Ewing sarcoma of the temporal bone with aneurysmal bone cyst-like changes: A rare case report with an unusual radiological presentation.

Ewing sarcoma (ES) is a malignant small round cell tumor, accounting for 10-15% of all primary bone tumors and approximately 3% of all pediatric cancers. Primary ES of the cranial bone is unusual with reported incidence from 1% to 6% of all ES cases. This report shows a rare case of primary ES of the squamous temporal bone in a 12-year-old boy with a history of swelling of the right temporal region and symptoms of increased intracranial pressure. We illustrate the extremely unusual radiological presentation of this primary ES of temporal bone associated with large aneurysmal bone cyst-like (ABC-like) changes. The boy was successfully treated according to Euro Ewing 2012 protocol. He is alive with no evidence of recurrence and metastasis after 16 months of completed treatment.

What is success of treatment? Expected outcome scores in cervical radiculopathy patients were much higher than the previously reported cut-off values for success.

PURPOSE: Treatment success can be defined by asking a patient how they perceive their condition compared to prior to treatment, but it can also be defined by establishing success criteria in advance. We evaluated treatment outcome expectations in patients undergoing surgery or non-operative treatment for cervical radiculopathy. METHODS: The first 100 consecutive patients from an ongoing randomized controlled trial (NCT03674619) comparing the effectiveness of surgical and nonsurgical treatment for cervical radiculopathy were included. Patient-reported outcome measures and expected outcome and improvement were obtained before treatment. We compared these with previously published cut-off values for success. Arm pain, neck pain and headache were measured by a numeric rating scale. Neck disability index (NDI) was used to record pain-related disability. We applied Wilcoxon signed-rank test to compare the expected outcome scores for the two treatments. RESULTS: Patients reported mean NDI of 42.2 (95% CI 39.6-44.7) at baseline. The expected mean NDI one year after the treatment was 4 (95% CI 3.0-5.1). The expected mean reduction in NDI was 38.3 (95% CI 35.8-40.8). Calculated as a percentage change score, the patients expected a mean reduction of 91.2% (95% CI 89.2-93.2). Patient expectations were higher regarding surgical treatment for arm pain, neck pain and working ability, P < 0.001, but not for headache. CONCLUSIONS: The expected improvement after treatment of cervical radiculopathy was much higher than the previously reported cut-off values for success. Patients with cervical radiculopathy had higher expectations to surgical treatment.

Effect of Arthroplasty vs Fusion for Patients With Cervical Radiculopathy: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Surgical treatment for cervical radiculopathy is increasing. Treatment with motion preserving anterior cervical disc arthroplasty was introduced to prevent symptomatic adjacent segment disease, and there is need to evaluate results of this treatment compared with standard anterior cervical discectomy and fusion. Objective: To investigate clinical outcomes at 5 years for arthroplasty vs fusion in patients who underwent surgical treatment for cervical radiculopathy. Design, Setting, and Participants: This multicenter, single-blinded, randomized clinical trial included patients aged 25 to 60 years with C6 or C7 radiculopathy referred to study sites' outpatient clinics from 2008 to 2013. Data were analyzed from December 2019 to December 2020. Interventions: Patients were randomly assigned to arthroplasty or fusion. Patients were blinded to which treatment they received. The surgical team was blinded until nerve root decompression was completed. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary end point was change in Neck Disability Index (NDI) score. Secondary outcomes were arm and neck pain, measured with numeric rating scales (NRS); quality of life, measured with the EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D); reoperation rates; and adjacent segment disease. Results: Among 147 eligible patients, 4 (2.7%) declined to participate and 7 (4.8%) were excluded. A total of 136 patients were randomized (mean [SD] age, 44.1 [7.0] years; 73 (53.7%) women), with 68 patients randomized to arthroplasty and 68 patients randomized to fusion. A total of 114 patients (83.8%) completed the 5-year follow-up. In the arthroplasty group, the mean NDI score was 45.9 (95% CI, 43.3 to 48.4) points at baseline and 22.2 (95% CI, 18.0 to 26.3) points at 5 years follow-up, and in the fusion group, mean NDI score was 51.3 (95% CI, 48.1 to 54.4) points at baseline, and 21.3 (95% CI, 17.0 to 25.6) points at 5 years follow-up. The changes in mean NDI scores between baseline and 5 years were statistically significant for arthroplasty (mean change, 24.8 [95% CI, 19.8 to 29.9] points; P < .001) and fusion (mean change, 29.9 [95% CI, 24.0 to 35.9] points; P < .001), but the change in mean NDI scores was not significantly different between groups (difference, 5.1 [95% CI, -2.6 to 12.7] points; P = .19). There were no significant differences in changes in arm pain (mean [SE] change, 3.5 [0.5] vs 3.1 [0.4]; P = .47), neck pain (mean [SE] change, 3.0 [0.5] vs 3.4 [0.5]; P = .50), EQ-5D (mean [SE] change, 0.39 [0.4] vs 0.45 [0.6]; P = .46), patients requiring reoperation (10 patients [14.7%] vs 8 patients [11.8%]; P = .61), and adjacent segment disease (0 patients vs 1 patient [1.5%]; P = .32) between the arthroplasty and fusion groups. Conclusions and Relevance: In this randomized clinical trial, patients treated with arthroplasty and fusion reported similar and substantial clinical improvement at 5 years. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00735176.

