Holocord metastasis from supratentorial glioblastoma multiforme: an uncommon manifestation of a common tumor.

Intramedullary metastasis from primary glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a rare phenomenon with a poor prognosis. The rate of spinal metastasis from intracranial GBM has been variably reported to be 0.4-2%. According to a review by Lawton in 2012, there were only 42 documented cases of primary intracranial GBM with spinal metastasis. We present a unique case of early-onset symptomatic holocord metastasis of GBM in a patient approximately 2 months of detection of primary GBM.

Interannual and seasonal variability and future forecasting of pCO2(water) using the ARIMA model and CO2 fluxes in a tropical estuary.

The seasonal and interannual variation in the partial pressure of carbon dioxide in water [pCO2(water)] and air-water CO2 exchange in the Mahanadi estuary situated on the east coast of India was studied between March 2013 and March 2021. The principal aim of the study was to analyze the spatiotemporal variability and future trend of pCO2 and air-water CO2 fluxes along with the related carbonate chemistry parameters like water temperature, pH, salinity, nutrients, and total alkalinity, over 9 years. The seasonal CO2 flux over nine years was also calculated using five worldwide accepted equations. The seasonal map of pCO2(water) followed a general trend of being high in monsoon (2628 ± 3484 µatm) associated with high river inflow and low during pre-monsoon (445.6 ± 270.0 µatm). High pCO2 in water compared to the atmosphere (average 407.6-409.4 µatm) was observed in the estuary throughout the sampling period. The CO2 efflux computed using different gas transfer velocity formulas was also consistent with pCO2 water acquiring the peak during monsoon in the Mahanadi estuary (6033 ± 9478 µmol m-2 h-1) and trough during pre-monsoon (21.66± 187.2 µmol m-2 h-1). The estuary acted as a net source of CO2 throughout the study period, with significant seasonality in the flux magnitudes. However, CO2 sequestration via photosynthesis by phytoplankton resulted in lower emission rates toward the atmosphere in summer. This study uses the autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model to forecast pCO2(water) for the future. Using measured and predicted values, our work demonstrated that pCO2(water) has an upward trend in the Mahanadi estuary. Our results demonstrate that long-term observations from estuaries should be prioritized to upscale the global carbon budget.

Cranial and ventricular size following shunting or endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) in infants with aqueductal stenosis: further insights from the International Infant Hydrocephalus Study (IIHS).

PURPOSE: The craniometrics of head circumference (HC) and ventricular size are part of the clinical assessment of infants with hydrocephalus and are often utilized in conjunction with other clinical and radiological parameters to determine the success of treatment. We aimed to assess the effect of endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) and shunting on craniometric measurements during the follow-up of a cohort of infants with symptomatic triventricular hydrocephalus secondary to aqueductal stenosis. METHODS: We performed a post hoc analysis of data from the International Infant Hydrocephalus Study (IIHS)-a prospective, multicenter study of infants (< 24 months old) with hydrocephalus from aqueductal stenosis who were treated with either an ETV or shunt. During various stages of a 5-year follow-up period, the following craniometrics were measured: HC, HC centile, HC z-score, and frontal-occipital horn ratio (FOR). Data were compared in an analysis of covariance, adjusting for baseline variables including age at surgery and sex. RESULTS: Of 158 enrolled patients, 115 underwent an ETV, while 43 received a shunt. Both procedures led to improvements in the mean HC centile position and z-score, a trend which continued until the 5-year assessment point. A similar trend was noted for FOR which was measured at 12 months and 3 years following initial treatment. Although the values were consistently higher for ETV compared with shunt, the differences in HC value, centile, and z-score were not significant. ETV was associated with a significantly higher FOR compared with shunting at 12 months (0.52 vs 0.44; p = 0.002) and 3 years (0.46 vs 0.38; p = 0.03) of follow-up. CONCLUSION: ETV and shunting led to improvements in HC centile, z-score, and FOR measurements during long-term follow-up of infants with hydrocephalus secondary to aqueductal stenosis. Head size did not significantly differ between the treatment groups during follow-up, however ventricle size was greater in those undergoing ETV when measured at 1 and 3 years following treatment.

