Neurologically Asymptomatic Lumbar Traumatic Dislocation With Vascular Compression in a Patient With Ankylosing Spondylitis: Case Report.

BACKGROUND: Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is associated with high rates of severe thoracolumbar fractures, in many cases with neurological deficits. It is currently a point of debate as to whether the optimal surgical treatment is posterior fixation and fusion or combined approaches. Vascular injuries in this kind of fracture are a challenging issue to solve in the management of these patients. METHODS: We are reporting the case of a 65-year-old man who presented an L4 traumatic fracture-dislocation. He had a long history of symptomatic AS. No neurological deficits were detected during the initial exploration. During the preoperative work-up, a lumbar spine computed tomography (CT) scan was taken with vascular reconstruction of the abdominal vessels. It confirmed the compression of the abdominal aorta, which had caused more than 90% stenosis. A posterior approach, an open reduction, and fixation with pedicle screws were performed, without hemodynamic or neurological changes. A postoperative angiography demonstrated a complete recovery of the vessel caliber, without contrast leaks. RESULTS: After a 2-year follow-up, the patient was pain free and the CT scan revealed bone fusion. CONCLUSIONS: The vascular structures involved in severe thoracolumbar fractures present a dangerous situation that should be considered in the choice of the surgical approach. The posterior approach alone may be a good option in the absence of vascular damage. However, due to risk of vessel rupture during the fracture reduction, vascular surgeons must take part in the surgery. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 5. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The article provides help for surgeons who have to treat severe fractures in the context of ankylosing spondylitis.

Situación actual del uso de redes sociales en Neurocirugía en España / Current use of Social Media in Neurosurgery in Spain

Objetivo: Analizar la situación actual en España del uso de redes sociales en Neurocirugía. Materiales y métodos: Se realiza un estudio transversal y observacional entre febrero y marzo de 2017, mediante una búsqueda estructurada de las cuentas en Twitter, Facebook y YouTube de los servicios y unidades de Neurocirugía, sociedades científicas, publicaciones y asociaciones de pacientes relacionadas con la Neurocirugía. Se clasificaron según su popularidad. Resultados: Según nuestro estudio solo 5 servicios de Neurocirugía de la red pública tienen presencia en redes sociales, siendo inferior su popularidad a la de las unidades privadas. Las sociedades científicas y revistas neuroquirúrgicas tienen una presencia marginal, más aún en comparación con las de otras especialidades médicas. La popularidad de las asociaciones y grupos de apoyo es alta, sobre todo entre los pacientes, encontrándose mayor información sobre enfermedades que en las cuentas corporativas. Conclusiones: El uso en España de las redes sociales en Neurocirugía es bajo, en comparación con otras especialidades médicas. Existe un amplio campo de actuación para mejorar la popularidad de las cuentas, la difusión de la sociedad científica y la revista Neurocirugía y realizar funciones de promoción de la salud

Objective: To analyze the current situation in Spain of the use of Social Media in Neurosurgery. Materials and methods: We made an observational transversal study between February and March 2017, with a systematic search of the Facebook, Twitter and Youtube accounts from public and private neurosurgical units, scientific societies, peer-reviewed publications and patients groups in relation with Neurosurgical pathologies. We rank them according their popularity. Results: According of our search only 5 public neurosurgical services have social media accounts, being their popularity inferior to the private units accounts. In relation with the scientific societies and neurosurgical publications their presence in social media is marginal, even more in comparison to the accounts of other medical specialities. The popularity of associations of patients and supporting groups is high, especially among patients, finding there more information about their disease. Conclusions: The use in Spain of Social Media about Neurosurgery is low in comparison to other medical specialities. There is a huge field to improve the popularity of the accounts, making in them promotion of health and extend the diffusion of the scientific society and the peer-reviewed publication Neurocirugía

Current use of Social Media in Neurosurgery in Spain. / Situación actual del uso de redes sociales en Neurocirugía en España.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the current situation in Spain of the use of Social Media in Neurosurgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We made an observational transversal study between February and March 2017, with a systematic search of the Facebook, Twitter and Youtube accounts from public and private neurosurgical units, scientific societies, peer-reviewed publications and patients groups in relation with Neurosurgical pathologies. We rank them according their popularity. RESULTS: According of our search only 5 public neurosurgical services have social media accounts, being their popularity inferior to the private units accounts. In relation with the scientific societies and neurosurgical publications their presence in social media is marginal, even more in comparison to the accounts of other medical specialities. The popularity of associations of patients and supporting groups is high, especially among patients, finding there more information about their disease. CONCLUSIONS: The use in Spain of Social Media about Neurosurgery is low in comparison to other medical specialities. There is a huge field to improve the popularity of the accounts, making in them promotion of health and extend the diffusion of the scientific society and the peer-reviewed publication Neurocirugía.

