Duodenal atresia: not always a double bubble.

A newborn infant with a prenatal diagnosis of duodenal atresia and abdominal radiographs demonstrating air in distal bowel is presented. An upper gastrointestinal series revealed complete duodenal obstruction and duodenal atresia was confirmed at surgery. The significance of distal bowel gas and the embryological development of this unusual entity is discussed.

An evidence-based algorithm for intraoperative monitoring during cochlear implantation.

Objective: To generate an evidence-based algorithm for the use of intraoperative testing during cochlear implantation (CI).

Study Design: Retrospective review.

Setting: Tertiary referral center.

Sonic hedgehog agonist fails to induce neural stem cell precursors in a porcine model of experimental intracranial hemorrhage.

Background: The role of endogenous neural stem cell progenitors in recovery from intracranial hemorrhage remains to be elucidated. Proliferation of such stem cells in the subventricular zone has been described in rodent models of experimental intracranial hemorrhage. Administration of a sonic hedgehog agonist at the time of hemorrhage was hypothesized to increase the quantity of such precursor cells.

A retrospective analysis of pedicle screws in contact with the great vessels.

Object: Pedicle screws placed in the thoracic, lumbar, and sacral spine occasionally come in contact with the aorta, vena cava, or iliac vessels. When such screws are seen on postoperative imaging in an asymptomatic patient, the surgeon must decide whether it is riskier to revise the screw or to observe it. The authors hypothesized that the incidence of screw placement causing perioperative vessel injury is low and, further, that screws placed in contact with major vessels do not always result in vessel injury.

Administration of human recombinant bone morphogenetic protein-2 for spine fusion may be associated with transient postoperative renal insufficiency.

Study Design: Retrospective chart review.

Objective: We reviewed the peri- and postoperative outcomes of our patients who had undergone lumbar and lumbosacral fusion both with and without recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein (rhBMP) over a period of 8 years to assess the frequency of complications and new diagnoses associated with the use of rhBMP2.

Summary Of Background Data: Administration of rhBMP2 for augmentation of lumbar and lumbosacral spinal fusion has not previously been associated with systemic complications.