Surgical versus conservative treatment for odontoid fractures in older people: an international prospective comparative study.

Background: The optimal treatment for odontoid fractures in older people remains debated. Odontoid fractures are increasingly relevant to clinical practice due to ageing of the population.

Methods: An international prospective comparative study was conducted in fifteen European centres, involving patients aged ≥55 years with type II/III odontoid fractures.

Incomplete spinal cord injury following minor trauma in two siblings with spondylocostal dysostis type 6.

Biallelic pathogenic variants of the RIPPLY2 gene have been recognized to cause a subtype of autosomal recessive spondylocostal dysostosis (SCDO6), characterized by predominant cervical spine malformation with minor or absent involvement of the ribs. To date, RIPPLY2 associated SCDO6 has been described in ten patients in five studies with accompanying clinical symptoms varying from transient and recurrent torticollis to flaccid quadriplegia. Here, we describe two additional patients in one family in which the c.

Smartphone-based thermography to determine shunt patency in patients with hydrocephalus.

Background: When shunt dysfunction is suspected, radiation exposure due to X-rays or a CT-scan is inevitable. Less-invasive and more reliable methods are warranted. In this study, we aimed to assess the usability of smartphone-based thermography to detect shunt patency in patients with hydrocephalus.

Telemedicine use by neurosurgeons due to the COVID-19 related lockdown.

Introduction: Due to COVID-19 related restriction, the use of telemedicine has increased tremendously. With this increase, an evaluation in the neurosurgical field seems appropriate.

Research Question: To what extent has telemedicine made its way in neurosurgical practice during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Material And Methods: A 29-question survey was distributed among members of the congress of neurological surgeons regarding the respondents demographics the current level of COVID-19 restrictions, the current use of telemedicine and potential difficulties and consequences of telemedicine for patient care.

Surgeons Learning Curve of Transforaminal Endoscopic Discectomy for Sciatica.

Objective: Full-endoscopic spine surgery is gaining interest as a less-invasive alternative to treat sciatica caused by a lumbar disc herniation. Concerns, however, exist with the learning curve as percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic discectomy (PTED) appears to be more difficult to be performed compared to other techniques. In this study, the clinical outcomes during and after the learning curve are presented of 3 surgeons naïve to PTED.

Assessing the Learning Process of Transforaminal Endoscopic Discectomy for Sciatica.

Objective: Percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic discectomy (PTED) is gaining popularity by both surgeons and patients as a less invasive treatment option for sciatica. Concerns, however, exist for its learning curve. No previous study has assessed the learning process of PTED.

Body Image and Cosmesis after Percutaneous Transforaminal Endoscopic Discectomy versus Conventional Open Microdiscectomy for Sciatica.

Study Design: Randomized controlled trial.

Objective: Percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic discectomy (PTED) was introduced as a less invasive procedure to treat sciatica. Even though the PTED has a small scar size, it is unknown if PTED also leads to better scar-related patient-reported outcomes.

Full endoscopic versus open discectomy for sciatica: randomised controlled non-inferiority trial.

Objective: To assess whether percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic discectomy (PTED) is non-inferior to conventional open microdiscectomy in reduction of leg pain caused by lumbar disc herniation.

Design: Multicentre randomised controlled trial with non-inferiority design.

Setting: Four hospitals in the Netherlands.

Cost-effectiveness of full endoscopic versus open discectomy for sciatica.

Objective: To assess the costs and cost-effectiveness of percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic discectomy (PTED) compared with open microdiscectomy among patients with sciatica.

Methods: This economic evaluation was conducted alongside a 12-month multicentre randomised controlled trial with a non-inferiority design, in which patients were randomised to PTED or open microdiscectomy. Patients were aged from 18 to 70 years and had at least 6 weeks of radiating leg pain caused by lumbar disc herniation.

Quality of conscious sedation using dexmedetomidine during full-endoscopic transforaminal discectomy for sciatica: a prospective case series.

Introduction: Percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic discectomy (PTED) is increasing in popularity as a minimally invasive procedure to treat sciatica caused by lumbar disc herniation. The objective of the current study is to evaluate safety of and satisfaction with the use of local anesthesia and conscious sedation during PTED.

Methods: During a 12-month inclusion period, patients were prospectively included in this single center case series.

Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Psychometric Validation of the Dutch Version of the Core Outcome Measures Index for the Neck in Patients Undergoing Surgery for Degenerative Disease of the Cervical Spine.

Objective: To perform the psychometric validation of the Dutch version of the Core Outcome Measures Index (COMI) for the neck.

Methods: A total of 178 patients, who had an indication for surgery due to degenerative cervical spinal disease, were enrolled in the study. They filled in a baseline booklet containing the Dutch version of the COMI-neck, Likert-scales for neck and arm/shoulder pain, the Neck Disability Index (NDI), the EuroQol-5 dimensions (EQ-5D) and the 12-item Short Form health survey (SF-12).

