High-efficacy therapies for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: implications for adherence. An expert opinion from the United Arab Emirates.

The number of disease-modifying treatments (DMDs) for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis has increased. DMDs differ not only in their efficacy and safety/tolerability, but also in the treatment burden of, associated with their initiation, route/frequency of administration, maintenance treatment and monitoring. High-efficacy DMDs bring the prospect of improved suppression of relapses and progression of disability, but may have serious safety issues, and burdensome long-term monitoring.

COVID-19-associated meningoencephalitis complicated with intracranial hemorrhage: a case report.

The coronavirus pandemic that started in December 2019 is mainly related to clinical pictures consistent with respiratory symptoms; nevertheless, reports about neurological complications have recently appeared in the medical literature. We describe a case of a 36-year-old coronavirus-positive patient that was admitted on emergency basis; his clinical presentation included neurological symptoms such as drowsiness and mild confusion. Imaging revealed findings consistent with meningoencephalitis complicated by intracerebral hematoma and subdural hematoma.

Association between higher BMI and postoperative pain and opioid consumption in pediatric inpatients - A retrospective cohort study.

Background: Childhood and adolescent obesity increased in recent decades, and caregivers face an increasing number of obese pediatric surgical patients. Some clinical and pharmacogenetic data suggest that obese patients have altered pain sensitivity and analgesic requirements.

Objective: To test the primary hypothesis that increased BMI in pediatric patients is associated with increased pain during the initial 48 postoperative hours.

Are viruses associated with disc herniation? A clinical case series.

Background: There is some limited evidence for the presence of viruses in herniated disc material including a previous case series that claimed to provide "unequivocal evidence of the presence of herpes virus DNA in intervertebral disc specimens of patients with lumbar disc herniation suggesting the potential role of herpes viruses as a contributing factor to the pathogenesis of degenerative disc disease". This study has not been replicated. The objective of our study was to determine if viruses were present in herniated disc fragments in participants with a prior history of back pain.

The clinical efficacy study of treatment to Chiari malformation type I with syringomyelia under the minimally invasive surgery of resection of Submeningeal cerebellar Tonsillar Herniation and reconstruction of Cisterna magna.

Purpose: Discuss the clinical efficacy of treatment to Chiari malformation type I with syringomyelia under the minimally invasive surgery of resection of Submeningeal Cerebellar Tonsillar Herniation and reconstruction of Cisterna magna.

Methods: 130 Chiari malformation type I with syringomyelia patients, divided into treatment group, literature group and control group, were collected to be treated under the monitoring of ultrasound in the surgery.

Results: 6 months after operation, the lesions were decreased or disappeared, the symptoms were relieved obviously.

Imaging Findings of Klippel-Trenaunay Syndrome.

We aim to review the imaging findings of Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome. This disorder characterized clinically by a triad of capillary malformations manifesting as a port-wine stain, venous varicosities typically along the lateral aspect of the lower extremities, and bone and/or soft tissue hypertrophy. Imaging of extremities shows unilateral venous varicosities, persistent embryonic veins, anomalous of the superficial and deep venous system, low-flow venolymphatic malformations, and bony and soft tissue hypertrophy.

Anterior Myelomeningocele Without Neurospinal Involvement: A Rare Posterior Mediastinal Disorder.

Anterior myelomeningocele manifesting as a posterior mediastinal mass has rarely been described. These anomalies, characterized by protrusion of meninges and spinal cord through open vertebral arches, manifest with devastating spinal or neurologic problems. This report describes the case of a young woman with a long-term history of right upper abdominal pain and low-grade fever but no associated neurologic or spinal defects.

Neural Correlates of Response Inhibition and Error Processing in Individuals with Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: An Event-Related Potential Study.

Individuals with a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) often have executive control deficits; however, the underlying neural mechanisms of such deficits are yet to be clarified. Inhibitory control and cognitive monitoring are two fundamental aspects of executive control processes. This study investigated the executive control of mTBI by using the Stop-signal task.

Cerebral Cavernous Angioma Associated with Klippel Trenaunay Syndrome Treated with Gamma Knife Radiosurgery: Case Report and Literature Review.

Klippel Trenaunay syndrome (KTS) is a rare, sporadic congenital syndrome characterized by cutaneous hemangiomas, venous varicosities, and osseous-soft tissue hypertrophy of the affected limb. It is genetically heterogeneous, and its clinical presentation is variable. We report the case of a 13-year-old male with KTS, who presented with a cerebral cavernous angioma in the corpus callosum.

The Surgical Approach Visualization and Navigation (SAVN) System reduces radiation dosage and surgical trauma due to accurate intraoperative guidance.

Object: The intraoperative fluoroscopy has been widely used in modern neuro-spinal surgery due to the overwhelming trend toward minimal-access surgery. However, both patients and surgical personnel were under ionizing-radiation exposure during fluoroscopy usage. Since the fluoroscopy constitutes the vast majority of radiation exposure for both surgeons and patients, the development and improvement of new interventional possibilities are of great importance and interests.

