Vertebral arteriovenous fistula due to blunt neck trauma: A case report.

The arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) of the vertebral artery are usually caused by iatrogenic and penetrating traumas. Vertebral AVF is rarely seen after blunt cervical trauma. A 65-year-old male patient applied to the emergency clinic due to falling from a height of about 3 m. In his neurological examination, he had weakness in the left upper limb and tinnitus in the left ear. The cervical computed tomog-raphy examination showed a Hangman's fracture, a C3 vertebra corpus compression fracture, and a C1 anterior arch fracture. There was a separation on the C1-2 transverse foramen due to the fracture, and there was a fracture in the left C3-4 transverse foramen. In cervical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the presence of a contusion in the spinal cord at the C2 corpus level was observed. Through an MRI angiography examination of the vertebral artery, it was determined that the left vertebral artery had developed an AVF at the V2-3 segment level. Stabilization surgery was performed with a posterior approach for unstable vertebrae. Then, vertebral AVF was then closed endovascularly using a stent coil. Improvement in neurological deficit was seen after surgery and endovascular treatment. There were no complications related to the procedure. Transverse foramen should be carefully evaluated, especially in the upper cervical trauma. Vertebral artery imaging should be performed before instability surgery in the presence of a separation in the fracture line to determine whether the damage to the vertebral artery is iatrogenic.

Influence of galantamine on peripheral nerve degeneration after experimental compression injury of the rat sciatic nerve.

BACKGROUND: Galantamine is well-known for its neuroprotective effects and is currently used in the treatment of individuals with Alzheimer's disease. In this study, we induced experimental sciatic nerve injury (SCI) in rats to test the beneficial effects of galantamine. METHODS: Thirty male Wistar albino rats were divided into three groups, as follows: sham, SCI + saline, and SCI + galantamine. After the administration of an intraperitoneal ketamine and xylazine mixture, which was used for anesthesia, SCI was induced by sur-gical clip compression at the midthigh region of the rats. After surgery, a single daily intraperitoneal dose of galantamine was adminis-tered for 7 days, and nerve tissue sections were obtained 1 week after injury. Histopathology studies were performed to assess neural thickness and apoptotic cell counts, and light microscopic morphological examination was used to determine a potential beneficial effect of galantamine on peripheral nerve degeneration. RESULTS: We observed a markedly increased microvasculature, increased nerve fiber thickness, and a statistically significant increase in apoptotic cell counts distal to the level of injury in the saline group compared with the sham group. However, the increases in nerve fiber thickness and apoptotic cell counts were less in the galantamine group compared with the saline group. CONCLUSION: In our experimental model, pharmacological intervention with galantamine demonstrated a protective effect on degeneration after peripheral nerve injury.

Factors Affecting the Intensive Care Stay of Patients with Spinal Neural Tube Defects.

AIM: To evaluate the duration of hospitalization and the factors that increase this duration in cases treated in the neonatal intensive care unit with the diagnosis of a spinal neural tube defect (NTD). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The demographic characteristics, NTD type and level, ventriculoperitoneal (V-P) shunt needs, accompanying spinal deformity, antibiotherapy applied during treatment, and intensive care stay periods of 73 patients treated in our clinic between July 2017 and 2020 were retrospectively evaluated. RESULTS: The intensive care stay of NTD cases was 7?109 (mean=23) days. Fifty-one cases (69.9%) had myeloschisis, and 22 cases (30.1%) had myelomeningocele (MMC) sac. A V-P shunt was applied to 24 cases (32.9%) during hospitalization, and additional antibiotherapy was given to 32 (43.8%) cases. CONCLUSION: In myeloschisis cases compared with MMC marsupial cases, incidences of ventricular dilatation, kyphotic/scoliotic spine pathology, V-P shunt requirement, and longer hospital stay were observed. No difference in the duration of hospitalization was found in patients who underwent defect repair between the first day and 48 h after birth. However, the length of stay in hospital increased in patients operated on after 48 h. The period was longer in cases operated after seven days postnatally. Therefore, by performing NTD surgical treatment within the first 48 hours, the need for additional antibiotherapy and hospital stay can be shortened.