Constipation in degenerative cervico-thoracic spine myelopathy: a simple co-existence or a complex inter-relationship?

PURPOSE: Identify factors affecting constipation and post surgical improvement in patients of myelopathy. METHODS: Sixty-four patients with myelopathy due to extradural spine pathologies (47 cervical; 17 thoracic spine, male:female-5.4:1 with mean age 46.16) underwent evaluation including Bristol stool scale (BSS), PFT and uroflowmetry. All cases were evaluated by gastroenterologist to rule out any intrinsic bowel disease. Chi-square test, Kruskal-Wallis/Mann-Whitney U test and Wilcoxon signed rank test were employed to ascertain statistical significance. RESULTS: The presence of constipation was associated with male sex (p = 0.01), degree of constipation with duration bladder symptoms (p = 0.008) and numbness (p = 0.04). The improvement in BSS after surgery (p = 0.006) was associated with local pain (p = 0.02), duration of weakness (p = 0.04) and overall symptoms (p = 0.01), also with pulmonary function tests (p = 0.002) and pre-operative Nurick's grade (p = 0.01). CONCLUSION: Constipation is a myelopathic symptom as it is relieved by cord decompression and the gender, PFT and the duration of symptoms play an important role in defining constipation and expected improvement in these patients.

Tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1ß gene polymorphisms and risk of brain abscess in North Indian population.

OBJECTIVE: Brain abscess develops in response to a parenchymal infection with pyogenic bacteria. Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) are the most crucial pro-inflammatory cytokines with both beneficial and destructive properties for the central nervous system. The present study evaluated the association of specific alleles/genotypes of TNF-α and IL-1ß with brain abscess. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 90 brain abscess patients and 100 healthy controls were included in the study. Predisposing factors were identified in 56 (62.2%) patients with brain abscess. TNF-α (-308 G>A) and IL-1ß (-511 CA) and C allele in IL-1ß (-511 CA) and IL-1ß (-511 C

Spinal neurenteric cysts: Associated developmental anomalies and rationale of surgical approaches.

BACKGROUND: Neurenteric cysts (NC) occur due to failure of separation of neurectoderm from endoderm at the 3rd week of embryogenesis. This study focuses on key clinico-radiological features of NCs, with emphasis on surgical nuances involved in resecting anteriorly placed NC, especially at the foramen magnum (FM). METHOD: Sixteen consecutive patients having a spinal NC were included. Their clinico-radiological status, surgical nuances and follow-up status were noted. RESULTS: The duration of spasticity/paraparesis/quadriparesis ranged from 15 days to 48 months. Twelve patients had an intradural extramedullary (IDEM; nine anterior and three anterolateral) cyst and four had an intramedullary (IM) cyst. Six of them had an anteriorly placed FM lesion (five IDEM and one IM). Amongst ten subaxial NCs, four were anterior, two antero-lateral and one postero-lateral; three were IM. Three patients had the characteristic stigmata of occult spinal dysraphism: two, a large mesenteric cyst, and one, a posterior mediastinal cyst. Excision was total in 13 patients. Subtotal excision of tumour capsule was performed for two recurrent cysts and an IM cyst. A far lateral approach was adopted for anteriorly placed FM lesions and posterior laminectomy for subaxial lesions. Histopathology revealed eight type A cysts, four type B cysts and four type C cysts. At follow-up (range, 8 months to 12 years; median, 60 ± 45.84 months), complete neurological recovery occurred in seven patients; six patients had persistent spasticity but only minor disability; two patients had difficulty in walking; and one patient with an anteriorly placed thoracic recurrent NC had sustained neurological deterioration. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical difficulties in addressing NCs are related to their anterior or IM location, presence of adhesions and inability to dissect the tumour capsule from the spinal cord due to fibrous or lipomatous connections. The associated developmental anomalies must be specifically sought and addressed.