Efecto de la edad en el pronóstico de pacientes con traumatismo craneoencefálico sometidos a craneotomía: análisis de una serie quirúrgica / The effect of age on the prognosis of patients with traumatic brain injury who undergo a craniotomy: analysis of a surgical series

Introducción. En nuestro entorno, el envejecimiento poblacional ha convertido el manejo del traumatismo craneoencefálico (TCE) en etapas avanzadas de la vida en un problema de frecuencia creciente.Objetivo. Valorar la asociación entre la edad y el pronóstico vital y funcional de pacientes intervenidos por TCE. Pacientes y métodos. Analizamos retrospectivamente una serie de 404 pacientes intervenidos en nuestro centro entre los años 2000 y 2015: 144 jóvenes (12-44 años), 77 adultos (45-64 años), 148 pacientes geriátricos (65-79 años) y 26 supergeriatricos (> 80 años). Revisamos las características demográficas y nosológicas de la población, y el pronóstico vital y funcional (escala pronostica de Glasgow, GOS) en el momento del alta y a los seis meses. Resultados. La edad presenta asociación lineal positiva tanto con la mortalidad intrahospitalaria como con la proporción de pacientes con pronóstico desfavorable (GOS 1-3) en el alta y a los seis meses (p < 0,001). Tomando como referencia la población de jóvenes, el riesgo relativo para pronostico desfavorable a los seis meses fue de 1,5 (IC 95%: 1,04-2,19) para los adultos, 2,37 (IC 95%: 1,77-3,17) para los geriátricos y 3,5 (IC 95%: 2,63-4,70) para los supergeriatricos. Estos últimos presentan una mortalidad durante el ingreso del 77,78% y un porcentaje de mal pronóstico funcional a los seis meses del 94,44%. Conclusión. El aumento de la edad es un factor determinante negativo mayor en el pronóstico de pacientes sometidos a craneotomía por TCE. Un conocimiento preciso de estos resultados y una adecuada discusión preoperatoria con la familia resultaran de gran ayuda en el proceso de toma de decisiones (AU)

Introduction. In our setting, the ageing of the population has led to management of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in the later stages of life becoming an increasingly frequent problem. Aim. To evaluate the association between age and the functional and survival prognosis of patients who have undergone surgery due to TBI. Patients and methods. We performed a retrospective analysis of a series of 404 patients submitted to surgery between the years 2000 and 2015: 144 youngsters (12-44 years), 77 adults (45-64 years), 148 geriatric patients (65-79 years) and 26 'super geriatric' patients (> 80 years). We reviewed the demographic and nosological characteristics of the population, the survival and functional prognosis (Glasgow Outcome Scale, GOS) on discharge and at six months. Results. Age presents a positive linear association with both intra-hospital mortality and the proportion of patients with an unfavourable prognosis (GOS 1-3) on hospital discharge and at six months (p < 0.001). Taking the population of youngsters as a reference, the relative risk for an unfavourable prognosis at six months was 1.5 (95% CI: 1.04-2.19) for adults; 2.37 (95% CI: 1.77-3.17) for the geriatric patients; and 3.5 (95% CI: 2.63-4.7) for the ‘super geriatric’ patients. These latter present a mortality rate while in hospital of 77.78% and a percentage of poor functional prognosis at six months of 94.44%. Conclusion. Increased age is a major negative determining factor in the prognosis of patients who undergo a craniotomy due to TBI. More precise knowledge of these outcomes and an adequate pre-operative discussion with the family will be an invaluable aid in the decision-making process (AU)

Anterior sacral meningocele presenting as intracystic bleeding.

