Trans-Sternal Multilevel Corpectomy for Cervicothoracic Renal Cell Metastasis: 2-Dimensional Operative Video.

The operative management of pathological fractures at the cervicothoracic junction is a surgical challenge. Here, we present the case of a 48-year-old male patient presenting with 2 months of progressive left upper extremity weakness as well as back and bilateral arm pain (Karnofsky Performance Status 60%) who was found to have pathological fractures from C7, T1, and T2 due to metastatic renal cell carcinoma. Renal cell carcinoma is known to metastasize to bone and cause cord compression.1 Given the extensive metastasis with this highly vascular tumor, endovascular embolization was performed preoperatively to minimize intraoperative blood loss.2 Surgical management consisted of a two-stage procedure. Posterior spinal fusion from C2-T7 with C7-T2 decompression was performed during stage 1. Stage 2 consisted of a trans-sternal approach for C7, T1, and T2 corpectomy for cord decompression and placement of a cage and plate for anterior column support.3 Although prior surgeons have suggested to access upper thoracic pathology through an interaortocaval window, in this case we demonstrate a trans-sternal approach to C6-T3 that starts superior to the innominate vein and aortic arch and angles inferiorly dorsal to these vascular structures.4 When planning for a manubriotomy/trans-sternal approach, access to T1/T2 remains the most decisive factor and is most successful with a sternotomy.5 At 12-month follow-up, the patient demonstrated improvement in his left upper extremity strength and overall functional status (3/5 strength in hand grip and interossei with 5/5 in all remaining motor groups; Karnofsky Performance Status 80%). The patient consented to participate in the surgery and surgical video.

Self-Trephination in Cranial Excoriation Disorder.

BACKGROUND AND IMPORTANCE: Trephination is a procedure in which a small hole is made in the skull. Rare cases of self-trephination by individuals seeking medical benefit have been reported. Excoriation disorder is a compulsive skin-picking condition in which an individual self-inflicts cutaneous lesions. Left untreated, severe excoriation disorder can pose significant health risks. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: Here, we describe 5 patients who presented with self-trephination due to a severe form of compulsive cranial excoriation at 2 neighboring academic medical centers over a 4-year period. We review the clinical presentation of self-trephination in cranial excoriation disorder and associated risk factors, surgical and nonsurgical interventions, complications of the disease, treatments, and mortality. Defining clinical characteristics include repetitive self-induced destruction of the scalp and skull with entry into the intracranial compartment, frequent psychiatric comorbidities, infection or injury of the brain with consequent neurological morbidity or mortality, and frequent treatment failures because of poor adherence. CONCLUSION: Self-trephination in cranial excoriation disorder is a severe neuropsychological disorder and neurosurgical emergency that exposes the brain and is often life-threatening. Appropriate therapy requires antibiotics, surgical debridement and repair of the wound, and concomitant effective psychiatric management of the underlying compulsion, including the use of antidepressants and behavioral therapy.

Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Protocols and Spinal Deformity.

The authors outline a review of preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative considerations surrounding adult spinal deformity. Preoperative management topics include imaging, hemoglobin A1c levels before spine surgery, osteoporotic management, and prehabilitation. Topics surrounding intraoperative management include the use of antibiotics, liposomal bupivacaine, and Foley catheters. The authors also discuss postoperative questions surrounding analgesia, nausea and vomiting, thromboembolic prophylaxis, and early mobilization. Throughout their discussion, the authors incorporate enhanced recovery after surgery protocols to hopefully lead to future discussions regarding optimizing complex spinal patients.

On-Call Junior Neurosurgery Residents Spend 9 hours of Their On-Call Shift Actively Using the Electronic Health Record.

BACKGROUND: The electronic health record (EHR) is central to clinical workflow, yet few studies to date have explored EHR usage patterns among neurosurgery trainees. OBJECTIVE: To describe the amount of EHR time spent by postgraduate year (PGY)-2 and PGY-3 neurosurgery residents during on-call days and the distribution of EHR activities in which they engage. METHODS: This cohort study used the EHR audit logs, time-stamped records of user activities, to review EHR usage of PGY-2 and PGY-3 neurosurgery residents scheduled for 1 or more on-call days across 2 calendar years at the University of California San Francisco. We focused on the PGY-2 and PGY-3, which, in our training program, represent the primary participants in the in-house on-call pool. RESULTS: Over 723 call days, 12 different residents took at least one on-call shift. The median (IQR) number of minutes that residents spent per on-call shift actively using the EHR was 536.8 (203.5), while interacting with an average (SD) of 68.1 (14.7) patient charts. There was no significant difference between Active EHR Time between residents as PGY-2 and PGY-3 on paired t -tests. Residents spent the most time on the following EHR activities: patient reports, notes, order management, patient list, and chart review. CONCLUSION: Residents spent, on average, 9 hours of their on-call shift actively using the EHR, and there was no improved efficiency as residents gained experience. We noted several areas of administrative EHR burden, which could be reduced.

