Transmandibular Cervical Corpectomy for Persistent Spinal Cord Compression in a Patient With Klippel-Feil Syndrome: A Technical Note and Systematic Review.

Background: Few studies have described a transmandibular approach for decompression in a patient with Klippel-Feil syndrome (KFS) for cervical myelopathy.

Objective: To describe the transmandibular approach in a KFS patient with cervical myelopathy and to perform a systematic review according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses.

Methods: A systematic review was performed using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines.

Clinical and radiographic benefits of skipping C7 instrumentation in posterior cervicothoracic fusion: a retrospective analysis.

Background: C7 instrumentation during posterior cervicothoracic fusion can be challenging because it requires additional work of either placing side connectors to a single rod or placing two rods. Our clinical observations suggested that skipping instrumentation at C7 in a multi-level posterior cervicothoracic fusion will result in minimal intraoperative complications and decreased blood-loss while still maintaining sagittal balance parameters of cervical fusion. The objective of this study is to determine the clinical and radiographic outcomes of skipping C7 instrumentation compared to instrumenting the C7 vertebra in posterior cervicothoracic fusion.

Generational Changes in Lumbar Spinal Canal Dimensions: Findings from a Sample U.S. Population.

Objective: Evaluation of lumbar canal dimensions in a Chicago population born in 2 different decades.

Methods: This is a retrospective chart review analyzing computed tomography reconstruction from patients born between 1940 and 1949 (older group) and 1970 and 1979 (younger group). The cross-sectional area (CSA) and anterior-posterior diameter (APD) of the lumbar bony canal was measured at each lumbar level at the level of the pedicle.

Safety and Efficacy of Skipping C7 Instrumentation in Posterior Cervicothoracic Fusion.

Objective: To analyze the safety and efficacy of skipping instrumentation at the C7 vertebra during posterior cervicothoracic fusions.

Methods: This is a retrospective chart review of 53 patients who underwent multilevel posterior cervical fusion between 2010 and 2015. Of 53 patients, 7 patients were instrumented at C7, serving as the control group, whereas the remaining 46 patients were not.

Axial and oblique C2 pedicle diameters and feasibility of C2 pedicle screw placement: Technical note.

Background: For C2 pedicle screw placement/instrumentation, it is critical to adequately measure the axial and oblique C2 pedicle diameters utilizing the intraoperative O-arm.

Methods: Thirty-three patients who underwent C2 pedicle screw placement (2013-2016) utilizing the O-arm with tri-planar reconstruction. As O-arm software does not allow calibrated measurements with the application's measurement tool, we directly measured axial and oblique widths of the C2 pedicles on the screen with a regular ruler (e.

T-1 pedicle subtraction osteotomy for the treatment of rigid cervical kyphotic deformity: report of 4 cases.

Cervical kyphotic deformity represents a difficult to treat pathology often arising from multiple factors including, but not limited to, traumatic injuries, degenerative changes, and ankylosing spondylitis. Furthermore, treatment of these deformities becomes increasingly difficult with any preexisting instrumentation. Currently, several options exist to treat these severe deformities, with the Smith-Petersen osteotomy and C-7 pedicle subtraction osteotomy being the most frequently used approaches.

Spinal epidural abscess in a patient with piriformis pyomyositis.

Background: Spinal epidural abscess resulting from piriformis pyomyositis is extremely rare. Such condition can result in serious morbidity and mortality if not addressed in a timely manner.

Case Description: The authors describe the case of a 19-year-old male presenting with a 2-week history of fever, low back pain, and nuchal rigidity.

Anterior cervical corpectomy and fusion for blastomycosis causing destruction of C6 vertebra: a case report.

Introduction: We describe a patient who had cervical spine osteomyelitis caused by Blastomyces dermatitidis that resulted in cord compression and cervical spine instability.

Case Presentation: A 25-year-old Hispanic woman presented with fever, sweats, neck pain, and an enlarging neck mass with purulent discharge after sustaining a C6 vertebral body fracture. Magnetic resonance imaging confirmed C6 vertebral osteomyelitis, demonstrated by vertebral body destruction, cervical spine instability, prevertebral abscess, and spinal cord compression.

Comparison of perioperative complications following staged versus one-day anterior and posterior cervical decompression and fusion crossing the cervico-thoracic junction.

Introduction: Multilevel cervical pathology may be treated via combined anterior cervical decompression and fusion (ACDF) followed by posterior spinal instrumented fusion (PSIF) crossing the cervico-thoracic junction. The purpose of the study was to compare perioperative complication rates following staged versus same day ACDF combined with PSIF crossing the cervico-thoracic junction.

Material And Methods: A retrospective review of consecutive patients undergoing ACDF followed by PSIF crossing the cervico-thoracic junction at a single institution was performed.

All-posterior vertebral column resection for treatment of metastatic tumors.

This technical note describes a surgical technique for an all-posterior (ALL-P) vertebral column resection (VCR) in the treatment of metastatic tumors involving the thoracic spine in adults. A case report of an 18-year-old young man with metastatic T4 osteosarcoma is presented along with the surgical technique for ALL-P VCR, tips and tricks, potential complications, and postoperative management. Advantages and disadvantages of alternative operative methods as well as particular implant types used in ALL-P VCR are discussed.

Anterior approach for complex cervical spondylotic myelopathy.

Cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) is a slowly progressive disease resulting from age-related degenerative changes in the spine that can lead to spinal cord dysfunction and significant functional disability. The degenerative changes and abnormal motion lead to vertebral body subluxation, osteophyte formation, ligamentum flavum hypertrophy, and spinal canal narrowing. Repetitive movement during normal cervical motion may result in microtrauma to the spinal cord.

CT Ventriculography for diagnosis of occult ventricular cysticerci.

Background: Neurocysticercosis is the most common parasitic infection of the central nervous system (CNS). Intraventricular lesions are seen in 7-20% of CNS cysticercosis. Intraventricular lesions can be missed by computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as they are typically isodense/isointense to the cerebrospinal fluid.

Primitive neuroectodermal tumor after radiation therapy for craniopharyngioma.

The authors report a case of primitive neuroectodermal tumor induced by radiation therapy of craniopharyngioma. This African-American male patient originally presented with craniopharyngioma, for which he underwent resection and whole-brain radiation therapy. Eight years later, at the age of 20 years, he returned with a left facial droop and left hemiparesis.

Ethylene oxide gas sterilization: a simple technique for storing explanted skull bone. Technical note.

The authors evaluated the effectiveness of a simple technique using ethylene oxide (EtO) gas sterilization and room temperature storage of autologous bone grafts for reconstructive cranioplasty following decompressive craniectomy. The authors retrospectively analyzed data in 103 consecutive patients who underwent cranioplasty following decompressive craniectomy for any cause at the University of Illinois at Chicago between 1999 and 2005. Patients with a pre-existing intracranial infection prior to craniectomy or lost to follow-up before reconstruction were excluded.

Virtual reality in neurosurgical education: part-task ventriculostomy simulation with dynamic visual and haptic feedback.

Objective: Mastery of the neurosurgical skill set involves many hours of supervised intraoperative training. Convergence of political, economic, and social forces has limited neurosurgical resident operative exposure. There is need to develop realistic neurosurgical simulations that reproduce the operative experience, unrestricted by time and patient safety constraints.

Neuroenteric cyst of the anterior cranial fossa: case report and review of the literature.

A case of intradural neuroenteric cyst located in the anterior cranial fossa is presented. The cyst caused anosmia and progressive personality changes in an elderly woman. The patient underwent bifrontal craniotomy with evacuation of cyst contents and removal of the cyst wall.