Lumbar Spondylodiscitis Mimicking Cholecystitis: A Case Report and Review of Literature.

Background:  Lower back pain is a frequent cause of emergency department visits and one of the leading causes of the disease burden worldwide. The purpose of this case report and literature review was to discuss atypical abdominal entities mimicking spinal diseases typically presenting with lower back pain.

Methods:  A 79-year-old man presented with lower back pain and urinary incontinence after receiving a non-image-guided lumbar infiltration treatment 4 weeks prior to admission.

Annular closure device lowers reoperation risk 4 years after lumbar discectomy.

Objective: To determine whether implanting an annular closure device (ACD) following a lumbar discectomy procedure in patients with large defects in the annulus fibrosus lowers the risk of reoperation after 4 years.

Methods: In a multicenter randomized trial, patients with large annular defects following single-level lumbar discectomy were intraoperatively randomized to additionally receive an ACD or no treatment (Controls). Clinical and imaging follow-up were performed at routine intervals over 4 years of follow-up.

Comparison of treatments for lumbar disc herniation: Systematic review with network meta-analysis.

Study Design: Systematic review with network meta-analysis.

Objective: To compare patient outcomes of lumbar discectomy with bone-anchored annular closure (LD + AC), lumbar discectomy (LD), and continuing conservative care (CC) for treatment of lumbar disc herniation refractory to initial conservative management.

Summary Of Background Data: Several treatment options are available to patients with refractory symptoms of lumbar disc herniation, but their comparative efficacy is unclear.

Craniomaxillofacial patient-specific CAD/CAM implants based on cone-beam tomography data - A feasibility study.

Customized implants have simplified surgical procedures and have improved patient outcome in craniomaxillofacial surgery. Traditionally, patient-specific data is gathered by conventional computed tomography (CT). However, cone-beam CT (CBCT) can generate a 3D reconstruction of the area of interest with a lower dose of radiation at reduced cost.

Decompressive hemicraniectomy for malignant middle cerebral artery infarction including patients with additional involvement of the anterior and/or posterior cerebral artery territory-outcome analysis and definition of prognostic factors.

Background: According to current evidence, adding decompressive craniectomy (DC) to best medical therapy reduces case fatality rate of malignant middle cerebral artery infarction by 50-75%. There is currently little information available regarding the outcome of subgroups, in particular of patients with extensive infarctions exceeding the territory of the middle cerebral artery.

Methods: The records of 101 patients with large hemispheric infarctions undergoing DC were retrospectively reviewed.

The impact of experimental preconditioning using vascular endothelial growth factor in stroke and subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) stimulating angiogenesis was shown to be a potential novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of ischemic vascular diseases. The goal of the present study was to examine whether transfection of VEGF before occurrence of major stroke (part I) and cerebral vasospasm after experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH; part II) develops neuroprotective qualities. A total of 25 (part I) and 26 (part II) brains were analyzed, respectively.

Local delivery of nimodipine by prolonged-release microparticles-feasibility, effectiveness and dose-finding in experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Background And Purpose: To investigate the effect of locally applied nimodipine prolonged-release microparticles on angiographic vasospasm and secondary brain injury after experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH).

Methods: 70 male Wistar rats were categorized into three groups: 1) sham operated animals (control), 2) animals with SAH only (control) and the 3) treatment group. SAH was induced using the double hemorrhage model.

Double-barrel extracranial-intracranial bypass surgery followed by endovascular carotid artery occlusion in a patient with an extracranial giant internal carotid artery aneurysm due to Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.

Objective: In this case report we describe a successful interdisciplinary approach (including flow redirection and endovascular occlusion) applied to a patient with a continuously growing extracranial giant aneurysm of the right internal carotid artery (ICA) due to known Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.

Case Presentation: A 42-year-old man with a continuously growing extracranial giant aneurysm of the right ICA sought treatment after failed surgery of a similar lesion of the left ICA. A multidisciplinary consultation was held at the end of 2008.

The effect of intraventricular thrombolysis in combination with low-frequency head motion after severe subarachnoid hemorrhage: interim analysis of safety, clot clearance rate and delayed cerebral ischemia.

Objective: The current clinical prospective randomized phase II study was initiated in order to analyze the effect of enhanced washout by discontinuous intraventricular thrombolysis in combination with low-frequency head-motion therapy on side effects, clot clearance rate, cerebral vasospasm and clinical outcome after severe subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH).

Methods: Data from 40 adult patients with aneurysmal SAH were included in this interim analysis. Patients randomized to the study group achieved additional intraventricular application of rt-PA (Actilyse(®)) bolus 5 mg every 12 h and lateral rotational therapy (RotoRest(®)).

Dose-related efficacy of a continuous intracisternal nimodipine treatment on cerebral vasospasm in the rat double subarachnoid hemorrhage model.

Objective: Intracisternal continuous therapy is a concept in the treatment of cerebral vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the effect of intracisternal nimodipine after induced vasospasm.

Methods: Sixty-five male Wistar rats were randomized into 4 groups: the control sham-operated group, the control subarachnoid hemorrhage-only group, and the treatment groups receiving 5 or 10 microL/hour of intracisternal nimodipine continuously for 5 days via subcutaneously implanted Alzet osmotic pumps (Durect Corp.