Mechanical and Geometric Analysis of Fenestration Design for Polymethylmethacrylate-Augmented Pedicle Screw Fixation.

Background: The practice of cement augmentation in pedicle screw fixation is well established. However, there is a lack of consensus regarding the optimal screw design or cement type. This remains a clinically important question given the incidence of cement augmentation-associated complications.

Neurogenic pulmonary edema.

Aim: We report a case of neurogenic pulmonary edema in a patient who sustained a severe traumatic brain injury in a motorbike accident and review the current literature with regards to the management of neurogenic pulmonary edema (NPE).

Methods: A 17 year old male was involved in a motorbike collision into a tree. Copious amounts of pink frothy sputum was noted on scene.

Outcomes of direct lateral interbody fusion (DLIF) in an Australian cohort.

Background: Direct lateral interbody fusion (DLIF) mitigates many of the vascular complications and bony resections associated with other interbody fusion techniques. However, there are concerns regarding postoperative neural complications and that indirect decompression of the foramen has not been consistently demonstrated. This study prospectively assessed the clinical and radiological outcomes and the complication rates of the DLIF approach.

Clinical presentation and surgical outcomes of an intramedullary C2 spinal cord cavernoma: a case report and review of the relevant literature.

Background: The spinal cord intramedullary cavernoma (SCIC) is a rare form of hemangioma that typically behaves as a space-occupying lesion resulting in neurological symptoms, including bladder and bowel dysfunction. To date, there have been few reports characterizing the clinical presentations and surgical outcomes of cavernomas at the C2 spinal level or the potential for resolution of bladder and bowel symptoms postoperatively. This case details the clinical course of a patient with a C2 cavernoma with an atypical neurological presentation and rapid improvement in both bladder and bowel function postoperatively.

Lateral lumbar interbody fusion for sagittal balance correction and spinal deformity.

We conducted a systematic review to assess the safety and clinical and radiological outcomes of the recently introduced, direct or extreme lateral lumbar interbody fusion (XLIF) approach for degenerative spinal deformity disorders. Open fusion and instrumentation has traditionally been the mainstay treatment. However, in recent years, there has been an increasing emphasis on minimally invasive fusion and instrumentation techniques, with the aim of minimizing surgical trauma and blood loss and reducing hospitalization.