Posterior stabilization with an interlaminar clamp in cervical injuries: technical note and review of the long term experience with the method.

An alternative method of cervical fixation utilizing a stainless steel clamp is described. The clamp is applied to the adjoining laminae of involved vertebrae in those cervical dislocations and subluxations with posterior instability. The long term results of this method have been most satisfactory, as indicated by our follow-up of 51 patients treated during the last decade.

Pituitary apoplexy following closed head trauma. Case report.

The authors report a case of chiasmal compression resulting from hemorrhage into a pituitary adenoma following minor head trauma. The adenoma was still confined to the pituitary fossa and only in retrospect had caused any endocrine effects prior to the accident. The diagnosis in this case was established by computerized tomography, angiography, subsequent surgery, and pathological examination of the specimen. There was significant but partial recovery of vision following surgery.

Post-traumatic syringomyelia.

Post-traumatic syringomyelia is uncommon. It is seen predominantly after injury to the thoracic or the lumbar spine and rarely after injury to the cervical spine. In this report, three cases of post-traumatic syringomyelia are presented. The injury was limited to the thoracic spine in one case and to the cervical spine in the rest. The symptoms began after two years in two cases and after fifteen years in the third. The diagnosis was suggested by radiographic examination and was confirmed at operation in each case. Following evacuation and drainage of the cyst, significant improvement occurred in two patients.