Vestibular schwannoma unveiled by pregnancy: A case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Vestibular schwannomas - benign tumours originating from the vestibular nerve - are rare during pregnancy. The intricate interplay between the gravid uterus, maternal physiology and neoplastic growth imposes complexities that demand a careful and tailored approach. CASE REPORT: This article reports a case of a pregnant woman in her 30 s diagnosed with a large vestibular schwannoma exhibiting brainstem compression, peritumoral oedema and cranial nerve encasement at 36 + 5 weeks of gestation. A multi-disciplinary team collaborated to devise a treatment plan considering the delicate balance between fetal well-being and the urgent need for intervention. A conservative approach involving close monitoring, corticosteroid therapy to manage peritumoral oedema, and detailed fetal assessments was initially employed. As the patient neared full term, a carefully planned caesarean section was performed, followed by a successful craniotomy to resect the vestibular schwannoma. Both the mother and the newborn showed favourable outcomes postoperatively. In addition, a literature review of cases of vestibular schwannoma in pregnancy was undertaken to inform optimal management strategies and enhance understanding of this complex scenario. CONCLUSION: This case highlights the complexity of managing vestibular schwannomas in pregnant women, and underscores the importance of a tailored, collaborative approach. The condition was resolved successfully, emphasizing the significance of timely diagnosis, meticulous planning and a patient-centred approach in these rare and intricate cases.

Clinical, Microbiological Profile, and Treatment Response to Intraventricular Antibiotics in the Management of Postneurosurgical Meningitis: A Single-Center Experience.

BACKGROUND: Postneurosurgical meningitis (PNM) is a serious medical condition with high mortality and morbidity caused by Gram positive organisms like Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative organisms like Acinetobacter baumannii. Optimum concentration of antibiotics in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to treat these infections is difficult to achieve. Intraventricular antibiotic administration bypasses the blood-brain barrier and can achieve high CSF concentration without causing systemic toxicity. METHODS: Retrospective review of all patient records were done to identify patients who developed postneurosurgical meningitis and received intraventricular antibiotic therapy during the period of July 2017 to December 2022. Demographic and clinical data along with the type of antibiotic, route, dose, and duration of administration were collected. CSF parameters before and after intraventricular antibiotic administration were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: Twenty-six patients with postneurosurgical meningitis received intraventricular antibiotic therapy. Intracranial tumors were the most common underlying pathology followed by aneurysms. In all, 17/26 patients had received vancomycin and 9/26 patients had received colistin. External ventricular drain was used in 17/26 cases and Ommaya reservoir was used in 9/26 cases. Six patients showed growth of organism in CSF before starting intraventricular antibiotics, while one patient remained culture positive despite treatment. Of the 26 patients, 3 died despite treatment. There were significant changes in the CSF parameters after intraventricular antibiotic therapy. CONCLUSION: Intraventricular administration of antibiotic provides an alternative therapeutic option in the management of patients who are not responding or poorly responding to systemic antibiotics.

Pediatric cranio-vertebral junction tuberculosis: management and outcome.

