The proteomic landscape of extracellular vesicles derived from human intervertebral disc cells.

Background: Extracellular vesicles (EVs) function as biomarkers and are crucial in cell communication and regulation, with therapeutic potential for intervertebral disc (IVD)-related low back pain (LBP). EV cargo is often affected by tissue health, which may affect the therapeutic potential. There is currently limited knowledge of how the cargo of IVD cell-derived EVs varies with tissue health and how differences in proteomic profile affect the predicted biological functions.

Association of Pre-Operative Hyponatraemia with Morbidity and Mortality in Patients Undergoing Non-Urgent Degenerative Spine Surgery, a Retrospective Study.

Background And Objectives: Hyponatraemia increases the morbidity and mortality risks of orthopaedic patients. When undergoing spine surgery, hyponatraemic patients have high risks of pneumonia and of staying in hospital for up to 1 day longer compared with non-hyponatraemic patients. This study aims to assess the occurrence of adverse events among patients with pre-operative hyponatraemia after undergoing lumbar surgery.

Unilateral laminotomy with bilateral spinal canal decompression: systematic review of outcomes and complications.

Background: Unilateral laminotomy with bilateral spinal canal decompression has gained popularity recently.

Aim: To systematically review the literature of unilateral laminotomy with bilateral spinal canal decompression for lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) aiming to assess outcomes and complications of the different techniques described in literature.

Methods: On August 7, 2022, Pubmed and EMBASE were searched by 2 reviewers independently, and all the relevant studies published up to date were considered based on predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria.

Vasospasm following brain tumor resection in children: institutional experience and systematic review.

Objective: Delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) associated with vasospasm is well described in the setting of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). In addition, DCI is very infrequently encountered in patients who have undergone resection of a brain tumor with unclear pathophysiology. The occurrence of DCI in the pediatric population is exceedingly rare, and outcomes in this population have, to the authors' knowledge, never been systematically reviewed.

Cervical Myelopathy and Social Media: Mixed Methods Analysis.

Background: Degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) is a progressive neurologic condition caused by age-related degeneration of the cervical spine. Social media has become a crucial part of many patients' lives; however, little is known about social media use pertaining to DCM.

Objective: This manuscript describes the landscape of social media use and DCM in patients, caretakers, clinicians, and researchers.

Deep brain stimulation in children and youth: perspectives of patients and caregivers gleaned through Twitter.

Objective: This study aims to glean patient and caregiver perspectives surrounding deep brain stimulation (DBS) in children and youth through an analysis of patterns of social media usage.

Methods: The authors performed a comprehensive search of the Twitter Application Programming Interface (API) database for all tweets about DBS use in children and youth, with no date restriction. Data pertaining to each tweet were extracted for analysis.

The Central Sulcus of the Insula: A Highly Reliable Radiographic Landmark for Identification of the Rolandic Sulcus.

Background: Anatomic studies have suggested that the central insular sulcus (CIS) runs in line with the Rolandic sulcus (RS). The radiographic relationship between the RS and CIS has not been systematically studied. This study aims to evaluate the applicability of using the CIS as a radiologic landmark to identify the RS.

Subarachnoid Hemorrhage, Delayed Cerebral Ischemia, and Milrinone Use in Canada.

Introduction: Delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) is a complication of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. There is little high-quality evidence available to guide the management of DCI. The Canadian Neurosurgery Research Collaborative (CNRC) is comprised of resident physicians who are positioned to capture national, multi-site data.

Risk factors for surgical site infection following spinal surgery in Saudi Arabia: A retrospective case-control study.

Surgical site infections (SSIs) are common complications after spinal surgery that result in increased morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. It was estimated that SSIs after spinal surgery resulted in a 4-fold increase in health care costs. The reported SSI rate following spinal surgery remains highly variable between approximately 0.

Dural Venous Sinus Thrombosis in Patients Presenting with Blunt Traumatic Brain Injuries and Skull Fractures: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Dural venous sinus thrombosis (DVST) is an increasingly recognized complication of blunt traumatic brain injury (TBI) and skull fractures. However, data concerning epidemiology and clinical significance of DVST are unclear. Determining the disease burden in patients with TBI is an important first step to guide future studies assessing the natural course of traumatic DVST or the effects of its treatment.

Split-Pons Syndrome by Epidermoid Cyst: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Background: Epidermoid cysts are slow-growing extra-axial lesions that account for approximately 1% of all brain tumors. They rarely occur in the brain stem, and those possessing both intra-axial as well as extra-axial components represent an even smaller subset.

Case Description: We report the unusual manifestation of 2 adult male patients, whose recurrent posterior fossa epidermoid cysts progressively invaded the anterior surface of the pons.

Effect of Intrawound Vancomycin on Surgical Site Infections in Nonspinal Neurosurgical Procedures: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Applying vancomycin into the surgical site has been well-described in spinal neurosurgery, with extensive institutional experience and systematic reviews describing its effectiveness in reducing surgical site infections (SSIs). Its use in nonspinal neurosurgical procedures is a logical extension of those findings; however, recent studies have described varying degrees of success. We have summarized the effect of local vancomycin application on SSIs in nonspinal neurosurgical procedures and describe the quality of the supporting evidence.

