Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy: A 7-Letter Coding System That Supports Decision-Making for the Surgical Approach.

OBJECTIVE: To validate with a prospective study a decision-supporting coding system for the surgical approach for multilevel degenerative cervical myelopathy. METHODS: Ten cases were presented on an internet platform, including clinical and imaging data. A single-approach (G1), a choice between 2 (G2), or 3 approaches (G3) were options. Senior and junior spine surgeons analyzed 7 parameters: location and extension of the compression of the spinal cord, C-spine alignment and instability, general morbidity and bone diseases, and K-line and multilevel corpectomy. For each parameter, an anterior, posterior, or combined approach was suggested. The most frequent letter or the last letter (if C) of the resulting 7-letter code (7LC) suggested the surgical approach. Each surgeon performed 2 reads per case within 8 weeks. RESULTS: G1: Interrater reliability between junior surgeons improved from the first read (κ = 0.40) to the second (κ = 0.76, p < 0.001) but did not change between senior surgeons (κ = 0.85). The intrarater reliability was similar for junior (κ = 0.78) and senior (κ = 0.71) surgeons. G2: Junior/senior surgeons agreed completely (58%/62%), partially (24%/23%), or did not agree (18%/15%) with the 7LC choice. G3: junior/senior surgeons agreed completely (50%/50%) or partially (50%/50%) with the 7LC choice. CONCLUSION: The 7LC showed good overall reliability. Junior surgeons went through a learning curve and converged to senior surgeons in the second read. The 7LC helps less experienced surgeons to analyze, in a structured manner, the relevant clinical and imaging parameters influencing the choice of the surgical approach, rather than simply pointing out the only correct one.

A spinal infection with Staphylococcus pseudintermedius.

We present a case of a 60-year-old woman with an invasive spinal infection with Staphylococcus pseudintermedius associated with a 15-year-old spinal fixation device and epidemiological contact with dogs. It was confirmed on blood culture and culture from pus from the epidural abscess and successfully treated using similar treatment as for a Staphylococcus aureus infection - 6 weeks of intravenous flucloxacillin 2 g four times daily with a 6 week follow-on course of oral clindamycin 450 mg three times daily. This case represents the first reported deep abscess forming infection with this recently discovered organism. This case highlights that (1) S. pseudintermedius has a potential for invasive zoonotic infection, (2) treatment as for S. aureus appears adequate for resolution of the case, (3) the increased use of the matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time-of-flight identification technique is leading to more specific identification of previously unrecognised organisms.

Primary clear cell chondrosarcoma of the spine: a case report of a rare entity and a review of the literature.

Chondrosarcoma is the third most common primary malignant bone tumor after osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma. Clear cell chondrosarcoma is a rare subtype variant of chondrosarcoma, most commonly encountered in the proximal part of the femur or humerus. Vertebral involvement is exceedingly rare and shows a predilection for the thoracic spine. We report the case of a woman with clear cell chondrosarcoma of the thoracic spine, which has been surgically excised, and review the pertinent literature (PubMed). Although it has a reasonably benign biological behavior, clear cell chondrosarcoma needs to be treated as a malignancy. The best treatment for spinal chondrosarcoma is surgery. It should be promptly and adequately resected. Gross-total resection should be the ultimate surgical goal. Radiation therapy should also be considered, especially in the case of subtotal resection or inoperable lesions. In conclusion, it is important to keep in mind this entity in the differential diagnosis of spinal tumors, in order to optimize treatment planning. With adequate treatment, local recurrence rates as low as 20% can be achieved.

Voluminous free disk fragment mimicking an extradural tumor.

A 56-year-old man presented with a rare case of a voluminous herniated disc fragment mimicking an intraspinal extradural tumor on magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. He had experienced low back pain and sciatica in his right leg for 12 months, which exacerbated suddenly 4 days before admission accompanied by right quadriceps muscle weakness. MR imaging with gadolinium demonstrated a tumor-like longitudinal lesion, extending from the L1-2 to the L3-4 intervertebral disc spaces and occupying most of the right half of the vertebral canal. L2 and L3 laminectomy, as well as L2-3 right foraminotomy, were performed. We were prepared for an oncological operation, but instead, a huge disc fragment was removed en bloc from the right epidural space. The patient's postoperative course was uneventful and he demonstrated full neurological recovery within 2 months. Sequestrated lumbar disc fragments must be considered in the differential diagnosis of longitudinal extradural mass lesions in the spinal canal independently of their size. MR imaging with contrast medium can differentiate herniated disc from tumors and other epidural lesions. Nevertheless, nontypical sequestrated disc herniations are extremely rare and can be misinterpreted.

Posttraumatic Benedikt's syndrome: a rare entity with unclear anatomopathological correlations.