Outcome after treatment of pediatric supratentorial ependymoma: long-term follow-up of a single consecutive institutional series of 26 patients.

BACKGROUND: Long-term outcome after surgical treatment of supratentorial ependymoma (STE) in children has not been extensively reported. FINDINGS: We identified 26 children who underwent primary tumor resection of STE between 1953 and 2011, with at least 8 years follow-up. Ten patients (38%) had anaplastic and 16 had low grade ependymoma. Four of 15 children (26%) treated in the years 1953-1976 survived more than 5 years, but the observed 10-year survival was only 7%. One patient lived for 37 years, and second surgery for a local recurrent lesion disclosed a glioblastoma, possibly secondary to radiotherapy. In contrast, the observed 5-year survival rate for 11 children treated in the years 1992-2011 was 8/11 (73%) and observed 10- and 25-year survival rates were 70% and 66%, respectively. Eight patients were alive and tumor-free with follow-up periods of 8-27 (median 18) years, all treated after 1992. Five of these long-term survivors were 23-39 years old with full-time (n = 3) or part-time (n = 2) work. The last three patients were still children (9-12 years old): one with good function and two with major neurological deficits. The majority of patients (n = 18) received adjuvant radiotherapy and eight children no adjuvant treatment. Repeated resections for residual or recurrent tumor were necessary in 11 patients (42%), mostly due to local disease with progressive clinical symptoms. Eight patients underwent only one repeat resection, whereas three patients had two or more repeat resections within 18 years after initial surgery. Four patients were tumor-free after repeated resections at the latest follow-up, 2-13 years after last surgery. CONCLUSION: Pediatric STE has a marked risk for local recurrence even after gross total resection and postoperative radiotherapy, but survival has increased following the introduction of modern treatment in recent years. Repeated surgery is an important part of treatment and may lead to persistent tumor control.

Outcome After Treatment of Spinal Ependymoma in Children and Adolescents: Long-Term Follow-up of a Single Consecutive Institutional Series of 33 Patients Treated Over Eight Decades.