INTRODUCTION: Tuberculosis (TB) of the cranio-vertebral junction (CVJ) is a rare condition, accounting for 0.3 % to 1 % of all cases of spinal TB. Early diagnosis and treatment are important in preventing long-term neurological sequelae. Management protocol of this rare site of TB is yet to be conclusively established. This holds particularly true for pediatric age group in which this condition is infrequently encountered. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 29 consecutive pediatric patients presented to the Department of Neurosurgery at Sanjay Gandhi Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, from January 1997 to October2011 with clinical and/or radiological features suggestive of CVJ TB. A clinical grading system to evaluate the neurological status was developed, and all patients were evaluated using this scoring system. Patients were radiologically evaluated with computed tomography (CT) of CVJ and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with gadolinium enhancement. These cases were managed according to their grade and followed up. RESULTS: Out of a total of 29 cases, 18 were females and 11 males. Age range was 4 to 18 years with mean age 9 ± 3.8 years. The follow-up period ranged from 2 months to 7.5 years with mean follow-up of 2.7 years. Eleven cases were of grades 1 and 2, and 18 cases were of higher grade (grades 3 and 4). Predominantly conservative approach was utilized in cases with better clinical status, and grade (grades 1 and 2) and surgical intervention was needed in the more severe grades. All cases had significant improvement at the last follow-up. CONCLUSION: One needs to have a high index of suspicion of CVJ TB if one encounters a case with neck pain, neck restriction, and raised erythrocyte sedimentation rate. CT CVJ and MRI with gadolinium contrast enhancement are the investigations of choice for both establishing a diagnosis and planning the management. For cases with mild neurological deficit, conservative approach would work for majority of cases, and for severe cases, initial conservative approach may be tried, failing which surgical intervention would be needed.

Syndromic versus nonsyndromic atlantoaxial dislocation: do clinico-radiological differences have a bearing on management?

BACKGROUND: This prospective study attempts to study the clinico-radiological differences between patients with syndromic AAD (SAAD), non-syndromic AAD (NSAAD), and AAD with Klippel-Feil anomaly (AADKFA) that may impact management. METHODS: In 46 patients with AAD [SAAD (including Morquio, Down, Larson and Marshall syndrome and achondroplasia; n = 6); NSAAD(n = 20); and, AADKFS (n = 20)], myelopathy was graded as mild (n = 17, 37 %), moderate (15, 32.5 %) or severe (14, 30.5 %) based on Japanese Orthopaedic Association Score modified for Indian patients (mJOAS). Basilar invagination (BI), basal angle, odontoid hypoplasia, facet-joint angle, effective canal diameter, Ishihara curvature index, and angle of retroversion of odontoid and vertebral artery (VA) variations were also studied. STATISTICS: Clinico-radiological differences were assessed by Fisher's exact test, and mean craniometric values by Kruskal-Wallis test (p value ≤ 0.05 significant) RESULTS: Incidence of irreducible AAD in SAAD (n = 0), NSA AD (11.55 %) and AADKFS (n = 18.90 %) showed significant difference (p = 0.01). High incidence of kyphoscoliosis (83 %) and odontoid hypoplasia (83 %) in SAAD, and assimilated atlas and BI in NSAAD and AADKFA groups were found. In AADKFA, effective canal diameter was significantly reduced(p = 0.017) with increased Ishihara index and increased angle of odontoid retroversion; 61 % patients had VA variations. Thirty-five patients underwent single-stage transoral decompression with posterior fusion (for irreducible AAD) or direct posterior stabilization (for reducible AAD). Postoperative mJOAS evaluation often revealed persistent residual myelopathy despite clinical improvement. CONCLUSIONS: Myelopathy is induced by recurrent cord trauma due to reducible AAD in SAAD, and compromised cervicomedullary canal diameter in NSAAD and AADKFA. SAAD in children may be missed due to incomplete odontoid ossification or coexisting angular deformities. In AADKFA, decisions regarding vertebral levels to be included in posterior stabilization should take into consideration intact intervening motion segments and compensatory cervical hyperlordosis. Following VA injury, endovascular primary vessel occlusion/stenting across pseudoaneurysm preempts delayed rehemorrhage.

Oral Midodrine as an Adjunct in Rapid Weaning of Intravenous Vasopressor Support in Spinal Cord Injury.