BACKGROUND: This study sought to present a very rare case of a posttraumatic midbrain lesion producing a debilitating constellation of symptoms identified as Benedikt's syndrome. METHODS: A 20-year-old woman with traumatic brain injury presented with ipsilateral internal and external ophthalmoplegia, and contralateral hemiataxia, proprioception disturbances, hypertonicity, slight hemiparesis, and hyperactive tendon reflexes. A bibliographic search was performed in PubMed. RESULTS: Neuroimaging revealed a left midbrain lesion at the level of the superior colliculi. In the literature, virtually all Benedikt's syndrome cases, which are rare anyway, are due to midbrain infarcts (basilar or posterior cerebral artery branches). There is only one case from 1963, reported as a posttraumatic Benedikt-type dyskinesia (French language). The historical evolution of the anatomopathologic correlations of the syndrome is also discussed. CONCLUSIONS: Benedikt's syndrome is a very rare condition, usually of vascular etiology. Our case is just the second one of traumatic pathogenesis ever reported, the first in the English language literature.

Indications for endoscopic third ventriculostomy in normal pressure hydrocephalus.

BACKGROUND: Controversies remain regarding the proper diagnostic studies and prediction of outcome in patients with normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH), and their management remains controversial. We propose a preoperative assessment routine the aim of which is to correctly select NPH patients, and to differentiate between them in terms of surgical treatment, identifying probable endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) responders. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We prospectively considered a group of 44 patients with suspected NPH on the basis of clinical symptoms and neuroradiological evidence, who have undergone supplemental diagnostic testing (tap test, external lumbar drainage, cerebrospinal fluid outflow resistance [Rout] determination through lumbar and ventricular infusion test). All 44 of these patients were treated with either shunt procedures or ETV. RESULTS: To choose the kind of treatment (shunt or ETV), we evaluated the individual response during infusion tests. The efficacy of both surgical techniques was approximately 70%, with a significantly lower complication rate for ETV. CONCLUSIONS: We evaluated the correlation between the various tests and the postoperative outcomes both for shunting and for ETV. Rout proved useful for preoperative assessment and choice of treatment. In carefully selected patients, ETV had qualitative results similar to shunting, presenting significantly fewer complications.

Endoscopic third ventriculostomy in obstructive hydrocephalus: surgical technique and pitfalls.

BACKGROUND: Reviewing our experience in the variety of pathological entities causing obstructive hydrocephalous, we evaluate the effectiveness of endoscopic treatment, with particular attention to surgical technique, nuances, and pitfalls. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed the cases of 57 consecutive patients with obstructive hydrocephalus of various origins in the last 9 years. They were treated by endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV). A septostomy was also performed in ten cases. Operative videos were reassessed, and surgical nuances reconsidered. RESULTS: ETV was accomplished in all but three cases. The overall rate of good results (shunt-independent patients with clinical remission or improvement) was 81.5% (44/54). From ten patients with ETV failure, five were re-ETVed successfully, and five were shunted. Patients with benign aqueductal stenosis and tumor compressing the aqueduct received the greatest benefit from the ETV. There were no permanent morbidities or any mortality. Fundamentals of preoperative planning, postoperative evaluation, and technical pitfalls have been considered. CONCLUSION: ETV for obstructive hydrocephalus of various origins is safe and effective, and should be considered as a first-line treatment. Familiarity with the ventricular anatomy and its variations in hydrocephalus is key to success. Preoperative planning is mandatory. Awareness of potential pitfalls minimizes the risk.

Embolia pulmonar causada por un fragmento de una derivación cistoauricular / Pulmonary embolism caused by cysto-atrial shunt fragment

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Low-grade oligodendroglioma of the pineal gland: a case report and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Gliomas are a very rare subtype of pineal region tumours, whereas oligodendrogliomas of the pineal region are exceedingly rare, since there have been only 3 cases of anaplastic oligodedrogliomas reported this far. METHODS-RESULTS: We present a case of a low-grade oligodendroglioma arising in the pineal gland of a 37 year-old woman. The patient presented with diplopia associated with a cystic pineal region mass demonstrated on MRI. Total resection was performed and histological examination showed that the cystic wall consisted of tumour cells with a central nucleus a perinuclear halo and minimal pleomorphism. Immnunohistochemical analysis showed that these cells were diffusely positive for CD57, and negative for GFAP, CD10, CD99, cytokeratins, neurofilaments and synaptophysin. FISH analysis was performed in a small number of neoplastic cells, which were not exhausted after immunohistochemistry and did not reveal deletion of 1p and 19q chromosome arms. However, the diagnosis of a low grade oligodendroglioma of the pineal gland was assigned. CONCLUSION: Although the spectrum of tumours arising in the pineal gland is broad, the reports of oligodendrogliomas confined to this location are exceedingly rare, and to the best of our knowledge there is no report of a low-grade oligodendroglioma. However, they should be added in the long list of tumours arising in the pineal gland.