BACKGROUND: Long-term outcomes for pediatric patients treated for spinal ependymoma are unknown. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of outcome data from 33 children and young adults (0-22 years) who were operated on for a spinal ependymoma at our institution during the last 8 decades (1938-2019). RESULTS: Nineteen patients are alive, with follow-up period up to 60 years. Twelve of them are tumor-free, and 7 are alive with disease. Fourteen patients are dead, 9 of them due to recurrent and/or progressive disease 1-56 years (median: 11 years) after the initial surgery. Four of the deceased patients were treated before 1948, 3 of them with excellent long-term survival for 62-66 years after the initial surgery. Tumor recurrence was observed in half of the patients, both local at the site of the primary tumor resection as well as widespread intraspinal presentations. Recurrences were observed within months but also occurred after up to 20 years after initial treatment. After the implementation of magnetic resonance imaging in 1987, details of recurrent disease became more easily demonstrated. Repeated resections were performed when the symptomatic spinal disease was in progress (n = 11). Furthermore, 2 patients have intracranial tumor manifestations, 1 of them underwent resection of a suprasellar tumor in 1991. Four deceased patients experienced aggressive extraspinal progressive disease requiring multiple surgeries, including pulmonary metastasis in 1 of them. CONCLUSIONS: Pediatric spinal ependymomas can be treated with favorable results and functional outcome may be good even after more than half a century of follow-up. Nevertheless, unexpected and late recurrences may occur, and life-long follow-up is therefore recommended.

A randomised controlled trial comparing the effectiveness of surgical and nonsurgical treatment for cervical radiculopathy.

BACKGROUND: Cervical radiculopathy is usually caused by disc herniation or spondylosis. The prognosis is expected to be good in most patients, but there is limited scientific evidence on the indications for nonsurgical and surgical treatments. The aim of the present study is to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of surgical and nonsurgical treatment in two trials - including disc herniation and spondylosis, respectively, and to evaluate factors that contribute to better decision making. METHODS/DESIGN: Patients with disabling radicular arm pain and MRI-proven cervical disc herniation or spondylosis will be randomised to receive nonsurgical or surgical treatment. The follow-up period is one year and the sample size is estimated to be 50 for each arm in the two trials, giving a total of 200 patients. The primary outcomes are the Neck Disability Index and arm pain. Secondary outcomes include neck pain; EQ-5D and costs to evaluate cost-effectiveness; prognostic factors; CT and MRI scans, to estimate intervertebral foraminal area and nerve root compression; and the expected minimal improvement for willingness to undergo treatment. DISCUSSION: The outcomes of this study will contribute to better decision making in the treatment of cervical radiculopathy. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT03674619, on September 17, 2018.

A man in his fifties with variable weakness and difficulty in walking. / En mann i 50-årene med varierende kraftsvikt og gangvansker.

BACKGROUND: An active man in his fifties was treated for atrial fibrillation with ablation. One week later he noticed variable weakness in his lower extremities. In the days that followed, his symptoms improved but could vary from day to day. CASE PRESENTATION: On admission 3 months after the initial symptoms, he had spasticity and weakness in both lower extremities, with hyperreflexia and positive Babinski. Spinal fluid contained slightly elevated protein levels. Spinal MRI showed cord oedema and gadolinium enhancement over multiple spinal levels. Autoimmune myelitis was suspected, and he was treated with high dose steroids and rituximab. Due to lack of effect, repeated examinations were initiated. Information from his patient history regarding symptom exacerbation by walking or bending forward was emphasised. Repeated MRI showed unchanged spinal oedema and dilated peri- and intramedullary vessels. MRA and spinal digital DSA revealed a dural fistula at third lumbar level, with the left L3 radiculomedullary artery as the feed artery. The fistula was successfully ligated by the neurosurgeon. INTERPRETATION: Spinal vascular lesions are rare and the diagnosis may be challenging due to atypical presentation. The case shows that detailed information from the patient history and thorough clinical investigation is of paramount importance to disclose this probably underreported condition.

Predictors of early in-hospital death after decompressive craniectomy in swollen middle cerebral artery infarction.

BACKGROUND: Swollen middle cerebral artery infarction is a life-threatening disease and decompressive craniectomy is improving survival significantly. Despite decompressive surgery, however, many patients are not discharged from the hospital alive. We therefore wanted to search for predictors of early in-hospital death after craniectomy in swollen middle cerebral artery infarction. METHODS: All patients operated with decompressive craniectomy due to swollen middle cerebral artery infarction at the Department of Neurosurgery, Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway, between May 1998 and October 2010, were included. Binary logistic regression analyses were performed and candidate variables were age, sex, time from stroke onset to decompressive craniectomy, NIHSS on admission, infarction territory, pineal gland displacement, reduction of pineal gland displacement after surgery, and craniectomy size. RESULTS: Fourteen out of 45 patients (31%) died during the primary hospitalization (range, 3-44 days). In the multivariate logistic regression model, middle cerebral artery infarction with additional anterior and/or posterior cerebral artery territory involvement was found as the only significant predictor of early in-hospital death (OR, 12.7; 95% CI, 0.01-0.77; p = 0.029). CONCLUSIONS: The present study identified additional territory infarction as a significant predictor of early in-hospital death. The relatively small sample size precludes firm conclusions.

