Safety and effectiveness of a posterior approach alone for surgical treatment of sacral-presacral tumors.

Aim: We aimed to examine the safety and effectiveness of a posterior approach alone in the surgical treatment of sacral-presacral tumors. In addition, we investigate factors that determine the selection of a posterior approach alone.

Materials And Methods: Patients with sacral-presacral tumors who underwent surgery in our institution between 2007 and 2019 were examined in this study.

[A Histopathologically Diagnosed Neurocysticercosis Case from Türkiye].

Cysticercosis is a parasitic tissue infection caused by larval cysts of Taenia solium. Although the disease affects many tissues, it primarily affects the brain and muscles. The most common form is neurocysticercosis, a term used for human central nervous system involvement with T.

Evaluation of BMP-2, VEGF, and Vitamin D Receptor Levels in the Ligamentum Flavum of Patients with Lumbar Spinal Stenosis and Disc Herniation.

Aim: To histopathologically evaluate and compare bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-2, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and vitamin D receptor (VDR) levels in the ligamentum flavum (LF) of patients with lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) and lumbar disc herniation (LDH).

Material And Methods: Surgical specimens of the LF in 25 patients who underwent surgery for LDH and 25 patients who underwent surgery for LSS were examined histopathologically. The prevalence and severity of BMP-2, VEGF, and VDR immunoreactivity were evaluated to create histoscores (prevalence × severity), which were compared between groups.

The Effectiveness of Antibiotic-Coated Ventriculoperitoneal Shunts for Prevention of Shunt Infections in Patients with Myelomeningocele.

Purpose: Hydrocephalus is a common comorbidity among the newborns, with myelomeningocele (MMC) and ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunts being frequently used for the treatment of such patients. In this study, we aimed to compare the effectiveness of antibiotic-free and antibiotic-coated shunts to reduce the rate of shunt infection in patients with hydrocephalus and accompanying MMC.

Methods: 116 patients with hydrocephalus and MMC who were treated with VP shunts were included in the study.

Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy for Obstructive Hydrocephalus and Ventriculocystostomy for Intraventricular Arachnoid Cysts.

Objective: To evaluate and discuss the outcomes of a combination of ventriculocystostomy (VC) and endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) for obstructive hydrocephalus (HCP) due to ventricular/cisternal arachnoid cysts, and only ETV for obstructive HCP due to different etiologies.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed all 40 symptomatic patients (aged 4 months - 61 years) of obstructive HCP treated by ETV or VC+ETV during October 2014 - April 2019. VC+ETV was performed in 7 patients with intraventricular/cisternal arachnoid cyst and obstructive HCP.

Cranially migrated lumbar intervertebral disc herniations: A multicenter analysis with long-term outcome.

Objective: Risk factors of cranial migration were investigated in patients with lumbar disc herniation (LDH) that migrated in the cranial direction and the long-term outcomes are discussed in this study.

Materials And Methods: Patients who underwent surgery for LDH at four different centers between 2012 and 2017 were studied. Extraligamentous discs were located in the lateral part of the posterior longitudinal ligament (PLL) within the spinal canal of the axial plane, and subligamentous discs were located under the PLL.

Intradural Extramedullary Epidermoid Cyst at the Conus Medullaris Level with Thoracic Syringomyelia: A Case Report.

Spinal epidermoid cysts are benign tumors. Syringomyelia secondary to intramedullary tumors are frequently observed. However, the association between syringomyelia and spinal intradural extramedullary epidermoid cyst in the conus medullaris region is extremely rare.

Effects of Intrathecal Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester (CAPE) on IL-6 and TNF-α Levels and Local Inflammatory Responses in Spinal Cord Injuries.

Aim: To investigate the effects of intrathecal caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) on tissue and serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-?) levels following spinal cord injury (SCI) as well as its effects on edema and microhemorrhage.

Material And Methods: Forty rats were divided into four groups. The sham group underwent single-level laminectomy and then received an intrathecal injection of isotonic saline.

The effectiveness and clinical outcomes of the Minerva cervical thoracic jacket in patients with type II odontoid fractures.

Background/aim: The objective of this study was to carry out a detailed analysis and assess the outcomes for the Minerva cervical thoracic jacket (CTJ) in patients with type II odontoid fractures who could not be surgically treated. Materials and methods: Twenty-six patients for whom the Minerva CTJ was used rather than surgery for different reasons were included in the study. All patients were fitted with the Minerva CTJ within the first 24 h following diagnosis.

Effects of Mucuna pruriens on Free Fatty Acid Levels and Histopathological Changes in the Brains of Rats Fed a High Fructose Diet.

Objective: To investigate free fatty acid levels and histopathological changes in the brain of rats fed a high fructose diet (HFrD) and to evaluate the effects of Mucuna pruriens, known to have antidiabetic activity, on these changes.

Materials And Methods: The study comprised 28 mature female Wistar rats. The rats were divided into 4 groups, each included 7 rats.

Evaluation of Apparent Diffusion Coefficients in the Cerebellar Tonsils and Bulbus in Chiari Type I Malformations: Comparison Before and After Surgery.

