Sagittal profile of cervical and whole spine before and after surgery of subaxial cervical spine.

INTRODUCTION: Until recently, there was a lack of information on sagittal axis parameters of the cervical spine, its relationship to the global sagittal axis of the spine, and their possible implications for long-term clinical outcomes in patients following subaxial cervical spine surgery. The aim of the authors is to provide an overview of the issue from available literature. METHODS: The authors present a complete overview of local radiological parameters of the sagittal axis of the cervical spine, an overview of radiological parameters of the total sagittal axis of the spine, and also spinopelvic parameters. Normative values ​​of the majority of individual parameters are summarized. The authors discuss several topics such as: The possible effects of sagittal axis parameters on the clinical condition of an individual before surgery; furthermore, whether a change in sagittal parameters of the cervical and whole spine after subaxial cervical spine surgery can affect the clinical condition and postoperative patient satisfaction. Finally, the methodology of specific operations is discussed, including their ability to change the parameters of the sagittal axis of the spine. CONCLUSION: Short patient monitoring times and the predominant use of retrospective methodology are common drawbacks of most studies. Also, there are no clearly determined procedures and specifications for surgical correction of the sagittal axis of the cervical spine. As it turns out, multi-stage procedures are more appropriate to achieve changes of the cervical sagittal axis. It is also gradually becoming apparent that any local change of the cervical spine may affect the sagittal axis of the entire spine.

Atlanto-occipital dissociation.

INTRODUCTION: Atlanto-occipital dissociation (AOD) is a rare and unstable injury of the craniocervical junction, associated with very high morbidity and mortality. The most common cause of this injury is high energy trauma with hyperextension of the cranium, such as car accidents. Due to specific anatomical predispositions, children and young adults are the frequently affected populations. Improving pre-hospital and early emergency care has resulted in a higher sensitivity of AOD diagnosis. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of all patients with cervical spine trauma, treated at the Masaryk Hospital Trauma Center between 2008 and 2018, identified 7 patients with AOD. The cohort consisted of 5 males and 2 females, with a mean age of 19,6 years and with the age range 9 to 35 years. All cases occurred as a result of a car accident. RESULTS: All patients in the cohort had findings of a highly unstable C0-C1 injury on their CT scans on admission. Four patients died early, while undergoing CPR in the emergency department. Two patients were in severe neurological states, with lesions of the upper cervical spinal cord and medulla oblongata on MRI. These patients were treated with external halo fixation and died within 3 days of the trauma. Only one patient with a new progressive neurological deficit was successfully treated using acute occipitocervical stabilization and fusion. CONCLUSION: The increasing incidence of AOD requires an early diagnosis, which minimizes the risk of successive clinical deterioration. The diagnostic method of choice is the C1-condyle interval (CCI) CT assessment along with cervical spine MRI. Standard treatment of stable patients with unstable AOD injuries consists in posterior occipitocervical stabilization and fusion of C0-C2.

Elevated intracranial pressure, low cerebral perfusion pressure, and impaired brain metabolism correlate with fatal outcome after severe brain injury.

BACKGROUND: New brain tissue monitoring techniques (tissue oxymetry, microdialysis) provide direct information about the state of brain oxygenation and brain metabolism in patients with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). Despite this information being limited to a small region of the brain surrounding the probes, it could be associated with such global parameters as the clinical outcome. OBJECTIVE: To study the predictive value of monitoring brain oxygenation and metabolism on clinical outcome in patients in the acute phase of severe TBI. METHODS: An observational study of 20 patients with a severe TBI was undertaken, utilizing intracranial pressure (ICP), cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP), brain tissue oxygenation, and brain metabolism monitoring. We correlated the clinical outcome of the patients with the following parameters: ICP, CPP, brain tissue oxymetry (PbtO2), glucose and glycerol levels, and the lactate/pyruvate (LP) ratio. Further, we analyzed the relationship between ICP, CPP, PbtO2, and the metabolism parameters. RESULTS: We found a correlation of the mean ICP values (8.73 ± 1.18 in group A vs. 26.32 ± 5.01 mmHg in group B, p < 0.005), the mean CPP values (84.82 ± 2.02 in group A vs. 66.62 ± 4.64 mmHg, p < 0.005), the LP ratio (37.36 ± 3.44 vs. 199 ± 87.97, p < 0.05), and glycerol levels (62.07 ± 12.14 vs. 215 ± 46.52 µmol/l, p < 0.05) with the clinical outcome. High ICP correlated with both a high LP ratio (Spearman R = 0.61, p < 0.05), and elevated glycerol concentrations (Spearman R = 0.48, p < 0.05). A low CPP correlated with a high LP ratio (Spearman R = -0.57, p < 0.05), while a low PbtO2 correlated with a high LP ratio (Spearman R = -0.49, p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: High ICP, low CPP, an elevated mean LP ratio, and high glycerol concentrations in the acute phase predict fatal outcome 6 months after TBI. Further, high ICP, low CPP, and low PbtO2 correlate with impaired brain metabolism.

[Decompressive craniectomy in the treatment of posttraumatic edema and the contribution of new diagnostic methods]. / Dekompresivní kraniektomie v lécbe posttraumatického edému mozku a prínos nových monitorovacích metod.

The authors present a case report of a young male who suffered a brain injury complicated with malignant posttraumatic edema managed with bilateral decompressive craniectomy after conservative treatment failure. They further discuss current surgical approach to posttraumatic brain edema and contribution of new diagnostic methods in secondary brain damage management.