The Norwegian Cervical Arthroplasty Trial (NORCAT): 2-year clinical outcome after single-level cervical arthroplasty versus fusion-a prospective, single-blinded, randomized, controlled multicenter study.

PURPOSE: Standard surgical treatment for symptomatic cervical disc disease has been discectomy and fusion, but the use of arthroplasty, designed to preserve motion, has increased, and most studies report clinical outcome in its favor. Few of these trials, however, blinded the patients. We, therefore, conducted the Norwegian Cervical Arthroplasty Trial, and present 2-year clinical outcome after arthroplasty or fusion. METHODS: This multicenter trial included 136 patients with single-level cervical disc disease. The patients were randomized to arthroplasty or fusion, and blinded to the treatment modality. The surgical team was blinded to randomization until nerve root decompression was completed. Primary outcome was the self-rated Neck Disability Index. Secondary outcomes were the numeric rating scale for pain and quality of life questionnaires Short Form-36 and EuroQol-5Dimension-3 Level. RESULTS: There was a significant improvement in the primary and all secondary outcomes from baseline to 2-year follow-up for both arthroplasty and fusion (P < 0.001), and no observed significant between-group differences at any follow-up times. However, linear mixed model analyses, correcting for baseline values, dropouts and missing data, revealed a difference in Neck Disability Index (P = 0.049), and arm pain (P = 0.027) in favor of fusion at 2 years. The duration of surgery was longer (P < 0.001), and the frequency of reoperations higher (P = 0.029) with arthroplasty. CONCLUSION: The present study showed excellent clinical results and no significant difference between treatments at any scheduled follow-up. However, the rate of index level reoperations was higher and the duration of surgery longer with arthroplasty. TRIAL REGISTRATION: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov NCT 00735176.19.

Heterotopic ossification and clinical outcome in nonconstrained cervical arthroplasty 2 years after surgery: the Norwegian Cervical Arthroplasty Trial (NORCAT).

PURPOSE: Heterotopic ossification is a phenomenon in cervical arthroplasty. Previous reports have mainly focused on various semiconstrained devices and only a few publications have focused on ossification around devices that are nonconstrained. The purpose of this study was to assess the occurrence of heterotopic ossification around a nonconstrained cervical device and how it affects clinical outcome 2 years after surgery. METHODS: Thirty-seven patients were included from a larger cohort of a randomized controlled trial (NORCAT) which compared single-level cervical arthroplasty with fusion. The occurrence of heterotopic ossification was assessed with a CT scan and two neuroradiologists determined its degree. For grading, we used the Mehren/Suchomel classification system (grade 0-4). The patients were divided by level of ossification, low grade (0-2) or high grade (3-4), and clinical outcomes were compared. Self-rated disability for neck and arm pain (Neck Disability Index), health-related quality of life (the Short Form-36 and EuroQol-5D), and pain (the Numeric Rating Scale 11) were used as clinical outcome measures. RESULTS: Heterotopic ossification was encountered in all patients 2 years after surgery. Complete fusion (grade 4) was found in 16 % of participants, and high-grade ossification (grade 3-4) occurred in 62 %. The remaining patients were classified as having low-grade ossification (grade 2). There were no differences in the clinical outcomes of patients with low- and high-grade ossification. CONCLUSION: High-grade heterotopic ossification and spontaneous fusion 2 years after surgery were seen in a significant number of patients. However, the degree of ossification did not influence the clinical outcome.