Aim: To evaluate the preoperative and postoperative 6th month mean apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values of the cerebellar tonsils and bulbus in patients with Chiari Malformation Type I (CMI), and to compare the results with healthy controls.

Material And Methods: We included 15 patients with CMI who underwent suboccipital decompression, upper cervical laminectomy, and duraplasty surgery, and compared them with 10 healthy individuals. Three regions of interest were placed, one each in the cerebellar tonsils and one in the bulbus.

Evaluation of Cortical Brain Parenchyma by Diffusion and Perfusion MRI Before and After Chronic Subdural Hematoma Surgery.

Aim: To evaluate microcirculatory changes in neighboring parenchyma as a result of pressure due to chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) in early and late periods after hematoma drainage.

Material And Methods: The subject group consisted of 25 patients who underwent CSDH drainage. Brain diffusion and perfusion magnetic resonance images (MRIs) were obtained preoperatively, and at 48 hours (early period) and 2 months (late period) postoperatively.

Ventriculoperitoneal shunt malfunction caused by fractures and disconnections over 10 years of follow-up.

Purpose: We have discussed the diagnosis and treatment approaches in patients with discontinued (disconnected or fractured) ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunts that caused mechanical dysfunction.

Methods: Between 2006 and 2016, VP shunt surgery was performed on 1357 pediatric patients in our clinic. In follow-up examinations, we retrospectively reviewed patients who underwent revision surgery.

Intraoperative Results and Postoperative Clinical Outcomes of Lumbar Microdiscectomy in Patients who Previously Received a Transforaminal Anterior Epidural Steroid Injection for Lumbar Radiculopathy.

Aim: To describe the intra- and postoperative results of patients who received a transforaminal anterior epidural steroid injection (TAESI) prior to lumbar microdiscectomy.

Material And Methods: Sixty-four patients who did not improve after minimally invasive techniques (MIT) for lumbar radiculopathy were evaluated. Thirty-two of them treated with techniques other than TAESI and those receiving thrombolytic or anticoagulant drugs before microdiscectomy were excluded.

Does Ventriculoperitoneal Shunting Improve Thyroid Hormone Levels in Hydrocephalic Newborns?

Objective/aim: The aim of this report was to investigate the effect of ventriculoperitoneal shunt insertion for the treatment of hydrocephalus on thyroid hormones in the first 3 months of life.

Methods: Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free T3 (fT3), and free T4 (fT4) levels were compared at 7 days (preoperatively) and at 30 and 90 days (postoperatively) after birth between 25 ventriculoperitoneal shunt-inserted hydrocephalic newborns and 20 healthy newborns.

Results: The TSH level at 7 days was higher in the hydrocephalic patient group (6.

Evaluation of Hearing Function by Auditory Brainstem Response in Newborn Patients with Hydrocephalus before and after Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt Surgery.

Background/aim: There is currently no objective evaluation of hearing in patients with hydrocephalus (HCP), and we could not find any study in the literature comprising a sufficient number of patients with a high level of scientific evidence. In the current study, we used the auditory brainstem response (ABR) test to assess whether hearing function in patients with HCP is altered after ventriculoperitoneal shunt surgery.

Methods: In total, 20 newborn patients with HCP (13 female, 7 male) were enrolled in this study.

Migration of fragments into the spinal canal after intervertebral polyethylene glycol implantation: an extremely rare adverse effect: Case report.

Percutaneous intervertebral hydrogel (polyethylene glycol) implantation is a current treatment procedure that aims to restore hydration of a degenerated disc. There have been a few studies that claim that polyethylene glycol is successful for pain relief as the intervertebral space restores its hydration and elasticity. This procedure is reported to be indicated for discogenic low-back pain and mild radicular pain as it contributes to disc restoration.

How innocent is corpus callosum dysgenesis?

Background/aims: We aimed to investigate the relationship between corpus callosum dysgenesis (CCD) and associated asymptomatic closed spinal dysraphisms (CSDs).

Methods: 2,840 pediatric patients who were referred to our outpatient clinic between the years 2005 and 2013 with the diagnosis of microcephaly, macrocephaly, congenital hydrocephaly, epilepsy, mental-motor retardation and suspicion of intracranial mass were evaluated. Eighty-five patients were identified with a CCD by cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Electrophysiological effects of bosentan in rats with induced cerebral ischemia-reperfusion.

We examined the effect of bosentan, an ETA and ETB receptor antagonist, on EEG, an indicator of neuronal activity, in rats with experimentally induced cerebral ischemia-reperfusion. The rats were divided into three groups with seven rats in each group. Before the procedures, the EEGs of all rats were recorded for ten minutes.

The correlation of serum NT-proBNP levels of hemorrhagic and ischemic lesions detected with diffusion MRI in head traumas.

Aim: To evaluate the correlation between the dimensions of ischemic and hemorrhagic lesions detected by diffusion MRI and the changes in lesion dimensions with serum NT-proBNP levels in mild and moderate head trauma.

Material And Methods: 30 patients were assessed in our study. A control group of 10 individuals with no trauma history was formed in order to establish normal serum NT-proBNP values.