Spinal canal invasion as a predictor of neurological deficit in traumatic vertebral burst fractures.

Background: This study correlated the extent of spinal canal compression from retropulsed traumatic burst cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine fractures with the severity of neurological dysfunction. Methods: One hundred and sixty-nine patients with cervical, thoracic, or lumbar sub-axial traumatic burst fractures were seen in an emergency department from 2019 to 2021; 79.3% were men, averaging 37 years of age. The lumbar spine was most frequently involved (42%), followed by the thoracic (36.1%) and cervical (21.9%) levels. The extent of spinal canal compression was quantitated utilizing Hashimoto's method, and correlated with patients' extent of neurological injury based on their American Spinal Injury Association scores. Results: There was a positive correlation between the extent of cervical and thoracic spinal cord compression due to retro pulsed burst fragments and the severity of the patients' neurological deficits, but this was not true for the lumbar spine. Conclusion: The extent of spinal cord compression from retropulsed cervical and thoracic traumatic burst fractures was readily correlated with the severity of patients' neurological dysfunction. However, there was no such correlation between the extent of cauda equina compression from retropulsed lumbar burst fractures and the severity of their cauda equina syndromes.

Intramedullary cervical spinal cord and cerebellar hemangioblastoma: A case report.

Background: Hemangioblastomas are benign tumors that develop in the central nervous system. They represent 1.5-2.5% of all intracranial tumors, and about 2-15% of all spinal cord tumors. They are highly associated with von Hippel-Lindau disease. Case Description: A 36-year-old female presented with a 4-year history of progressive right upper extremity distal weakness and cervical pain. The magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a homogeneously, contrast enhancing intradural/intramedullary tumor at C6-C7 with perilesional edema and a syrinx accompanied by a cerebellar cyst with a mural nodule. Surgery included excision of the spinal lesion and decompression and excision of the cerebellar cyst and mural nodule (i.e., median suboccipital craniectomy and cervical C5-C7 laminectomy). Conclusion: Surgery is the gold standard treatment for symptomatic hemangioblastomas, and surgical approaches should minimize risk.