Chasing the Cup: A Comprehensive Review of Spinal Cord Injuries in Hockey.

Ice hockey is a high-speed sport with a high rate of associated injury, including spinal cord injury (SCI). The incidence of hockey-related SCI has increased significantly in more recent years. A comprehensive literature search was conducted with the PubMed, Medline, Google Scholar, and Web of Science databases using the phrases "hockey AND spinal cord injuries" to identify relevant studies pertaining to hockey-related SCIs, equipment use, anatomy, and biomechanics of SCI, injury recognition, and return-to-play guidelines.

Analysis of injected cement volume and clinical outcomes following kyphoplasty for vertebral compression fractures.

Background: It has been suggested that greater volumes of cement injected during kyphoplasty correlate with improved vertebral body height restoration and kyphotic angulation correction. However, there is little evidence tying cement volume to patient outcomes. Here, we analyzed the association between cement volume and outcome utilizing indices of pain, disability, and quality of life.

Vertebral height restoration following kyphoplasty.

Background: Kyphoplasty is a minimally invasive surgery developed to restore height and stabilize painful vertebral compression fractures (VCFs). Only small retrospective studies have addressed the correlation between the degree of vertebral height restoration as it relates to pain relief and postoperative activity levels. No definitive correlations have been established.

Report of Spontaneous Internal Carotid Dissection in a Patient with Turner Syndrome with a Systematic Review of the Literature.

Background: Spontaneous isolated carotid artery (CA) or vertebral artery (VA) dissection in the absence of coarctation has rarely been reported in the literature. We report the case of a 20-year-old woman with Turner syndrome (TS) who developed an acute left middle cerebral artery territory ischemic stroke from a spontaneous left internal carotid artery (ICA) dissection. We also conducted a systematic review of the literature to identify prior studies establishing an association or other case reports of isolated CA or VA dissection in TS.

Prospective and Multicenter Evaluation of Outcomes for Quality of Life and Activities of Daily Living for Balloon Kyphoplasty in the Treatment of Vertebral Compression Fractures: The EVOLVE Trial.

Background: Osteoporotic and neoplastic vertebral compression fractures (VCF) are common and painful, threatening quality of life and increasing risk of morbidity and mortality. Balloon kyphoplasty is a percutaneous option for treating painful cancer- and osteoporosis-related VCFs, supported by 2 randomized trials demonstrating efficacy benefits of BKP over nonsurgical care.

Objective: To investigate 12-mo disability, quality of life, and safety outcomes specifically in a Medicare-eligible population, representing characteristic patients seen in routine clinical practice.

in an Immunocompetent Patient in the Southeastern United States.

Cryptococcal infections are seen throughout the United States in both immunocompromised and immunocompetent patients. The most common form is . In the Northwestern United States, has received considerable attention secondary to increased virulence resulting in significant morbidity and mortality.

The clinical significance and reliability of self-reported smoking status in patients with intracranial aneurysms: a review.

Objective: Here we present a review of the pathophysiology of tobacco smoking on intracranial aneurysms, self-reported smoking status in these patients, screening tools and assays available for assessing active nicotine use, means of impacting smoking cessation rates, and the potential impact of smoking cessation on risk of rupture and recurrence of treated intracranial aneurysms.

Methods: A literature search using PubMed was done to identify all English language studies relating to tobacco use and intracranial aneurysms, smoking and subarachnoid hemorrhage, nicotine breakdown products, and smoking cessation in neurosurgery. Results from the studies were reviewed and summarized.