Spontaneous Spinal Epidural Hematoma: Correlation of Timing of Surgical Decompression and MRI Findings with Functional Neurological Outcome.

Objective: Spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma (SSEH) is a rare and morbid entity, with the prognosis affected by delayed diagnosis and surgical intervention. The correlation between the timing of the intervention and neurological recovery has not been clearly reported. We present a retrospective study of SSEH to determine the correlation between the timing of surgical intervention and changes in the spinal cord signal on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with the neurological outcome.

Laminectomy with or Without Fusion to Manage Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy.

Stand-alone cervical laminectomy for degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) has become increasingly rare due to risk of postlaminectomy kyphosis. This article discusses the biomechanics of cervical degeneration and how laminectomy effects spine stability, and summarizes relevant clinical studies to help guide surgical decision-making for the posterior treatment of DCM. Laminectomy and fusion remains a safe and efficacious treatment.

Invasive aspergillus sinusitis with orbitocranial extension.

Context: Invasive sinonasal aspergillosis is a silently progressive disease that, left untreated, may invade the adjacent intracranial and intra-orbital compartments incurring serious morbidity.

Aim: To evaluate our results of a collaborative surgical management plans for patients with invasive sinonasal aspergillosis with orbitocranial extension.

Setting And Design: Retrospective study.

Intravenous Versus Nonintravenous Benzodiazepines for the Cessation of Seizures: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Background: The acquisition of intravenous (IV) access in the actively convulsing patient is difficult. This often delays the administration of the IV benzodiazepine (BDZ) necessary for seizure cessation. Delays in seizure cessation are associated with increased pharmacoresistance, increased risk of neuronal injury, worse patient outcomes, and increased morbidity.

Short Link N Stimulates Intervertebral Disc Repair in a Novel Long-Term Organ Culture Model that Includes the Bony Vertebrae.

Link N (DHLSDNYTLDHDRAIH) is a peptide that occurs naturally in the intervertebral discs (IVDs) and cartilage as a result of proteolytic cleavage of Link protein. Several studies have identified Link N as a growth factor capable of stimulating matrix synthesis in these tissues. We have recently discovered that annulus fibrosus cells can release an enzyme (possibly cathepsin K) that can further cleave Link N resulting in an eight amino acid peptide, we called short Link N (sLink N).

A symptomatic Sylvian fissure lipoma in a post-traumatic patient.

Lipomatous extra-axial lesions in the Sylvian fissure are a rare entity. Their identification, however, is usually simple if a systematic radiological approach is adopted. The best line of management for these lesions is still a matter of controversy and fraught with complications.

Isolated cerebral aspergillosis in immunocompetent patients.

Background: Isolated cerebral aspergillosis (ICA) traditionally has been associated with immunocompromised patients with dismal outcomes. Cases of ICA in immunocompetent patients are very rare and poorly described. We describe our experience of 5 immunocompetent patients with ICA and compare our experience with the literature.

Does the treatment of normal pressure hydrocephalus put the retinal ganglion cells at risk? A brief literature review and novel hypothesis.

Normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) is a poorly understood entity as well as a source of continuous controversy in the neuroscientific community. The surgical management of this disease requires that intracranial pressure (ICP), also referred to as the cerebrospinal fluid pressure (CSFP), be lowered using a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) diversion procedure. Numerous complications are linked with this procedure; we believe that new evidence suggests that the induction or acceleration of glaucomatous optic neuropathy are possible sequelae that warrant further investigation.

Primary isolated lymphoma of the fourth ventricle in an immunocompetent patient.

Primary central nervous lymphoma (PCNSL) is a rare variant of extranodal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma with a especially poor prognosis. The diagnosis is usually encountered in immunodeficient patients but is also encountered, albeit uncommonly, in the immunocompetent. We present a 50-year-old male who developed signs and symptoms of increased intracranial pressure.

Atlas hypoplasia and ossification of the transverse atlantal ligament: a rare cause of cervical myelopathy.

Myelopathy at the level of the atlas is rarely encountered by the practicing spine surgeon. Due to the region's unique anatomy, compression of the cord at this level is either caused by a large compressing lesion or an abnormally stenotic canal. We describe a rare instance of a congenitally stenotic canal due to a hypoplastic intact posterior arch of atlas, coexisting with an extremely rare ossified transverse ligament of the atlas.

Prevalence of the foramen arcuale of the atlas in a Saudi population.

Objective: To describe the prevalence and morphologic characteristics of the foramen arcuale of the atlas vertebra in the Saudi population and propose a simplified classification system.

Methods: A cross-sectional hospital-based study was conducted at King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from September 2010 to February 2011. During the 6-month period, 453 CT studies of the cervical spine were evaluated for the presence of different degrees of this anatomic variant using a clinically relevant classification system.