guang
authors: XG
authors: Liu
authors: Liang
authors: L
authors: Jiang
authors: Li-gang
authors: LG
authors: Cui
authors: Wen
authors: W
authors: Chen
authors: Jian-wen
authors: JW
authors: Jia
authors: Jin-rui
authors: JR
authors: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019299:Decompression, Surgical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016343:Monitoring, Intraoperative / Q000379:methods*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D013130:Spinal Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014463:Ultrasonography