Surgical Management of Charcot Spinal Arthropathy in the Face of Possible Infection.

Background: The design is a retrospective cohort study. Charcot spinal arthropathy (CSA) is a rare and poorly understood progressive destructive spine condition that usually affects patients with preexisting spinal cord injury. The complexity of this condition, especially when additionally burdened by superimposed infection in the CSA zone, can potentially lead to suboptimal management such as protracted antibiotic therapy, predisposition to hardware failure, and pseudarthrosis.

Iliac Screw Fixation Revisited: Improved Clinical and Radiologic Outcomes Using a Modified Iliac Screw Fixation Technique.

Study Design: A retrospective study.

Objective: To describe the modified iliac screw (mILS) technique and compare it to other spinopelvic fixation techniques in terms of wound healing complications, hardware prominence, and failure.

Summary Of Background Data: The traditional entry point of an iliac screw often causes postoperative gluteal pain from the prominent screw head.

Extreme Lateral Interbody Fusion for Thoracic and Thoracolumbar Disease: The Diaphragm Dilemma.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Objective: Complication profiles for lateral approaches to the spine are well established. However, the influence of level of surgery on complication rates and subtypes are less well established.

Emerging Insight in the Use of an Active Post Discharge Surveillance Program in Spine Surgery: A Retrospective Pilot Study.

Background: With smartphones being present in everyday life, we have witnessed an increasing use of applications designed for mobile communication devices that are aimed at facilitating patient engagement in different medical arenas. Such applications are meant to improve communications with patients and ultimately improve patient care. The aim of this study was to report on our early experiences using Active Post Discharge Surveillance (APDS) relative to invasiveness of the spine surgery and patient age and gender.

90-day Readmission Rates for Single Level Anterior Lumbosacral Interbody Fusion: A Nationwide Readmissions Database Analysis.

Study Design: Nationwide Readmissions Database Study.

Objective: To investigate the patterns of readmissions and complications following hospitalization for elective single level anterior lumbobsacral interbody fusion.

Summary Of Background Data: Lumbar interbody spine fusions for degenerative disease have increased annually in the United States, including associated hospital costs.

Impact of Chronic DMARD Therapy in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis Undergoing Surgery of the Craniovertebral Junction: A Multi-center Retrospective Study.

Study Design: A multi-centered retrospective review from five institutions.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine whether continuing or withholding disease-modifying antirheumatoid drugs (DMARDs) in the perioperative period affect outcomes in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients undergoing arthrodesis at the craniovertebral junction SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA.: RA is a chronic systemic inflammatory disease that affects the cervical spine and is treated with DMARDs.

An approach using the occipital parietal point for placement of ventriculoperitoneal catheters in adults.

Background: Ventriculoperitoneal shunts (VPS) have been widely used in the management of hydrocephalus. As current investigations into optimal approaches are being studied in the pediatric population, no general consensus on cranial entry points has been established for the adults. We compare conventional posterior and frontal approaches with an occipital parietal point (OPP) on computerized tomography (CT) while analyzing its associated outcomes.

A rare case of intracranial teratocarcinosarcoma: Case report and review of literature.

Background: Teratocarcinosarcoma (TCS) is a rare malignant neoplasm with epithelial and mesenchymal components such as fibroblasts, cartilage, bone and smooth muscle. With less than 100 total reported cases, this malignant neoplasm is rarely encountered by neurosurgeons because it primarily involves the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses.

Case Description: A 55-year-old male with chronic frontal headaches was found to have a frontal mass with involvement of nasal sinus and right ethmoid sinus.

Optic nerve injury in a patient with chronic allergic conjunctivitis.

Manipulation of the optic nerve can lead to irreversible vision changes. We present a patient with a past medical history of skin allergy and allergic conjunctivitis (AC) who presented with insidious unexplained unilateral vision loss. Physical exam revealed significant blepharospasm, mild lid edema, bulbar conjunctival hyperemia, afferent pupillary defect, and slight papillary hypertrophy.