Long-term outcome and quality of life after craniectomy in speech-dominant swollen middle cerebral artery infarction.

BACKGROUND: Decompressive craniectomy in malignant middle cerebral artery infarction (MMCAI) reduces mortality. Whether speech-dominant side infarction results in less favorable outcome is unclear. This study compared functional outcome, quality of life, and mental health among patients with speech-dominant and non-dominant side infarction. METHODS: All patients undergoing decompressive craniectomy for MMCAI were included. Demographics, side of infarction, and speech-dominant hemisphere were recorded. Outcome at follow-up was assessed by global functioning (modified Rankin Scale score), neurological impairment (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score), dependency (Barthel Index), anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale), and quality of life (Short Form-36). RESULTS: Twenty-nine out of 45 patients (mean age ± SD, 48.1 ± 11.6 years; 58 % male) were alive at follow-up, and 26 were eligible for analysis [follow-up, median (interquartile range): 66 months (32-93)]. The speech-dominant hemisphere was affected in 13 patients. Outcome for patients with speech-dominant and non-dominant side MMCAI was similar regarding neurological impairment (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score, mean ± SD: 10.3 ± 7.0 vs. 8.9 ± 2.7, respectively; p = 0.51), global functioning [modified Rankin Scale score, median (IQR): 3.0 [2-4] vs. 4.0 [3-4]; p = 0.34], dependence (Barthel Index, mean ± SD: 16.2 ± 5.0 vs. 13.1 ± 4.8; p = 0.12), and anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale, mean ± SD: anxiety, 5.0 ± 4.5 vs. 7.3 ± 5.8; p = 0.30; depression, 5.0 ± 5.2 vs. 5.9 ± 3.9; p = 0.62). The mean quality of life scores (Short Form-36) were not significantly different between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: There was no statistical or clinical difference in functional outcome and quality of life in patients with speech-dominant compared to non-dominant side infarction. The side affected should not influence suitability for decompressive craniectomy.

Idiopathic ventral spinal cord herniation: an increasingly recognized cause of thoracic myelopathy.

Idiopathic spinal cord herniation (ISCH), where a segment of the spinal cord has herniated through a ventral defect in the dura, is a rarely encountered cause of thoracic myelopathy. The purpose of our study was to increase the clinical awareness of this condition by presenting our experience with seven consecutive cases treated in our department since 2005. All the patients developed pronounced spastic paraparesis or Brown-Séquard syndrome for several years (mean, 4.7 years) prior to diagnosis. MRI was consistent with a transdural spinal cord herniation in the mid-thoracic region in all the cases. The patients underwent surgical reduction of the herniated spinal cord and closure of the dural defect using an artificial dural patch. At follow-up, three patients experienced considerable clinical improvement, one had slight improvement, one had transient improvement, and two were unchanged. Two of the four patients with sphincter dysfunction regained sphincter control. MRI showed realignment of the spinal cord in all the patients. ISCH is probably a more common cause of thoracic myelopathy than previously recognized. The patients usually develop progressive myelopathy for several years before the correct diagnosis is made. Early diagnosis is important in order to treat the patients before the myelopathy has become advanced.

Magnetic resonance imaging evaluation after implantation of a titanium cervical disc prosthesis: a comparison of 1.5 and 3 Tesla magnet strength.

PURPOSE: Cervical disc prostheses induce significant amount of artifact in magnetic resonance imaging which may complicate radiologic follow-up after surgery. The purpose of this study was to investigate as to what extent the artifact, induced by the frequently used Discover(®) cervical disc prosthesis, impedes interpretation of the MR images at operated and adjacent levels in 1.5 and 3 Tesla MR. METHODS: Ten subsequent patients were investigated in both 1.5 and 3 Tesla MR with standard image sequences one year following anterior cervical discectomy with arthroplasty. OUTCOME MEASURES: Two neuroradiologists evaluated the images by consensus. Emphasis was made on signal changes in medulla at all levels and visualization of root canals at operated and adjacent levels. A "blur artifact ratio" was calculated and defined as the height of the artifact on T1 sagittal images related to the operated level. RESULTS: The artifacts induced in 1.5 and 3 Tesla MR were of entirely different character and evaluation of the spinal cord at operated level was impossible in both magnets. Artifacts also made the root canals difficult to assess at operated level and more pronounced in the 3 Tesla MR. At the adjacent levels however, the spinal cord and root canals were completely visualized in all patients. The "blur artifact" induced at operated level was also more pronounced in the 3 Tesla MR. CONCLUSIONS: The artifact induced by the Discover(®) titanium disc prosthesis in both 1.5 and 3 Tesla MR, makes interpretation of the spinal cord impossible and visualization of the root canals difficult at operated level. Adjusting the MR sequences to produce the least amount of artifact is important.

