Long Term Societal Costs of Anterior Discectomy and Fusion (ACDF) versus Cervical Disc Arthroplasty (CDA) for Treatment of Cervical Radiculopathy.

Background: Current literature suggests that anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) and cervical disc arthroplasty (CDA) have comparable clinical outcomes for the treatment of cervical radiculopathy. Given similar outcomes, an understanding of differences in long-term societal costs can help guide resource utilization. The purpose of this study was to compare the relative long-term societal costs of anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) to cervical disc arthroplasty (CDA) for the treatment of single level cervical disc disease by considering upfront surgical costs, lost productivity, and risk of subsequent revision surgery.

Posterior Fixation Techniques in the Subaxial Cervical Spine.

This article reviews the historical context, indications, techniques, and complications of four posterior fixation techniques to stabilize the subaxial cervical spine. Specifically, posterior wiring, laminar screw fixation, lateral mass fixation, and pedicle screw fixation are among the common methods of operative fixation of the subaxial cervical spine. While wiring and laminar screw fixation are now rarely used, both lateral mass and pedicle screw fixation are technically challenging and present the risk of significant complications if performed incorrectly.

Modeling 1-year survival after surgery on the metastatic spine.

Background Context: Choosing appropriate surgical patients in the setting of spinal metastases can be challenging. Existing scoring systems focus primarily on patient selection or operative techniques. These scores are limited in their capacity to predict postoperative survival.

Metastatic malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor of the cauda equina.

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST) of the cauda equina is rare, with only four reported patients in the literature. We present a 70-year-old woman with a history of left sciatic nerve MPNST that had been treated by left hemipelvectomy 4 years prior. She then presented with disabling right leg weakness that progressed over 7months.

Langerhans cell histiocytosis of the optic chiasm: case report.

Background And Importance: Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is an uncommon disease, usually affecting the cranium and peripheral bones. We present a rare case of isolated optic chiasm involvement by LCH to highlight the importance of considering LCH in the differential diagnosis of optic chiasm lesions.

Clinical Presentation: A 71-year-old woman presented with a 6-week history of worsening peripheral vision, headaches, weakness, cold sensitivity, and fatigue.

Cerebrospinal fluid leak with recurrent meningitis following tonsillectomy.

The authors report an unusual case of bilateral large petrous apex cephaloceles in a 14-year-old boy with a history of recurrent meningitis. Although these lesions are rare and usually asymptomatic, surgical correction is recommended if they are associated with a persistent CSF leak. In this patient, the extensive bilateral cranial defects were not adequately treated by an intracranial approach alone.

A decision-analysis model to diagnose feigned hand weakness.

Malingering is a condition in which patients exaggerate incapacity. Feigned hand weakness is one form of malingering, and it is often seen after work-related hand injuries. Malingering is prevalent in the workers' compensation system, which devotes a large proportion of valuable resources to unwarranted claims.

The medical Doppler in hand surgery: its scientific basis, applications, and the history of its namesake, Christian Johann Doppler.

The word Doppler is used synonymously in hand surgery for evaluating patency of vascular structures; however, the science and history behind the Doppler effect are not as well-known. We will present the theories behind the Doppler effect and the history of the person who made this discovery.

Interpretation of hand signs in Buddhist art.

Hand signs (called mudras in Sanskrit) play an important role in Buddhist art. They represent specific events from the life of Sidharta Gautama, the founder of Buddhism. These events symbolize moral principles important to the discipline.