Markedly Elevated Intracranial Pressure Treated With Cranial Vault Expansion, Instead of CSF Shunting, in a Child With Hurler-Scheie Syndrome and Multiple Suture Craniosynostosis.

Despite a known association of mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS) and craniosynostosis, treatment of elevated intracranial pressure (ICP) in these patients is primarily cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunting. We present a unique case of Hurler-Scheie syndrome with multisuture craniosynostosis and elevated ICP, without ventriculomegaly, where elevated ICP was successfully treated with extensive cranial vault expansion and shunt placement was avoided. Patients with MPS should be evaluated for craniosynostosis, and calvarial vault expansion may be considered as a viable treatment alternative to CSF shunting for elevated ICP in select patients.

Biomechanical study of rod stress after pedicle subtraction osteotomy versus anterior column reconstruction: A finite element study.

Background: In an effort to minimize rod fractures and nonunion in pedicle subtraction osteotomy (PSO) constructs, surgeons have adopted multirod constructs and interbody cages. Anterior column realignment (ACR) with posterior column osteotomies is a minimally invasive alternative to PSO in sagittal balance correction, however, there is a paucity of evidence with respect to rod survival.

Methods: Three-dimensional (3D) finite-element-model of a T12-sacrum spine segment was used to compare a 25° PSO at L3 and an ACR with a posterior column osteotomy and 30° hyperlordotic interbody cage at L3-4.

Indirect decompression and reduction of lumbar spondylolisthesis does not result in higher rates of immediate and long term complications.

Nerve root decompression and spondylolisthesis reduction is typically reserved for open surgery. MIS techniques have been thought to be associated with higher rates of neurological complications. This study aims to report acute and chronic neurologic complications encountered with MIS surgery for spondylolisthesis, specifically, the incidence of nerve root injury and clinical and radiographic outcomes.

Effects of intradiscal vacuum phenomenon on surgical outcome of lateral interbody fusion for degenerative lumbar disease.

OBJECTIVE The authors investigated whether the presence of intradiscal vacuum phenomenon (IVP) results in greater correction of disc height and restoration of segmental lordosis (SL). METHODS A retrospective chart review was performed on every patient at the University of South Florida's Department of Neurosurgery treated with lateral lumbar interbody fusion between 2011 and 2015. From these charts, preoperative plain radiographs and CT images were reviewed for the presence of IVP.

The Potentially Fatal Ogilvie's Syndrome in Lateral Transpsoas Access Surgery: A Multi-Institutional Experience with 2930 Patients.

Background: Ogilvie's syndrome (OS) is a relatively uncommon pathology characterized by significant colonic dilation in the absence of mechanical obstruction. If unrecognized and untreated, cecal perforation resulting in a mortality rate of 25%-71% may occur. It is a potentially underdiagnosed condition in the lateral transpsoas approach population because of its uncommon nature and imitation of other well-known pathologies.

Anterior Longitudinal Ligament Release From the Minimally Invasive Lateral Retroperitoneal Transpsoas Approach: Technical Note.

Background: The technique for minimally invasive anterior longitudinal ligament release is a major advancement in lateral access surgery. This method provides hypermobility of lumbar segments to allow for aggressive lordosis restoration while maintaining the benefits of indirect decompression and minimally invasive access.

Objective: To provide video demonstration of the lateral retroperitoneal transpsoas approach with anterior longitudinal ligament sectioning.

Contralateral psoas hematoma after minimally invasive, lateral retroperitoneal transpsoas lumbar interbody fusion: a multicenter review of 3950 lumbar levels.

OBJECTIVE Minimally invasive lateral lumbar interbody fusion (LLIF) via the retroperitoneal transpsoas approach is a technically demanding procedure with a multitude of potential complications. A relatively unknown complication is the contralateral psoas hematoma. The authors speculate that injury occurs from segmental vessel injury at the time of contralateral annulus release; however, this is not fully understood.

Percutaneous Minimally Invasive (MIS) Guide Wire-less Self-Tapping Pedicle Screw Placement in the Thoracic and Lumbar Spine: Safety and Initial Clinical Experience: Technical Note.

Background: Multiple methods for minimally invasive (MIS) thoracic and lumbar pedicle screw placement exist. The guide wire is almost universally used for most insertion techniques; however, its use is not without complication and potentially prolongs surgical procedures.

Objective: To evaluate the safety of percutaneous MIS guide wire-less pedicle screw placement in the thoracic and lumbar spine at a single institution over a 3-year experience.

Reduction in CSF shunt infection over a 10-year period associated with the application of concentrated topical antibiotic powder directly to surgical wounds prior to closure.

Object: The application of concentrated topical antibiotic powder directly to surgical wounds has been associated with a reduction in wound infection in cardiac, spinal, and deep brain stimulator surgery. As a result of these findings, the corresponding author began systematically applying concentrated bacitracin powder directly to wounds during shunt surgery more than 5 years ago. The object of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of concentrated bacitracin powder applied directly to wounds prior to closure during cranial shunt surgery and to evaluate the association between shunt infection and other risk factors.

Complications associated with bacitracin powder in surgical wounds.

Object: There has been renewed interest in the application of concentrated antibiotic powder to surgical wounds as a method to decrease infection rates. While there is substantial medical literature describing the effectiveness and complications associated with vancomycin and gentamycin powders, very little has been reported regarding the safety and effectiveness of bacitracin powder in surgical wounds. In this paper the authors report their detailed analysis of potential bacitracin powder-related complications in a population of pediatric patients who underwent shunt surgery.

Bucket and straw technique to facilitate passage of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt through the distal tunneling sheath.

Placement of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) is a procedure comprising many small steps. Difficulties and delays can arise when passing the distal shunt tubing down the distal tunneling sheath during surgery. The authors of this report describe a simple technique for quickly passing the distal catheter of a VPS through the tunneler sheath, whereby the sheath is used as a fluid tube to allow the distal catheter to be drawn through the fluid tube under suction pressure.

Median nerve branches to the pronator teres: cadaveric study with potential use in neurotization procedures to the radial nerve at the elbow.

Object: Various donor nerves have been used for brachial plexus neurotization procedures. To the authors' knowledge, neurotization of median nerve branches to the pronator teres to the radial nerve at the elbow have not been explored.

Methods: In an attempt to identify an additional nerve donor candidate for neurotization procedures of the upper limb, 20 cadaveric upper limbs underwent dissection of the cubital fossa and identification of branches of the median nerve to the pronator teres.