Background Majority of acute cervical spinal cord injury end up requiring long-term stay in intensive care unit (ICU). During the initial few days after spinal cord injury, most patients are hemodynamically unstable requiring intravenous vasopressors. However, many studies have noted that long-term intravenous vasopressors remain the main reason for prolongation of ICU stay. In this series, we report the effect of using oral midodrine in reducing the amount and duration of intravenous vasopressors in patients with acute cervical spinal cord injury. Materials and Methods Five adult patients with cervical spinal cord injury after initial evaluation and surgical stabilization are assessed for the need for intravenous vasopressors. If patients continue to need intravenous vasopressors for more than 24 hours, they were started on oral midodrine. Its effect on weaning of intravenous vasopressors was assessed. Results Patients with systemic and intracranial injury were excluded from the study. Midodrine helped in weaning of intravenous vasopressors in the first 24 to 48 hours and helped in complete weaning of intravenous vasopressors. The rate of reduction was between 0.5 and 2.0 µg/min. Conclusion Oral midodrine does have an effect in reduction of intravenous vasopressors for patients needing prolonged support after cervical spine injury. The real extent of this effect needs to be studied with collaboration of multiple centers dealing with spinal injuries. The approach seems to be a viable alternative to rapidly wean intravenous vasopressors and reduce duration of ICU stay.

Multi-annual variability of pCO2(aq) and air-water CO2 flux in the mangrove-dominated Dhamra Estuary draining into the Bay of Bengal (India).

Small estuaries often remain neglected while characterizing air-water CO2 flux dynamics. This study reports the seasonal, spatial, and multi-annual variability of carbon biogeochemistry, emphasizing air-water CO2 flux from a small tropical mangrove-dominated estuary (Dhamra Estuary) of the Bay of Bengal, based on the 9-year-long sampling survey (2013 to 2021). The sampling covered twelve pre-fixed locations of this estuary. A suite of biogeochemical parameters was kept within the purview of this study to deliniate the interrelationship between CO2 fluxes and potential factors that can regulate/govern pCO2(aq) dynamics. Air water CO2 exchange rates were calculated using five globally accepted empirical gas transfer velocity equations and varied in a range of - 832.5 to 7904 µmol m-2 h-1. The estuary was a sink for CO2 in monsoon season, having the highest average flux rates of - 380.9 ± 125.5 µmol m-2 h-1, whereas a source in pre-monsoon (38.29 ± 913.1 µmol m-2 h-1) and post-monsoon (91.81 ± 1009.8 µmol m-2 h-1). The significant factors governing pCO2 were pH, salinity, total alkalinity and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC). This long-term seasonal study emphasizes the need to include small regional estuaries for more accurate estimates of global CO2 flux to upscale the global carbon budget and its controlling mechanism.

Clinical, radiological profile and outcome in pediatric Spetzler-Martin grades I-III arteriovenous malformations.

BACKGROUND: Treatment of pediatric arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) is always a challenge considering their hemorrhagic presentation, associated morbidity and mortality, and the potential long life span of these children. Spetzler-Martin grades I-III are the grey zones as far as the treatment options are concerned. With a generous multimodality approach, one can reduce the morbidity and mortality to a considerable extent. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the demographic and clinico-radiological profile of pediatric intracranial AVMs belonging to Spetzler-Martin grades I-III and their outcome following microsurgical excision. METHODS: Pediatric patients (≤18 years of age) from a period of January 2001-January 2011 were included in the study. Patients with associated aneurysms or tumors were excluded from the study. Post-operative DSA/CT angiography was done within 6 weeks after surgery. Outcome was analyzed in terms of neurological improvement according to Medical Research Council Grade (MRC), obliteration of the AVM in post-operative angiography and Modified Rankin score. Outcome based on Modified Rankin score was favorable with a score of 0-2 and unfavorable when the score was 3-6. RESULTS: A total of 36 patients with a mean follow-up of 12.75 months were identified. Thirty-one patients (86.1%) presented with hemorrhage while only 15 (41.6%) presented with seizures. There were 25 (69.4%) males and 11 (30.6%) females. Spetzler-Martin grade was grade I in six patients, grade II in 20 patients, and grade III in ten patients. All patients underwent surgical excision of the AVMs and post-operative angiography showed a 100% obliteration rate. There was a favorable outcome in 86.1% of the patients according to modified Rankin score. CONCLUSION: The aim of treating a pediatric AVM should be complete obliteration of the AVM considering the high risk of hemorrhage and the morbidity and mortality associated with hemorrhage. With careful planning and adopting a multimodality treatment, complete obliteration can definitely be achieved.

