Evaluation of Surgically Treated Primary Spinal Cord Tumors in a Single Brazilian Institution: A Case Series Study of 104 Patients.

BACKGROUND: Primary spinal cord tumors are rare and heterogeneous, and their prevalence varies among the studies. Few articles have evaluated the prevalence, characteristics, and histological types of spinal cord tumors in Latin American populations. This study aimed to analyze the histological types and clinical aspects of a series of consecutive patients diagnosed with primary spinal cord tumors who underwent surgical treatment in a single Brazilian institution and to compare them with the literature. METHODS:  This is a case series study, with retrospective analysis of all consecutive adult patients who underwent surgical treatment for primary spinal cord tumors in a single center between January 1997 and April 2021. Data analyzed included age at surgery, sex, anatomical location, histopathological diagnosis, clinical presentation, and neurological status at discharge. RESULTS: A total of 104 patients (53 women [51.0%]; mean age, 49.0 ± 16.7 years [range, 19-87 years]) were included in the analysis. Among the tumors, 83.7% were benign, and 36.5% involved the thoracic spine; intradural extramedullary lesions comprised 52.9% of the tumors, and the most prevalent were schwannomas (26.9%) and meningiomas (18.3%). Among the patients, 55% and 50% presented with pain and motor deficit, respectively, and the deficit improvement rate was greater than the worsening rate at the immediate postoperative period and discharge. CONCLUSIONS: Our series highlights the heterogeneity of primary spinal cord tumors compared to other studies. Further large population studies are necessary to elucidate the epidemiology of this disease.

Primary Repair of Esophageal Perforation Following Anterior Cervical Fusion.

Introduction Anterior cervical fusion has been performed safely and effectively for decades for the treatment of multiple pathologies, with low rates of morbidity and mortality. Esophageal perforation is a rare but potentially serious complication of anterior cervical spine approaches. There is no consensus regarding the best treatment strategies for this complication. Objectives To determine the prevalence of esophageal perforation following anterior cervical fusion in a single institution and to describe two cases of this complication that were treated with primary repair. Methods We retrospectively analyzed all consecutive patients who underwent anterior cervical fusion in a single private institution from January 1999 to August 2017. Patients who developed esophageal perforation per- or postoperatively were included in the analysis. Results A total of 830 anterior cervical fusion surgeries were performed during the analyzed period. Two cases (0.24%), both of male patients, were complicated by esophageal perforation, one intraoperatively and the other four years after the first surgery. Both patients were treated with primary esophageal repair, and good outcomes were obtained. Conclusion Primary repair is a therapeutic option in cases of esophageal perforation after anterior cervical fusion. Satisfactory results were obtained in both cases. Further studies are necessary to elucidate the best therapeutic options for this rare complication.

Natural History and Conservative Treatment Options in Chiari Malformation Type I in Adults: A Literature Update.

Over the years, knowledge regarding the natural history of Chiari malformation type I (CM-I) has improved. However, there are still uncertainties in the literature regarding asymptomatic and oligosymptomatic patients with CM-I. We performed a literature review in order to determine the natural history of CM-I in symptomatic patients who were not operated and in asymptomatic adult patients. Among symptomatic patients, the most frequent symptom was headache (77%). Cough-related headache alone (34%), migraine-related headache alone (21.4%), and both cough- and migraine-related headaches (21.8%) were the most prevalent forms of headache. Some symptoms improved more effectively with surgical treatment options; cough-related headaches improved by 95% following surgery and by 40% following conservative treatment. Other headache types improved by 93% and 61.5% following conservative and surgical treatments, respectively. Patients diagnosed with asymptomatic or oligosymptomatic CM-I may improve over time or stabilize with conservative treatment. There is great heterogeneity in the literature regarding the diagnostic criteria for CM-I. Owing to the heterogeneity among the articles identified for this review, there is no consensus regarding the precise indications for surgery in asymptomatic patients. The natural CM-I history in asymptomatic patients reveals a favorable evolution.

Extrusäo do cateter peritoneal pelo ânus: rara complicaçäo da derivaçäo ventrículo-peritoneal observada em 3 casos / Anal extrusion of the peritoneal catheter: a rare complication of ventriculo-peritoneal shunt observed in 3 cases

Neste trabalho sao relatados 3 casos de extrusao pelo ânus do cateter peritoneal da derivaçao ventrículo-peritoneal (DVP). A incidência desta complicaçao foi de 0,75 por cento (3/400). Em todos os pacientes houve associaçao com ventriculite (100 por cento), com mortalidade de 66 por cento (2 pacientes). O tratamento consiste na retirada da DVP e administraçao de antibióticos. O uso do trocater para introduçao do cateter na cavidade abdominal pode favorecer a perfuraçao da víscera em crianças pequenas. Portanto, nestes casos, preferimos a microlaparotomia.