Atlas and axis instrumentation may be necessary in cases of several craniocervical junction pathologies. According to the Harms technique, C1-C2 polyaxial screws are inserted respectively in the C1 lateral masses and in C2 pedicles. C1 lateral mass screw insertion requires the careful subperiosteal dissection of the posterior elements of C1, the identification of the screw entry point by the downward distraction of C2 nerve root, and the cautious sparing of the overlying posterior external vertebral venous plexus (peVVP), whose bleeding, obstructing the surgical field, is sometimes barely controlled by hemostatic agents and swabbing.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSpinal intramedullary arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) can present with spinal hemorrhage. However, some of them occasionally can be the cause of angiographically negative intracranial subarachnoid hemorrhage, thus requiring a more comprehensive diagnostic approach to detect the possible source of bleeding. Nidal or arterial feeder aneurysms are widely considered high-risk rupture portions of the spinal AVM and recognized as a major cause of bleeding.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Transdural disc herniations represent about 0.3% of all herniated discs. Preoperative imaging rarely demonstrates this condition.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Different transforaminal endoscopic approaches have been developed for the surgical treatment of lumbar disc herniation: Kambin (intradiscal), Yeung (intraforaminal intradiscal), Ruetten (extreme lateral), transforaminal endoscopic surgical system (intraforaminal extradiscal) approach, and modifications. The operative technique for the treatment of foraminal and extraforaminal lumbar disc herniation through these surgical approaches has not been well described in reported studies. Moreover, each of these surgical approaches has limitations in the removal of migrated intra- or extraforaminal disc herniation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Surgical approaches for posterior C1-C2 arthrodesis, such as C1-C2 transarticular and C1-C2 screw stabilization, are known to be demanding because of the anatomic close proximity of cervical vertebrae to neurovascular structures. Currently, navigation by fluoroscopy or intraoperative computed tomography (ICT) is the standard practice. However, fluoroscopy has various limitations, and ICT is time consuming and not available in many centers; furthermore, both diagnostic tools lead to exposure of the operating room staff to radiation exposure.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Neurosurg Sci
June 2022
Background: Traumatic fractures of the thoracolumbar spine are common injuries, accounting for approximately 90% of all spinal traumas. Optimal management of these fractures still gives rises to much debate in the literature. Currently, one of the treatment options in young patients with stable traumatic vertebral fractures is conservative treatment using braces.
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