Clinical and radiological comparison of treatment of atlantoaxial instability by posterior C1-C2 transarticular screw fixation or C1 lateral mass-C2 pedicle screw fixation.

We compared the clinical and radiological results of posterior atlantoaxial fixation surgery using transarticular screws to those using a polyaxial screw-rod system in 55 patients with symptomatic atlantoaxial instability. Patients underwent posterior C1-C2 fixation: 28 patients (group 1) underwent C1-C2 transarticular screw fixation and 27 patients (group 2) underwent C1 lateral mass-C2 pedicle screw fixation. Patients were followed-up for at least 24 months.

Multiple vertebral involvement of rheumatoid arthritis in thoracolumbar spine: a case report.

Although little attention has been paid to the less common rheumatoid involvement of the thoracic and lumbar regions, some studies have shown that rheumatoid synovitis with erosive changes can develop in these diarthrodial joints. We report a patient with seropositive rheumatoid arthritis (RA) involving the thoracic and lumbar vertebra with a collapse of the T12 vertebra, who was treated with percutaneous vertebroplasty. In this case of a painful pathological fracture due to RA, percutaneous vertebroplasty was found to be helpful in eliminating the pain.

Remote cerebellar hemorrhage complicated after supratentorial surgery: retrospective study with review of articles.

Objective: Remote cerebellar hemorrhage (RCH) is one of the rare complications occurring after supratentorial surgery, and its pathomechanism is poorly understood. We report 10 cases of RCH from our institution and review 154 cases from a database in order to delineate incidence, common presentation, risk factors, and outcomes of this complication. In addition, the means of prevention are discussed.

Gamma knife radiosurgery for multiple brain metastases from lung cancer.

The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of gamma knife radiosurgery (GKS) for the treatment of multiple brain metastases from lung cancer with that of whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT). Patients with multiple (2-20) brain metastases were divided into two groups for initial brain tumor management: a GKS group (14 patients) and a WBRT group (19 patients). The patients were stratified by gender, age, initial Karnofsky performance status score, control of the primary site, known extracranial metastases, number of brain metastases, diameter of the maximal lesion, chemotherapy, and recursive partitioning analysis (RPA) Class.

Eosinophilic granuloma of the skull: a retrospective analysis.

Background: The authors describe 9 cases of children with eosinophilic granuloma (EG) of the skull and report on their clinical manifestations, treatment, and prognosis.

Method: Nine consecutive patients were diagnosed as EG of the skull and confirmed pathologically between 1996 and 2005. In the present study, multi- and single-system Langerhans' cell histiocytosis without skull involvement were excluded.

Single-stage transpedicular decompression and posterior instrumentation in treatment of thoracic and thoracolumbar spinal tuberculosis: a retrospective case series.

Objective: We compare the surgical results of single-stage posterior surgical procedure performed at a single institute with those of anterior procedure, and propose single-stage posterior surgical approach, laminectomy and posterior decompression with transpedicular instrumentation as an alternative operative method for thoracic and thoracolumbar spinal tuberculosis.

Methods: From January 2001 to December 2004, 10 patients (group 1) who had less bone destruction or poor medical condition were treated with posterior decompression and transpedicular instrumentation that was supplemented with posterolateral bone fusion and chemotherapy. Seven patients (group 2) who had greater bone destruction were treated with anterior decompression, bone fusion, and anterior instrumentation.