Prefabricated patient-matched cranial implants for reconstruction of large skull defects.

Cranial defects can be caused by injury, infection, or tumor invasion. Large defects should be reconstructed to protect the brain and normalize the cerebral hemodynamics. The conventional method is to cover the defect with bone cement. Custom-made implants designed for the individual patient are now available. We report our experience with one such product in patients with large cranial defects (>7.6 cm in diameter). A CT scan with 2 mm slices and a three-dimensional reconstruction were obtained from the patient. This information was dispatched to the company and used as a template to form the implant. The cranial implant was received within four weeks. From 2005 to 2010, custom-made cranial implants were used in 13 patients with large cranial defects. In 10 of the 13 patients, secondary deep infection was the cause of the cranial defect. All the implants fitted well or very well to the defect. No infections were seen after implantation; however, one patient was reoperated on for an epidural hematoma. A custom-made cranial implant is considerably more expensive than an implant made of bone cement, but ensures that the defect is optimally covered. The use of custom-made implants is straightforward and timesaving, and they provide an excellent medical and cosmetic result.

Atlantoaxial rotatory fixation--a cause of torticollis.

BACKGROUND: A rare, but important cause of torticollis in children is atlantoaxial rotatory fixation. If the patient remains undiagnosed for more than three months, surgery is generally the only therapeutic alternative. In this article we present our experiences of surgical treatment of late-diagnosed atlantoaxial rotatory fixation in children. MATERIAL AND METHOD: This article is based on a review of the case notes of patients who underwent surgery for atlantoaxial rotatory fixation in the Department for Neurosurgery at Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet, during the period 2004-10. RESULTS: The material sample consists of six children aged from seven to 14 years. Five had suffered minor trauma to the upper neck region, while one had had an upper respiratory tract infection. The diagnosis was made 5-36 months after the onset of symptoms. In three of the patients, an attempt was made at closed reduction without success. A CT scan one year postoperatively showed a normal position of the atlantoaxial joint in two patients and partial reduction in three. In the sixth patient there was bone fusion at the time of the operation, and open reduction was unsuccessful. All six patients had reduced rotational movement of the neck at the one-year check-up. INTERPRETATION: All our patients were diagnosed more than five months after the onset of symptoms. Full or partial reduction was achieved in five of the six.

Volume and densities of chronic subdural haematoma obtained from CT imaging as predictors of postoperative recurrence: a prospective study of 107 operated patients.

BACKGROUND: Chronic subdural haematoma (CSDH) is a common entity in neurosurgery with a considerable postoperative recurrence rate. Computerised tomography (CT) scanning remains the most important diagnostic test for this disorder. The aim of this study was to characterise the relationship between the recurrence of CSDH after treatment with burr-hole irrigation and closed-system drainage technique and CT scan features of these lesions to assess whether CT findings can be used to predict recurrence. METHODS: We investigated preoperative and postoperative CT scan features and recurrence rate of 107 consecutive adult surgical cases of CSDH and assessed any relationship with univariate and multivariate regression analyses. RESULTS: Seventeen patients (15.9 %) experienced recurrence of CSDH. The preoperative haematoma volume, the isodense, hyperdense, laminar and separated CT densities and the residual total haematoma cavity volume on the 1st postoperative day after removal of the drainage were identified as radiological predictors of recurrence. If the preoperative haematoma volume was under 115 ml and the residual total haematoma cavity volume postoperatively was under 80 ml, the probability of no recurrence was very high (94.4 % and 97.4 % respectively). CONCLUSIONS: These findings from CT imaging may help to identify patients at risk for postoperative recurrence.

