A simple scoring system for predicting early major complications in spine surgery: the cumulative effect of age and size of surgery.

Objective: To analyze the cumulative effect of risk factors associated with early major complications in postoperative spine surgery.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of 583 surgically-treated patients. Early "major" complications were defined as those that may lead to permanent detrimental effects or require further significant intervention.

Quantitative computed tomography and cranial burr holes: a model to evaluate the quality of cranial reconstruction in humans.

Current methods to evaluate the biologic development of bone grafts in human beings do not quantify results accurately. Cranial burr holes are standardized critical bone defects, and the differences between bone powder and bone grafts have been determined in numerous experimental studies. This study evaluated quantitative computed tomography (QCT) as a method to objectively measure cranial bone density after cranial reconstruction with autografts.

Intracranial intrasellar kissing carotid arteries: case report.

Intracranial "kissing" carotid arteries are a rare variant of the carotid arteries, where both internal carotid arteries deviate medially and touch each other near the midline within the sphenoid sinus or the sphenoid bone, including the sella. This anomaly is particularly important since it may cause or mimic pituitary disease and also may complicate transsphenoidal surgery. We report a rare case of intracranial intrasellar kissing carotid arteries in a 57-years-old woman that was submitted to a computed tomography angiography during investigation of a sudden headache, and to discuss the clinical relevance of this radiological finding.

Vertebrobasilar dolichoectasia as a cause of trigeminal neuralgia: the role of microvascular decompression. Case report.

Our purpose is to report a case of trigeminal neuralgia caused by vertebrobasilar dolichoectasia treated with microvascular decompression. A 63-year-old man sought treatment for a recurrent lancinating left facial pain in V2 and V3 trigeminal territories. The computed tomography angiography revealed a mechanical compression of the left trigeminal nerve due to vertebrobasilar dolichoectasia.

Early surgical treatment of nonsyndromic craniosynostosis.

Background: Craniosynostosis, a premature fusion of cranial sutures, can happen as an isolated defect (nonsyndromic) or as part of a syndrome. It may lead to raised intracranial pressure and deformity of both the cranial and facial skeletons. Early surgery is usually the best treatment choice.