[Fluorescence-guided resection with 5-aminolevulinic acid of an intramedullary tumor]. / Resección de tumor intramedular guiada por fluorescencia con ácido aminolevulínico.

Fluorescence-guided resection with 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) has demonstrated its usefulness in the resection of malignant cerebral gliomas. It also seems useful for the treatment of other types of cerebral and intramedullary neoplasms. We present the case of a patient with an intramedullary tumor in who fluorescence- guided resection was useful for intraoperative localization, definition of small tumor nodules and in order to achieve a complete resection of the tumor.

[Intramedullary schwannomas. Report of two cases]. / Neurinomas intramedulares. Presentación de dos casos de un tumor infrecuente.

Intramedullary schwannomas are benign tumors that arise from clusters of Schwann cells embedded in the medullary parenchyma. They are very rare and account for 0.3 to 1.5 % of all spinal schwannomas. It is not known for certain why this happens, and several theories have been put forward. They do not exhibit any characteristic clinical picture, being pain the most frequent symptom. Imaging is also not specific and the correct diagnosis is attained most of the times after pathological examination. The goal of treatment must be complete removal, which is curative. We are presenting two patients in whom an intramedullary tumor was removed. The true nature of the lesions was suspected during the operation, but only after pathological examination was confirmed. A review of the literature has been undertaken, with special attention to the theories about the origin of these uncommon tumors.

[Remote cerebellar hemorrhage after lumbar spinal fluid drainage. Report of two cases and literature review]. / Hematomas de cerebelo como complicación de drenaje lumbar. Presentación de dos casos y revisión de la literatura.

Remote cerebellar hematoma, a cerebellar hematoma occurring after performing a surgical procedure in an anatomical distant area from the cerebellum, is a rare complication. It has been reported after supratentorial surgery and, less often, after spinal surgery with dural opening with important loss of cerebrospinal fluid. We report the occurrence of remote cerebellar hemorrhage after lumbar spinal fluid drainage in two patients with suspected normal pressure hydrocephalus. They were managed conservatively with good outcome. We review the pathologic mechanism, diagnostic procedures, management and prognosis of remote cerebellar hemorrhage.

[Anterior cervical interbody fusion with treathed cylindrical bone versus bak-cace: a comparative study]. / Estudio camparativo de la artrodesis cervical con injerto óseo roscado e implante de titanio.

The authors conducted a prospective and randomized study in 44 consecutive patients requiring cervical interbody fusion following anterior cervical discectomy to compare the efficacy of heterologous threaded cylindrical bone (Unilab Surgibone) versus titanium implant (Bak-C; Spine-Tech, Minneapolis ). The patients were evaluated between two and five years postoperatively and the objectives of the study were to assess the potential differences in implant shifting, interespace collapse, angulation, maintenance of cervical alignment and lordosis, and clinical and radiographic fusion success rates between the two fusion substrates. Clinical results were satisfactory with both types of implant. However the threaded cylindrical titanium implant was found to be superior to the heterologous threaded cylindrical bone as an interbody substrate after single -and multiple- level anterior cervical decompression procedures with respect to maintenance of cervical interspace height, interspace angulation and radiographic fusion success rates.