Risk factors for Propionibacterium acnes infection after neurosurgery: A case-control study.

Propionibacterium acnes is increasingly known as a causative organism for post-neurosurgical infection; however, no clinical studies have examined the risk factors associated with P. acnes infections. Clinical data obtained from 14 cases of P. acnes infection and 28 controls infected with other pathogens were analyzed. Craniotomy, malignancy, and prolonged duration of operation were significantly associated with the onset of P. acnes infection. No fatal cases were reported.

[Stent-Assisted Coil Embolization of a Dissecting Aneurysm of the Posterior Cerebral Artery: A Case Report].

Dissecting aneurysms of the posterior cerebral artery (PCA) are rare, especially those at the P1 segment. Here, we describe the case of a 57-year-old woman with a subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Computed tomography angiography (CTA) and digital subtraction angiography (DSA) revealed a small (3 mm) dissecting aneurysm with the typical pearl-and-string sign at the right P1 segment. Fourteen days after onset, the patient developed aphasia. DSA revealed vasospasm of the right middle cerebral artery, and we performed endovascular treatment by the intra-arterial injection of 1-(5-isoquinolinesulfonyl) homopiperazine. After this treatment, the patient's symptoms recovered immediately. Vertebral angiography revealed enlargement of the dissecting aneurysm (up to 7 mm diameter). We started a loading dose of 300 mg aspirin and 400 mg clopidogrel after observing growth of the aneurysm. Fifteen days after onset, we performed a stent-assisted coil embolization, and obtained nearly complete obliteration of the aneurysm with preserved patency of the parent artery. Six-month follow-up DSA demonstrated complete occlusion of the aneurysm with good patency of the stented PCA; the patient was at modified Rankin Scale 1. In the treatment of ruptured dissecting aneurysms, parent vessel occlusion (PVO) with aneurysm is common. However, PVO may cause both cerebral infarction of the distal area and perforator occlusion of the occluded vessel. Stent-assisted coil embolization can preserve parent vessel flow and obliterate the aneurysm. Stents offer a therapeutic alternative for PCA dissecting aneurysms, especially when PVO cannot be tolerated.

Delayed presentation of traumatic cervical epidural hematoma: a case report and review of the pertinent literature.

A delayed presentation of traumatic spinal epidural hematoma (SEH) is a rare disease in which most patients are asymptomatic for days to weeks after the injury, followed by pain and then a neurological deficit. A 66-year-old woman who suffered a fractured right clavicle due to a bicycle accident 42 days previously, presented with left shoulder pain and left hemiplegia. The manual muscle test (MMT) scores of the left upper and lower limbs were all 1. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging showed no cervical fracture but showed cervical epidural hematoma. She underwent surgery for the removal of the SEH. Her MMT score improved to 4 at 10 days after surgery. Even in cases with a delayed presentation, suspecting SEH can help clinicians make an early diagnosis. Additionally, the prompt surgical evacuation of the SEH can lead to favorable neurological outcomes in symptomatic cases.

Coil Embolization for Asymptomatic Low-grade Vertebral Artery Injury which Worsened after Cervical Decompression Surgery: A Case Report.

Introduction: Blunt cervical injuries rarely cause vertebral artery injuries (VAIs), such as vertebral artery (VA) dissection or occlusion. To prevent subsequent embolic infarction, embolization of the injured VA is needed before surgical fixation of the cervical spine. However, evidence on endovascular treatment for asymptomatic low-grade VAIs with blunt traumatic cervical injury is insufficient. Case Report: In the present case, a 79-year-old Japanese man presented tetraparesis after falling while walking. Digital subtraction angiography showed no intimal flap and only slight stenosis of the right VA. Embolization was not performed before spinal decompression surgery for this low-grade injury. However, on the 3rd day after surgery, diffuse-weighted imaging showed dot-like high signal intensity in the right thalamus and right posterior lobe, and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) showed near occlusion of the right VA. 8 days after surgery, MRA showed recanalization of the right VA flow. We performed VA embolization to prevent emboli scattering to the distal region during recanalization of the intracranial blood flow. Conclusion: According to the relevant literature, prophylactic embolization may be indicated to prevent the embolic infarction not only in cases of VA occlusion requiring fixation of the cervical spine but also in cases of low-grade VAIs in which fixation is not required. Embolization of the VA before spinal surgery might be an aggressive treatment strategy that avoids serious embolic infarction disorder after VAIs.

Ultra-high-molecular-weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) Wing Method for Strong Cranioplasty.

We developed a new cranioplasty method that utilizes artificial bone made of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene, with a wedge-shaped edge (UHMWPE Wing). This study shows the methods and data of case series and finite element analyses with the UHMWPE Wing. A circumferential wing was preoperatively designed for a custom-made artificial bone made of UHMWPE to achieve high fixed power and to minimize the usage of cranial implants. Here, we present 4 years of follow-up data and finite element analyses for patients treated with the UHMWPE Wing between February 2015 and February 2019. Eighteen consecutive patients underwent cranioplasty using our UHMWPE Wing design. There were no postoperative adverse events in 17 of the patients for at least 18 months. One case of hydrocephalus experienced screw loosening and graft uplift due to shunt malfunction. Placement of a ventriculo-peritoneal shunt immediately returned the artificial bone to normal position. Finite element analyses revealed that a model using the UHMWPE Wing had the highest withstand load and lowest deformation. This is the first report on the UHMWPE Wing method. This method may enable clinicians to minimize dead space and achieve high strength in cranioplasty.