Anterior cervical discectomy with fusion in patients with cervical disc degeneration: a prospective outcome study of 258 patients (181 fused with autologous bone graft and 77 fused with a PEEK cage).

BACKGROUND: Anterior cervical discectomy with fusion (ACDF) is challenging with respect to both patient selection and choice of surgical procedure. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcome of ACDF, with respect to both patient selection and choice of surgical procedure: fusion with an autologous iliac crest graft (AICG) versus fusion with an artificial cage made of polyetheretherketone (PEEK). METHODS: This was a non-randomized prospective single-center outcome study of 258 patients who underwent ACDF for cervical disc degeneration (CDD). Fusion was attained with either tricortical AICG or PEEK cages without additional anterior plating, with treatment selected at surgeon's discretion. Radicular pain, neck-pain, headache and patient satisfaction with the treatment were scored using the visual analogue scale (VAS). RESULTS: The median age was 47.5 (28.3-82.8) years, and 44% of patients were female. 59% had single-level ACDF, 40% had two level ACDF and 1% had three-level ACDF. Of the patients, 181 were fused with AICG and 77 with a PEEK-cage. After surgery, the patients showed a significant reduction in radicular pain (DeltaVAS = 3.05), neck pain (DeltaVAS = 2.30) and headache (DeltaVAS = 0.55). Six months after surgery, 48% of patients had returned to work: however 24% were still receiving workers' compensation.Using univariate and multivariate analyses we found that high preoperative pain intensity was significantly associated with a decrease in pain intensity after surgery, for all three pain categories. There were no significant correlations between pain relief and the following patient characteristics: fusion method (AICG or PEEK-cage), sex, age, number of levels fused, disc level fused, previous neck surgery (except for neck pain), previous neck trauma, or preoperative symptom duration. Two hundred out of the 256 (78%) patients evaluated the surgical result as successful. Only 27/256 (11%) classified the surgical result as a failure. Patient satisfaction was significantly associated with pain relief after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: ACDF is an effective treatment for radicular pain in selected patients with CDD after six months follow up. Because of similar clinical outcomes and lack of donor site morbidity when using PEEK, we now prefer fusion with PEEK cage to AICG. Lengthy symptom duration was not a negative prognostic marker in our patient population. The number of patients who returned to work 6 months after surgery was lower than expected.

[Hemicraniectomy in acute brain infarction]. / Hemikraniektomi ved akutt hjerneinfarkt.

BACKGROUND: Massive hemispheric brain infarctions are associated with high mortality, due to cerebral oedema, increased intracranial pressure, distortion of the brain stem and herniation. Decompressive craniectomy involves opening of the dura mater to give more space for the brain. This review describes hemicraniectomy and discusses its usefulness, especially in massive cerebral infarctions. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Literature up to January 2007 was retrieved from Medline with the terms "hemicraniectomy" and "decompressive craniotomy" in combination with "stroke" and "cerebral infarction". 39 studies were found of patients operated with decompressive craniotomy for cerebral infarction in the period 1990-2006. RESULTS AND INTERPRETATION: Hemicraniectomy for massive supratentorial brain infarction has been insufficiently documented. Hemicraniectomy performed within 48 hours of stroke onset has recently been compared to medical management alone in three randomized studies. A pooled analysis of patients (93 patients aged < 60 years) with massive infarction in the arteria cerebral media territory, indicated a significantly lower one-year mortality and a significantly larger proportion with a one-year outcome of mRS <3 after hemicraniectomy than after medical management alone. The following key questions still need to be answered: surgical timing, the relevance of hemispheric dominance, the extension of infarcted brain, and whether the reduced mortality justifies the morbidity among survivors (particularly in older age groups). Even though increased survival has now been documented, the decision to perform hemicraniectomy in patients with massive brain infarction must still be made on an individual basis.