Patient preferences for treatment of lumbar disc herniation: a discrete choice experiment.

Objective: Lumbar discectomy is a frequently performed procedure to treat sciatica caused by lumbar disc herniation. Multiple surgical techniques are available, and the popularity of minimally invasive surgical techniques is increasing worldwide. Clinical outcomes between these techniques may not show any substantial differences.

Cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric validation of the Dutch version of the Core Outcome Measures Index for the back (COMI -back) in patients undergoing surgery for degenerative disease of the lumbar spine.

Introduction: Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are the preferred outcomes measured in patients with lumbar spinal degenerative diseases. As PROMs can be lengthy and therefore pose a burden to patients and researchers, short and standardized PROMs are needed, such as the Core Outcome Measures Index (COMI).

Research Question: Is the Dutch version of the COMI-back a reliable and responsive PROM to measure outcomes in lumbar degenerative spinal surgery?

Methods: After translating and cross-cultural adapting the COMI-back into Dutch, patients who were on the waiting-list for lumbar decompression surgery in a secondary referral center, were enrolled in the validation study.

Surgeons preference for lumbar disk surgery: a discrete choice experiment.

Purpose: Multiple surgical techniques are practiced to treat sciatica caused by lumbar disk herniation. It is unknown which factors surgeons find important when offering certain surgical techniques. The objective of this study is threefold: 1) determine the relative weight surgeons place on various characteristics of sciatica treatment, 2) determine the trade-offs surgeons make between these characteristics and 3) identify preference heterogeneity for sciatica treatment.

Percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic discectomy in a nine-year-old patient with sciatica: case report, technical note and overview of the literature.

Percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic discectomy (PTED) is an alternative procedure to open microdiscectomy (OM) to treat sciatica caused by lumbar disk herniation. Even though robust evidence comparing PTED with OM is lacking, PTED is becoming increasingly popular to treat spinal disorders. In this technical report, the surgical technique and outcomes of PTED in a 9-year-old patient are described.

How to Identify Responders and Nonresponders to Dorsal Root Ganglion-Stimulation Aimed at Eliciting Motor Responses in Chronic Spinal Cord Injury: Post Hoc Clinical and Neurophysiological Tests in a Case Series of Five Patients.

Objective: While integrity of spinal pathways below injury is generally thought to be an important factor in the success-rate of neuromodulation strategies for spinal cord injury (SCI), it is still unclear how the integrity of these pathways conveying the effects of stimulation should be assessed. In one of our institutional case series of five patients receiving dorsal root ganglion (DRG)-stimulation for elicitation of immediate motor response in motor complete SCI, only two out of five patients presented as responders, showing immediate muscle activation upon DRG-stimulation. The current study focuses on post hoc clinical-neurophysiological tests performed within this patient series to illustrate their use for prediction of spinal pathway integrity, and presumably, responder-status.

Outcome of non-instrumented lumbar spinal surgery in obese patients: a systematic review.

Introduction: Lumbar spinal decompression procedures are well known in their techniques and outcomes. However, outcomes of lumbar spinal surgery in patients with obesity are relatively unknown. The aim of this review is to assess the effect of obesity on post-operative outcomes of lumbar non-instrumented decompressive spinal surgery.

Mistreatment, discrimination and burn-out in Neurosurgery.

Objective: Issues concerning harassment, bullying and discrimination are not unknown to medical specialties and are likely to be present in neurosurgery as well. The aim of this study was to estimate the extent to which neurosurgeons are faced with issues pertaining to this mistreatment.

Methods: A survey consisting of fourteen questions was distributed among members of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS).

Intraoperative Neuromonitoring in Patients with Intradural Extramedullary Spinal Cord Tumor: A Single-Center Case Series.

Background: Intradural extramedullary spinal cord tumors (ID-EMSCT) make up 40% of all spinal neoplasms. Resection of these tumors is mostly conducted using intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM). However, the literature shows heterogenous data on its added value for ID-EMSCT.

Percutaneous Transforaminal Endoscopic Discectomy Versus Open Microdiscectomy for Lumbar Disc Herniation: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Study Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: To give a systematic overview of effectiveness of percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic discectomy (PTED) compared with open microdiscectomy (OM) in the treatment of lumbar disk herniation (LDH).

Summary Of Background Data: The current standard procedure for the treatment of sciatica caused by LDH, is OM.

The Effect of Percutaneous Nucleoplasty vs Anterior Discectomy in Patients with Cervical Radicular Pain due to a Single-Level Contained Soft-Disc Herniation: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Cervical radicular pain (CRP) is a common problem in the adult population. When conservative treatment fails and the severe pain persist, surgical treatment is considered. However, surgery is associated with some serious risks.