Should asymptomatic cervical stenosis be treated in the setting of progressive thoracic myelopathy? A systematic review of the literature.

Purpose: Unlike tandem stenosis of the cervical and lumbar spine, tandem cervical and thoracic stenosis (TCTS) of the spine is less common, and the approach and order of intervention are controversial. We aim to review the literature to evaluate the incidence and interventions for patients with cervical and thoracic stenosis. We provide illustrative cases to demonstrate that thoracic myelopathy in the setting of asymptomatic cervical stenosis can be treated safely.

Subtotal calvarial vault reconstruction utilizing a customized polyetheretherketone (PEEK) implant with chimeric microvascular soft tissue coverage in a patient with syndrome of the trephined: A case report.

The syndrome of the trephined is a neurologic phenomenon that manifests as sudden decline in cognition, behavior, and sensorimotor function due to loss of intracranial domain. This scenario typically occurs in the setting of large craniectomy defects, resulting from trauma, infection, and/or oncologic extirpation. Cranioplasty has been shown to reverse these symptoms by normalizing cerebral hemodynamics and metabolism.

Creating a Culture of Collaboration: A Brief History of Academic Neurosurgery in Washington, DC.

Clinical neurosurgery has been practiced in the US capital for just over 100 years. As former residents and fellows of Drs. Harvey Cushing and Walter Dandy moved to the region, hospitals at Georgetown and George Washington Universities became early adopters of this new surgical discipline.

Real-Time Evaluation of Anterior Choroidal Artery Patency During Aneurysm Clipping.

Inadvertent occlusion of the anterior choroidal artery during aneurysm clipping can cause a disabling stroke in minutes. We evaluate the clinical utility of direct cortical motor evoked potential (MEP) monitoring during aneurysm clipping, as a real-time assessment of arterial patency, prior to performing indocyanine green videoangiography.   Direct cortical MEPs were recorded in seven patients undergoing surgery for aneurysms that involved or abutted the anterior choroidal artery.

Laparoscopic-assisted Peritoneal Shunt Insertion for Ventriculoperitoneal and Lumboperitoneal Shunt Placement: An Institutional Experience of 53 Consecutive Cases.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe operative times, complication rates, and outcomes following laparoscopic placement of the peritoneal catheter in ventriculoperitoneal (VP) and lumboperitoneal (LP) shunt insertion.

Methods: A retrospective review was performed of those who underwent laparoscopic-assisted VP or LP shunt insertion from July 2007 to August 2011.

Results: The study included 53 consecutive patients (35 women and 18 men).

Surgical management of a paraclinoid aneurysm containing a displaced neuroform microstent: technical case report.

Objective: We report the first case of clip obliteration of a cerebral aneurysm containing a displaced microstent.

Clinical Presentation: A 63-year-old woman presented with a 6-month history of headaches. She had no other neurological symptoms, and her examination was normal.

Atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor (AT/RT) in adults: review of four cases.

Atypical teratoid/rhabdoid (AT/RT) tumor is a rare, highly malignant tumor of the central nervous system (CNS) most commonly found in children less than 5 years of age. Although the vast majority of cases are diagnosed in young children, there have been isolated case reports in adults. Since its histological appearance can be confused with other tumors, especially in adults, separating AT/RT from other neoplasms may be difficult.

Spontaneous resolution of syringomyelia and Chiari malformation Type I in a patient with cerebrospinal fluid otorrhea. Case report.

The spontaneous resolution of syringomyelia in the setting of a Chiari malformation Type I (CM-I) has been reported infrequently. Several theories about the pathogenesis and spontaneous resolution of syringomyelia associated with CM-I have been proposed. The authors present the case of a patient with spontaneous resolution of a CM-I and syringomyelia coinciding with the development of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) otorrhea.

Complex Expression Patterns for Na+,K+-ATPase Isoforms in Retina and Optic Nerve.

Three genetically distinct isozymes of the catalytic subunit of the Na,K-ATPase have been detected and have been designated alpha1, alpha2, and alpha3. To determine whether their expression is restricted to identifiable neurons and glia, specific monoclonal antibodies were used for immunofluorescent localization in the rat retina and optic nerve. The patterns of staining were markedly different, suggesting differences in cellular localization.