Long-Term Outcome in Patients With Spinal Cord Stimulation for Failed Back Surgery Syndrome: A 20-Year Audit of a Single Center.

STUDY DESIGN: This is a retrospective, observational study. INTRODUCTION: Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) has found its application in chronic pain treatment, with failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS) as one of the most important indications. However, to date, little is known about the long-term effectiveness of the treatment. The aim of this study is to analyze retrospectively the long-term outcomes of SCS treatment in a single multidisciplinary pain center on predominant radicular pain, using devices of a single manufacturer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patient data on overall patient satisfaction, pain intensity, and adverse events were retrospectively collected in our clinical practice between January 1998 and January 2018, for 191 patients who received a permanent SCS implant. Secondary health measures included the influence of opioid and nicotine use on pain reduction after therapy. RESULTS: The trial-to-implant ratio was 93.6%. At a mean follow-up of 10.6 years, 78.5% of the patients were satisfied with the treatment outcome, with a significant pain reduction of an average three points on a Numeric Rating Scale. Opioid and nicotine usage did not have a significant link with the pain reduction one year after the treatment. Furthermore, devices had an average battery lifespan of 8.4 years. A total of 248 revisions were recorded. A total of 24 patients (11.7%) acquired an infection; 7 of 204 patients had an infection during the trial period, 2 of 191 patients had an infection in the first postoperative year, and 15 of 191 patients had an infection after the first year. The average time to infection, if not in the first year, was 10.1 years. CONCLUSIONS: A successful long-term outcome regarding pain relief in patients with predominant radicular pain due to FBSS is established with SCS therapy.

Variants of the basal vein of Rosenthal and perimesencephalic nonaneurysmal hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND: The cause of perimesencephalic nonaneurysmal SAH or PMH is not known. Earlier studies reported a possible contribution of a primitive variant of the BVR in the pathogenesis of PMH. We compared the variants of BVR in a case control study between patients with PMH and aneurysmal SAH by studying the venous phase of the DSA. METHODS: Two observers reviewed the DSAs of 59 patients with PMH and 59 patients with aneurysmal SAH. The variants of BVR were classified into (1) normal continuous: BVR is continuous with the deep middle cerebral vein and drains mainly into the VG; (2) normal discontinuous: drainage anterior to uncal veins and posterior to the VG; and (3) primitive variant: drainage into veins other than the VG. RESULTS: One hundred eighteen patients were enrolled, with a mean age of 49 +/- 12 years. There were 31 men and 28 women in each group. Patients with PMH were older than patients with aneurysmal SAH (52 vs 46, P = .01). Primitive variants were found in 21% on the left side and 29% on the right side (P = .27). There was no association between PMH and the presence of a primitive variant on the left (25% in PMH vs 19% in aneurysmal SAH, P = .65) or on the right side (31% in PMH vs 30% in aneurysmal SAH, P = .92) in univariate analysis. After correction for age and sex, variants on neither side were associated with PMH (OR: 1.4, P = .53 for left variants and 1.2, P = .67 for right variants). CONCLUSIONS: In this large controlled study, we were unable to confirm a contribution of a primitive variant of the BVR in the pathogenesis of PMH.

Intermittent Feet Dorsiflexion as a Simple Trick to Improve Cervical Fluoroscopic Visualization.

BACKGROUND: Anterior cervical surgery is routinely performed using fluoroscopy. Visualizing the lower cervical levels can be challenging, particularly in obese, muscular, and broad-shouldered patients. We found that grabbing both feet of the patient at the level of the metatarsals and cranially pushing the feet, creating dorsiflexion at the ankle joints, seems to increase the number of fluoroscopically visualized cervical levels. We aimed to measure the average change in fluoroscopically visualized levels when performing this maneuver. METHODS: In 10 consecutive patients undergoing an anterior cervical discectomy and fusion procedure, we counted the number of fluoroscopically visualized cervical levels. Visible cervical levels in lateral fluoroscopic cervical images that were taken with and without the execution of the aforementioned maneuver were counted by 2 blinded observers. RESULTS: Performing this maneuver added on average almost 1 vertebral body height to the fluoroscopic image. The additional number of fluoroscopically visible cervical levels was significantly higher in patients <50 years old but was not affected by sex or body mass index. CONCLUSIONS: We propose a simple, convenient, and effective technique to increase the number of visualized cervical levels on lateral cervical fluoroscopy. This maneuver may have some advantages compared with other commonly used techniques.

Giant intracranial capillary hemangioma associated with enlarged head circumference in a newborn.

The authors describe the case of a patient with an intracranial capillary hemangioma, and they review the recent literature on intracranial capillary hemangiomas with special attention to their differential diagnosis and management. The only sign in this 7-week-old boy was head enlargement. There were no neurological deficits, and imaging revealed a large intracranial lesion in the right temporal fossa. The results of biopsy confirmed the diagnosis, and, after endovascular embolization, the entire lesion was resected. The incidence of intracranial capillary hemangioma is very low but may be underestimated. In the present case, the size of the tumor prompted surgical treatment. The natural behavior of extracranial capillary hemangiomas, however, suggests that a conservative approach with follow-up and steroid therapy may also be considered.