Clinical Results of Unilateral Dynamic Rod Application in the Short-Medium Period.

AIM: To evaluate the clinical results of patients who underwent unilateral dynamic rod stabilization after unilateral facet joint excision during spinal surgery. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty patients who were diagnosed with degenerative spinal disease or spinal tumor, who were operated on using a unilateral approach, who underwent facet joint resection, and who were stabilized with a unilateral dynamic rod were examined. Visual analog scale (VAS) and Oswestry disability index (ODI) scores were used to clinically evaluate the cases during the preoperative and postoperative periods. Radiological examinations for sagittal alignment, segmental angle, and bone fusion were also conducted. RESULTS: The mean preoperative VAS and ODI scores were 7.6 and 71.7, respectively, and the 12 < sup > th < /sup > postoperative month scores were 1.1 and 12.8, respectively. The mean segmental angle measurements were 22.1° in the preoperative period and 21.6° at the postoperative 12 < sup > th < /sup > month. No deterioration in sagittal alignment and no bone fusion were observed. CONCLUSION: We can protect segmental movements and provide sufficient stability by applying unilateral dynamic rod stabilization after unilateral facetectomy. In addition, applying screws to one side can reduce operation time and cost as well as the possibility of complications.

The Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Functioning of Neurosurgery Clinics and the Anxiety Levels of Neurosurgeons in Turkey.

AIM: To reveal the impacts of the novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the functioning of neurosurgery clinics and to determine the anxiety levels and attitudes of Turkish neurosurgeons towards their profession during the pandemic. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The Beck anxiety inventory and a clinical activities scale were utilized as data collection tools and distributed to neurosurgeons in Turkey as an online survey. Descriptive statistical methods, significance tests and correlation and regression analyses were employed to analyze the data. The data analysis was carried out in a 95% confidence interval. RESULTS: Of the 240 neurosurgeons who participated in the study, 63.8% had encountered cases of COVID-19 and 53.8% had handled patients diagnosed with COVID-19. The study results showed that the pandemic did not cause anxiety in 62.9% of the respondents, but it caused mild anxiety in 13.8% and moderate anxiety in 12.12%. The findings also revealed a low linear correlation between the anxiety values and occupational anxiety of the neurosurgeons and low inverse correlation between anxiety values and the protection factor in the pandemic period. CONCLUSION: The COVID-19 pandemic has caused serious disruptions in the routine functioning of neurosurgery clinics and changes in the attitudes of neurosurgeons. Healthcare organizations should take the necessary precautions and measures to resolve the anxiety problems of healthcare professionals, such as providing professional support, and ensure that they can work in a safer environment.

Anti-edematous, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effect of etanercept in acute stage in experimental head injury.

BACKGROUND: To study the anti-edematous, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective effect of etanercept in the model of experimental head injury. METHODS: In this study, 40 male-adult Spraque-Dawley rats, with weight ranging from 250g to 300g, were used. The rats are divided into groups as control; non-penetrating trauma; trauma +NS; post-traumatic normal saline; trauma + D; post-traumatic dexamethasone and trauma + E. All medicines were given into peritoneum. After applying trauma and medicine, rats were decapitated in the 24th hour and the samples were studied histopathologically. RESULTS: In the study, a statistically significant difference was observed between the groups of trauma + NS and trauma dexamethasone according to the variables of edema and inflammation, but no difference was observed according to the variables of neuronal damage, astrocytic damage, and glial apoptosis. Moreover, a significant difference was observed between groups of Trauma + NS and trauma+etanercept and between the groups of trauma + dexamethasone and trauma + etanercept in terms of all variables. CONCLUSION: It was observed that etanercept has anti-edematous, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective effect on the rats which experienced traumatic brain injury.