A case series of 12 patients with incidental asymptomatic Dandy-Walker syndrome and management.

PURPOSE: Incidentally detected asymptomatic Dandy-Walker syndrome (DWS) is sparsely reported in literature at extremes of age (from 1 to 75 years) in association with different diseases. Precipitating factors causing DWS in these cases to manifest in late adulthood are still unidentified. We tried to hypothesize the aetiology and the natural course of disease based on review of literature MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twelve cases of asymptomatic DWS were selected retrospectively in this study while being treated for some unrelated disease over a period of 15 years. RESULTS: All the cases had vermian hypoplasia with sizeable fourth ventricular cyst (more than 3 cm), large posterior fossa and with no or borderline ventriculomegaly on CT/MRI. The age ranged from 1 to 65 years. Five cases presented with head injury and four cases presented with enlarged head size with suboccipital protuberance (noticed in children more than 5 years). Remaining cases presented with either occipital encephalocele or right trigeminal neuralgia or fixed atlantoaxial dislocation. They were asymptomatic for DWS following treatment of the presenting complaints on follow-up of average duration of 4.5 years. CONCLUSION: Presentation at extremes of age signifies that slow degenerative changes in communicating channels between fourth ventricular cyst and surrounding basal cisterns may cause asymptomatic DWS to manifest, but cases having good communication between these structures can remain asymptomatic throughout their life.

Large epidermoids of the quadrigeminal cistern: an experience of 15 consecutive cases and review of literature.

BACKGROUND: Large epidermoids of the quadrigeminal cistern (LEQCs) of more than 4 cm in size are benign intracranial tumours and present with diverse clinical manifestations. Fifteen cases of LEQC have been treated in our institute over last 10 years. METHODS: This is a retrospective study of the 15 LEQCs treated in our institute from January 2001 to May 2011. We classified these epidermoids into three types, based on the location of the major bulk of the epidermoid, to tailor surgical approaches to these tumours. RESULTS: Fifteen patients (age range 14-45 years, mean age 27.2 years) were operated upon after clinicoradiological evaluation. Eight were females and seven were males. The mean duration of symptoms was 9.2 months. Symptoms of raised intracranial pressure were present in ten patients. Surgical approaches included infratentorial-supracerebellar approach in nine cases, the occipital transtentorial approach in five cases and subtemporal approach one case. Complete excision was possible in ten (66.6 %) cases, near total in four (26.6 %) and subtotal excision in one case. Six patients underwent cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) diversion by ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt. Twelve patients improved with surgery and are functionally active. One patient developed hemiparesis. There were two deaths in our series. CONCLUSION: LEQC may present with hydrocephalus, unlike epidermoids at other intracranial locations. Complete surgical excision is possible in most of the patients and it helps in re-establishing the CSF pathway. Early surgery in these patients prevents postoperative shunt dependence. Most of the patients improve after surgery.

Assessment of Hearing Loss in Minor Head Injury: A Prospective Study.

Introduction Hearing loss following a head injury is common and well known. The numbers of road traffic accidents have increased recently, with minor head injuries being very common, and usually go unreported. Hearing loss after a minor head injury is often unnoticed. Available literature is limited in this regard. Objective This study was done to assess hearing loss in patients with minor head injuries and to define its natural history and progression/regression by a serial assessment of hearing. Methods This prospective study was done in the Department of Neurosurgery, AIIMS, Bhubaneshwar, Odisha, India, for a period of 24 months to look at the profile of hearing levels of patients presenting with history suggestive of minor head injury. Results This study has shown that some form of hearing loss is common after a minor head injury and should be evaluated in all patients to detect subclinical hearing loss. A significant number of patients having minimal or a mild degree of hearing loss, if managed properly, improve to preinjury status. Distortion product oto-acoustic emission testing should be used as the screening and follow-up tool. Conclusion This study highlights the importance of hearing assessment in minor-head-injury patients and the prognosis of recovery as per the severity of hearing loss and head injury.