Utilization of anterior lumbar interbody fusion for severe kyphotic deformity secondary to Pott's disease: illustrative case.

BACKGROUND: Spinal tuberculosis may result in severe kyphotic deformity. Effective restoration of lordosis and correction of sagittal balance often requires invasive osteotomies associated with significant morbidity. The advantages of focusing on symptomatic management and staging in the initial treatment of these deformities have not been well reported to date. OBSERVATIONS: The authors reported the case of a 64-year-old Vietnamese woman with a history of spinal tuberculosis who underwent anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) for symptomatic treatment of L5-S1 radiculopathy resulting from fixed kyphotic deformity. Postoperatively, the patient experienced near immediate symptom improvement, and radiographic evidence at 1-year follow-up showed continued lordotic correction of 30° as well as stable sagittal balance. LESSONS: In this case, an L5-S1 ALIF was sufficient to treat the patient's acute symptoms and provided satisfactory correction of a tuberculosis-associated fixed kyphotic deformity while effectively delaying more invasive measures, such as a vertebral column resection. Patients with adult spinal deformity may benefit from less invasive staging procedures before treating these deformities with larger surgeries.

Intracolonic Administration of Vancomycin in Intensive Care Unit Patients with Severe Clostridium Difficile Colitis.

BACKGROUND: Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is a major cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhea worldwide. The incidence of sepsis has been shown to be increasing due to severe or fulminant colitis. Oral vancomycin is the treatment of choice for CDI, but it is often ineffective in patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) due to poor intestinal motility. We present a review of eight cases with severe to fulminant CDI treated with adjunctive intracolonic vancomycin (ICV) administration. METHODS: A retrospective chart review identified patients in sepsis with severe colitis and positive Clostridium difficile toxin A or B. Patients who had failed standard therapy for CDI were given adjunctive ICV through an enteric tube, which was inserted via colonoscopy. To indicate the severity of patients, the patients selected had required vasopressor support. RESULTS: Eight patients (37.5% females) received this adjunctive treatment; the mean age was 73.25. The average Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) 2 score at the time of the procedure was 39. The median length of stay was 5.5 days, with in-hospital mortality of 37.5% and an average time to death of 1.33 days from the day of colonoscopy.  Conclusion: Colonoscopic decompression and administration of vancomycin for fulminant CDI using an enteric tube can have favorable outcomes in severely ill patients whose surgical options carry a high risk of mortality. Further larger randomized controlled trials are needed to evaluate its efficacy.

Percutaneous injection of autologous platelet-rich fibrin versus platelet-rich plasma in sacroiliac joint dysfunction: An applied comparative study.

BACKGROUND: Sacroiliac joint dysfunction is a common cause of low back pain. Injection of autologous platelet rich fibrin (PRF) and platelet rich plasma (PRP) in the affected joint is a new option in this disorder management. OBJECTIVE: To compare platelet concentrates (PRP and PRF) in injectable form in sacroiliac joint dysfunction. METHODS: This is a non-randomized controlled trial between two groups (124 PRF patients and 62 PRP patients). All cases are treated by sacroiliac joint injection for sacroiliac joint pain. RESULTS: Over 6 months of follow-up, there were statistically significant improvements in participants who received SIJ PRF injection with regards to pain measured by the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), in comparison to PRP. In the two groups (PRF and PRP), there was significant difference in the post 2 VAS (6 months after the procedure) as the P value was 0.045. There was no significant difference in the pre VAS (P value of 0.909) and post 1 VAS (one month after the procedure) as the P value was 0.154. No adverse events of infection, neurologic injury, or any other complication were reported following the injection. CONCLUSIONS: Participants who received SIJ PRF experienced significant clinical improvement compared to those who received PRP in the late follow-up.