PURPOSE: To report a case of anterior sacral meningocele with intralesional bleeding secondary to sacrococcygeal trauma. Likewise, there is a discussion about the physiopathology and the surgical approach to these types of lesions. METHODS: A 43-year-old man diagnosed with Marfan syndrome suffered sacrococcygeal trauma. He was admitted to the emergency room due to symptoms of headache, nausea, and lower limb subjective weakness. CT and MRI showed a large retroperitoneal mass with hemorrhagic content close to the sacrum. Likewise, the MRI showed an image compatible with subarachnoid hemorrhage in the thoracic spinal area, cerebral convexity, and the basal cisterns. The patient went into surgery for an anterior abdominal approach in the midline to reduce the content of the lesion, and subsequently, in the same act, a posterior approach was done with an S1-S2 laminectomy and obliteration of the pedicle. Postoperative MRI 5 months later showed resolution of the ASM. RESULTS: Anterior sacral meningocele is characterized by herniation of the dura mater and the arachnoid mater outside the spinal canal through a defect of the sacrum. We add the risk of bleeding after trauma-never seen in the literature-as one of the possible inherent complications of this lesion. CONCLUSIONS: This report highlights a complication never seen in the literature of a relatively rare condition. In our case, the combined approach was effective for both clinical control and lesion regression.

Neuralgia del trigémino secundaria a endostosis del hueso temporal / Trigeminal neuralgia secondary to petrous endostosis

La compresión neurovascular de origen arterial se postula como principal mecanismo de producción de la neuralgia primaria del trigémino. A pesar de ser la causa más frecuente, existen otras patologías, como los tumores localizados en el ángulo pontocerebeloso, capaces de producir dolor trigeminal. Presentamos el caso de una paciente de 44años con neuralgia del trigémino derecha sin respuesta al tratamiento médico. La RM cerebral previa no muestra signos de patología estructural. Durante la descompresión microvascular del nervio trigémino se encuentra endostosis de la cara interna del peñasco que provocaba compresión del V par. Tras el fresado completo y la descompresión microvascular desaparece de manera completa el dolor en el postoperatorio inmediato, manteniendo asintomática al año de la cirugía. La endostosis del hueso temporal es una causa muy infrecuente de neuralgia del trigémino. Una adecuada revisión de los estudios preoperatorios permitiría la optimización del manejo quirúrgico definitivo

Arterial neurovascular compression is hypothesised to be the main cause of primary trigeminal neuralgia. Although it is the most common cause, other pathologies, such as tumours in the cerebellopontine angle, can cause trigeminal pain. We report a case of a 44-year-old female patient with right trigeminal neuralgia without satisfactory response to medical treatment. Cerebral MRI showed no structural injuries. During microvascular decompression of the trigeminal nerve, endostosis of the internal aspect of the petrous bone was found to compress the trigeminal nerve. The pain disappeared completely in the early postsurgical period, after the complete drilling of the endostosis and microvascular decompression. The patient remains asymptomatic one year later. Endostosis of the petrous bone is a rare cause of trigeminal neuralgia. A proper review of preoperative studies would enable the definitive surgical approach to be optimised

Treatment of chronic traumatic C7-T1 grade III spondylolisthesis with mild neurological deficit: case report.

Traumatic cervical severe spondylolisthesis is a rare and severe lesion which is typically associated with a spinal cord injury. Nevertheless, it occasionally has a pauci-symptomatic course which may delay its diagnosis. The authors report an exceptional case of a 33-year-old woman who had mild spasticity in her lower limbs and neck pain 9 months after a traffic accident. The computed tomographic scan and magnetic resonance image revealed C7-T1 grade III spondylolisthesis and spinal cord signal change. The initial cervical traction did not obtain a spinal realignment. An anterior-posterior approach was performed to achieve a correct spinal fusion. After 18 months of follow-up care, the patient's symptoms improved significantly and she began to lead a normal life again. The case underlines the importance of performing a correct initial diagnostic workup upon a patient. This would improve surgical management by avoiding a worsening of the initial neurological deficit during the realignment maneuvers in the chronic grade III, IV or V spondylolisthesis.

[Trigeminal neuralgia secondary to petrous endostosis]. / Neuralgia del trigémino secundaria a endostosis del hueso temporal.

Arterial neurovascular compression is hypothesised to be the main cause of primary trigeminal neuralgia. Although it is the most common cause, other pathologies, such as tumours in the cerebellopontine angle, can cause trigeminal pain. We report a case of a 44-year-old female patient with right trigeminal neuralgia without satisfactory response to medical treatment. Cerebral MRI showed no structural injuries. During microvascular decompression of the trigeminal nerve, endostosis of the internal aspect of the petrous bone was found to compress the trigeminal nerve. The pain disappeared completely in the early postsurgical period, after the complete drilling of the endostosis and microvascular decompression. The patient remains asymptomatic one year later. Endostosis of the petrous bone is a rare cause of trigeminal neuralgia. A proper review of preoperative studies would enable the definitive surgical approach to be optimised.