Which one is a valuable surrogate for predicting survival between Tomita and Tokuhashi scores in patients with spinal metastases? A meta-analysis for diagnostic test accuracy and individual participant data analysis.

This study is to estimate the diagnostic accuracy of Tokuhashi and Tomita scores that assures 6-month predicting survival regarded as a standard of surgical treatment. We searched PubMed, EMBASE, European PubMed central, and the Cochrane library for papers about the sensitivities and specificities of the Tokuhashi and/or Tomita scores to estimate predicting survival. Studies with cut-off values of ≥9 for Tokuhashi and ≤7 for Tomita scores based on prior studies were enrolled.

Chiari I malformation associated with syringomyelia: can foramen magnum decompression lead to restore cervical alignment?

Purpose: There are few researches that demonstrate the relationship between the extent of syringomyelia and sagittal alignment of the cervical spine. The purpose of this study is to investigate the correlation between the change of syrinx size and cervical alignment.

Methods: From January 2001 to June 2008, we operated on 207 patients who had syringomyelia.

Back muscle changes after pedicle based dynamic stabilization.

Objective: Many studies have investigated paraspinal muscle changes after posterior lumbar surgery, including lumbar fusion. However, no study has been performed to investigate back muscle changes after pedicle based dynamic stabilization in patients with degenerative lumbar spinal diseases. In this study, the authors compared back muscle cross sectional area (MCSA) changes after non-fusion pedicle based dynamic stabilization.

Comparison of the biomechanical effect of pedicle-based dynamic stabilization: a study using finite element analysis.

Background Context: Recently, nonfusion pedicle-based dynamic stabilization systems (PBDSs) have been developed and used in the management of degenerative lumbar spinal diseases. Still effects on spinal kinematics and clinical effects are controversial. Little biomechanical information exists for providing biomechanical characteristics of pedicle-based dynamic stabilization according to the PBDS design before clinical implementation.

Postoperative survival and ambulatory outcome in metastatic spinal tumors : prognostic factor analysis.

Objective: The purposes of this study are to estimate postoperative survival and ambulatory outcome and to identify prognostic factors thereafter of metastatic spinal tumors in a single institute.

Methods: We reviewed the medical records of 182 patients who underwent surgery for a metastatic spinal tumor from January 1987 to January 2009 retrospectively. Twelve potential prognostic factors (age, gender, primary tumor, extent and location of spinal metastases, interval between primary tumor diagnosis and metastatic spinal cord compression, preoperative treatment, surgical approach and extent, preoperative Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status, Nurick score, Tokuhashi and Tomita score) were investigated.

Primary intradural extramedullary melanoma of the cervical spinal cord: case report.

Study Design: Case report.

Objective: We report a case of primary intradural extramedullary melanoma of the cervical spinal cord in a nonwhite patient.

Summary Of Background Data: Melanoma occurs most commonly in white populations and is rare in Asian populations.

Spontaneous intracerebral hematoma from transient occult carotid-cavernous fistula: a case report.

After the spontaneous relief of initial symptoms by traumatic carotid-cavernous fistula (CCF), paradoxical worsening of patient's condition can be followed. We present a case of a 60-yr-old man whose audible bruit from a traumatic CCF had completely disappeared. A few days later, however, the patient had spontaneous intracerebral hematoma with cortical venous drainage.