Polyetheretherketone Rods in Lumbar Spine Degenerative Disease: Mid-term Results in a Patient Series Involving Radiological and Clinical Assessment.

Aim: To evaluate the satisfaction of patients operated due to degenerative lumbar spinal diseases with dynamic stabilization placing polyetheretherketone (PEEK) rods and to share their radiological and clinical results (mid-term) with visual analogue scale (VAS) and Oswestry disability index (ODI) scores.

Material And Methods: The preoperative and postoperative low back pain, leg pain VAS and ODI scores of 172 patients who were operated for degenerative spinal diseases, were evaluated. Preoperative and postoperative lumbar lordosis were compared.

Traumatic Sequestrated Thoracic Disc Herniation; A Case Report.

Aim: To present a case (3rd report in the literature, 1st case with sequestrated-extruded disc herniation) of thoracic disc herniation that was sequestrated only by ligamentous injury without thoracic osseous pathology.

Material And Methods: We reviewed the diagnosis and treatment of a 25-year-old man presenting with paraplegia after a car accident.

Results: In this case, no pathology was seen on the X-ray and spinal computed tomography (CT), and the paraplegia of the patient was unexplained in the first examination.

Time is spine: a review of translational advances in spinal cord injury.

Acute traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating event with far-reaching physical, emotional, and economic consequences for patients, families, and society at large. Timely delivery of specialized care has reduced mortality; however, long-term neurological recovery continues to be limited. In recent years, a number of exciting neuroprotective and regenerative strategies have emerged and have come under active investigation in clinical trials, and several more are coming down the translational pipeline.

Taiwan Neurosurgical Spine Society: The New Shining Star.

As spine surgery flourished in Taiwan and neurosurgeons became more involved in spine surgery towards the end of the 20th century, the Taiwan Neurosurgical Spine Society (TNSS), earlier named the Taiwan Neurospinal Society, was established on March 11, 2001. As its main founder, Dr. Chun-I Huang was elected as the first president of the TNSS.

Usefulness of modified pigtail-shaped microguidewire guidance for microcatheter navigation in difficult vasculatures during neuroendovascular interventions.

We previously reported using a microguidewire with a curved, pigtail-shaped tip as an anchor for navigating a microcatheter. However, we considered that the microcatheter could follow even if the tip of wire did not advance so far distally. The present study assessed the usefulness of a modified version of this pigtail-shaped microguidewire for navigating microcatheters to difficult vasculatures during neurointerventions.

Clinical Comparison Between Patients Operated for Unilateral Radiculopathy via a Contralateral (Facet-Sparing) and Ipsilateral Side Approach.

Aim: To compare clinical outcomes of the patients operated from the contralateral or ipsilateral side for unilateral radiculopathy in spinal stenosis.

Material And Methods: This was a retrospective study. Twenty patients were listed as Group 1 (Contralateral) with unilateral radiculopathy and spinal stenosis with/without lateral recess syndrome or foraminal stenosis.

Acute Cervical and Thoracic Ventral Side Spontaneous Spinal Epidural Hematoma Causing High Paraplegia: A Case Report.

Introduction: Spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma (SSEH) is a rare condition that can potentially cause paraplegia. SSEH has an increasing incidence rate and its cause remains unclear. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) results shows that SSEH presents a spinal epidural space-occupying lesion; therefore, emergency surgical treatment is required in some cases.

The Effect of Technological Devices on Cervical Lordosis.

Purpose: There is a need for cervical flexion and even cervical hyperflexion for the use of technological devices, especially mobile phones. We investigated the effect of this use on the cervical lordosis angle.

Material And Methods: A group of 156 patients who applied with only neck pain between 2013-2016 and had no additional problems were included.

Classification of Radiological Changes in Burst Fractures.

Aim: Burst fractures can occur with different radiological images after high energy. We aimed to simplify radiological staging of burst fractures.

Methods: Eighty patients whom exposed spinal trauma and had burst fracture were evaluated concerning age, sex, fracture segment, neurological deficit, secondary organ injury and radiological changes that occurred.

Traumatic Transient Herniation Concomitant with Tonsillar Hemorrhagic Contusion in a Child.

Downward displacement of cerebellar tonsils more than 5 mm below the foramen magnum is named as Chiari type I malformation and named benign tonsillar ectopia if herniation is less than 3 mm. It does not just depend on congenital causes. There are also some reasons for acquired Chiari Type 1 and benign tonsillar ectopia/herniation.

The Necessity of Follow-Up Brain Computed-Tomography Scans: Is It the Pathology Itself Or Our Fear that We Should Overcome?

Aim: This study aimed to make a retrospective analysis of pediatric patients with head traumas that were admitted to one hospital setting and to make an analysis of the patients for whom follow-up CT scans were obtained.

Methods: Pediatric head trauma cases were retrospectively retrieved from the hospital's electronic database. Patients' charts, CT scans and surgical notes were evaluated by one of the authors.