Trans-cranial Doppler Flow Characteristics of a Child with Paroxysmal Sympathetic Hyper-activity: A Preliminary Report.

Background: Paroxysmal sympathetic hyper-activity (PSH) is a syndrome characterized by excessive activity of the sympathetic nervous system. The cerebrovascular flow dynamics during the episodes of paroxysmal hyper-activity has also not been clearly examined in the literature. Case History: A 12-year-old boy with operated exophytic brain stem pilocytic astrocytoma was diagnosed with paroxysmal sympathetic hyper-activity. The trans-cranial Doppler flow characteristics of the bilateral middle cerebral artery and anterior cerebral artery are described in this report. Conclusion: The diagnosis of PSH requires an index of suspicion on the part of the clinician. The episodes of sympathetic hyper-activity are associated with significant changes in physiologic parameters in the patients including changes in cerebrovascular flow dynamics.

Histological difference in ligament flavum between degenerative lumbar canal stenosis and non-stenotic group: A prospective, comparative study.

BACKGROUND: Ligament flavum (LF) hypertropy is the main etiopathogenesis of lumbar canal stenosis (LCS). The purely elastic LF undergoes a morphological adaptation including a reduction in the elastic fibers and a consequent increase in the collagen content, fibrosis, cicatrization, and calcification. However, the morphometric analysis can delineate the LF in patients with LCS from those without LCS, which would help in better understanding LCS pathogenesis. AIM: To compare the histopathological changes in LF between the degenerative LCS and non-stenotic (non-LCS) group. METHODS: The present prospective study was conducted in 82 patients who were divided into two groups, namely LCS and non-LCS. Demographic details of the patients such as duration of symptoms, level of involvement, and number of segments were recorded. The LF obtained from both groups was histopathologically examined for the fibrosis score, elastic fiber degeneration, calcification, and chondroid metaplasia. Morphometrical details included a change in elastin and collagen percentages, elastin/collagen ratio, elastic fiber fragmentation, and ligamentocyte numbers. All parameters were compared between the two groups by using the independent t test, Chi-square test, and Pearson's correlation test. RESULTS: Out of 82 cases, 74 were analysed, 34 in LCS and 40 in non-LCS group. The mean ± SD age of presentation in LCS and non- LCS group was 49.2 ± 8.9 and 43.1 ± 14.3 respectively. The LCS group (n = 34) exhibited significant differences in fibrosis (P = 0.002), elastic fiber degeneration (P = 0.01), % elastic fragmentation (66.5 ± 16.3 vs 29.5 ± 16.9), % elastic, content (26.9 ± 6.7 vs 34.7 ± 8.4), % collagen content (63.6 ± 10.4 vs 54.9 ± 6.4), reduction of elastic/collagen (0.4 ± 0.1 vs 0.6 ± 0.1), and ligamentocyte number (39.1 ± 19.1 vs 53.5 ± 26.9) as compared to non-LCS group (n = 40). The calcification (P = 0.08) and Pearson's correlation between duration and loss of elastin was not significant. The difference in LF morphology is consistent in patient's ≥ 40 years of age among the groups as found in subgroup analysis. Similarly in the patents < 40 and > 40 in the non-LCS group. CONCLUSION: LF is vital in the pathogenesis of LCS. The purely elastic LF undergoes a morphological adaptation that includes a reduction in the elastic fibers with a consequent increase in the collagen content, fibrosis, cicatrization, and calcification. The present study provides a detailed morphometric analysis to semiquantitatively delineate the LF changes in patients with LCS from those in patients without LCS.