What Are Risk Factors for an Ileus After Posterior Spine Surgery?-A Case Control Study.

Study Design: Case-Control Study.

Objective: The purpose of this retrospective study is to evaluate risk factors for developing a postoperative ileus after posterior spine surgery.

Methods: Patient charts, including radiographs were evaluated retrospectively.

Outcome After Extreme Lateral Transpsoas Approach: Corpectomies Versus Interbody Fusion.

Introduction: The lateral transpsoas approach (LTPA) has gained popularity in thoracolumbar spine surgery procedures; however, there is an insufficient amount of data pertaining to motor and sensory complications that arise when a corpectomy is performed through the LTPA approach.

Methods: Patients who underwent a corpectomy through a LTPA at a single institution between 2006 and 2016 were analyzed. Demographics, neurological outcomes, and complications were recorded.

Wound Closure After Posterior Multi-level Lumbar Spine Surgery: An Anatomical Cadaver Study and Technical Note.

Meticulous attention to wound closure in posterior lumbar spine surgery is an important principle in reducing surgical site infections. We detail standardized wound closure used for posterior lumbar spine surgery at a tertiary care referral center and illustrate this as a step-by-step cadaveric dissection. The lumbar spine of a cadaveric specimen (male, 73 years at death) was used for dissection.

Is There an Optimal Wound Closure Technique for Major Posterior Spine Surgery? A Systematic Review.

Study Design: Systematic review.

Objectives: In patients undergoing posterior spinal fusion: (1) What are the types and risks of wound complications in major (≥3 levels) surgery, and does the risk vary by number of levels fused? (2) What types of fascial closure result in the fewest wound complications? (3) What subcutaneous closure technique is more effective in preventing wound complications for obese patients (body mass index >30 kg/m)? (4) What type of skin closure results in the fewest wound complications? (5) What type of dressing results in the fewest wound complications?

Methods: Electronic databases and reference lists of key articles were searched from January 1, 2000 to December 4, 2017 to identify studies meeting inclusion criteria.

Results: Six lower quality retrospective studies (evidence level III) met the inclusion criteria.

Neurovascular Relationships of S2AI Screw Placement: Anatomic Study.

Introduction: The S2 alar-iliac (S2AI) screw is a modification of the traditional iliac fixation technique and has surgical and biomechanical benefits. However, there are significant regional neurovascular structures along the path of such screws. Therefore the current anatomic study was performed to better elucidate these relationships.

Cervico-thoracic Interspinous Bursitis Associated with Bilateral Upper-extremity Numbness: A Case Report.

The authors describe a 48-year-old woman suffering from bilateral upper-extremity numbness and axial radiating pain. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed soft-tissue edema and enhancement surrounding the dorsal tip of the C7 spinous process. Excisional biopsy of the lesion revealed a mildly inflamed bursa, with no evidence of an active infection.

Standardizing ICU management of pediatric traumatic brain injury is associated with improved outcomes at discharge.

OBJECT The goal of critical care in treating traumatic brain injury (TBI) is to reduce secondary brain injury by limiting cerebral ischemia and optimizing cerebral blood flow. The authors compared short-term outcomes as defined by discharge disposition and Glasgow Outcome Scale scores in children with TBI before and after the implementation of a protocol that standardized decision-making and interventions among neurosurgeons and pediatric intensivists. METHODS The authors performed a retrospective pre- and postprotocol study of 128 pediatric patients with severe TBI, as defined by Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores < 8, admitted to a tertiary care center pediatric critical care unit between April 1, 2008, and May 31, 2014.

Trends for Spine Surgery for the Elderly: Implications for Access to Healthcare in North America.

Unlabelled: The proportion of the population over age 65 in the United States continues to increase over time, from 12% in 2000 to a projected 20% by 2030. There is an associated rise in the prevalence of degenerative spinal disorders with this aging population. This will lead to an increase in demand for both nonsurgical and surgical treatment for these disabling conditions, which will stress an already overburdened healthcare system.

Natural history and imaging prevalence of cavernous malformations in children and young adults.

Object: This study was undertaken to define the age-related prevalence of cavernous malformations (CMs) in children and young adults undergoing intracranial imaging. In addition, the authors aim to clarify the natural history of CMs in young people, especially in those with incidentally discovered lesions.

Methods: To identify those patients with CMs, the authors retrospectively reviewed the electronic medical records of 14,936 consecutive patients 25 years of age or younger who had undergone brain MR imaging.

Pediatric cerebellar pilomyxoid-spectrum astrocytomas.

Object: Pediatric cerebellar astrocytomas with pilomyxoid features include classic pilomyxoid astrocytomas (PMAs) and intermediate pilomyxoid tumors (IPTs). Since the original description of PMA in 1999, most reports in the literature have described PMAs arising from the hypothalamic/chiasmatic region. To the authors' knowledge, PMAs arising from the posterior fossa have not been discussed in the neurosurgical literature.

The effect of age on arteriovenous malformations in children and young adults undergoing magnetic resonance imaging.

Objective: Arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are the most frequently encountered structural cause of spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage in childhood, excluding hemorrhages of prematurity. The goal of our study was to examine the relationship between age and AVM prevalence on imaging in children, which to date has not been well described.

Methods: We queried the electronic and radiographic records of 14,936 consecutive patients aged 25 years or less who had undergone brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at a single institution over an 11-year period to identify those with a cerebral AVM.