Spine
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In 100 consecutive patients who underwent surgery because of soft cervical disc herniation, the sagittal and transverse diameters, the area of the bony cervical spinal canal, the sagittal diameter of the hernia, and the minimal bony intervertebral foramen diameter were measured by computed tomography. The data were compared with measurements from a control group of 35 matched healthy individuals. ⋯ Results from this study strongly suggest that the degree and severity of neurologic symptoms accompanying cervical soft disc herniation are inversely related to the sagittal diameter and the area of the bony cervical spinal canal. The latter area is reduced in cases of developmental stenosis or because of soft disc herniation. Moreover, patients with soft cervical disc herniation have a significantly smaller sagittal diameter of the bony spinal canal, a significantly smaller minimal bony intervertebral foramen diameter, and a significantly smaller cross-sectional area of the bony cervical canal than do healthy matched individuals.
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Neurogenic mixed evoked potentials were recorded after thoracoscopic spinal cord stimulation in patients undergoing video-assisted spine surgery. ⋯ Neurogenic mixed evoked potentials evoked by anterior stimulation through thoracoscopy are of interest for spinal cord monitoring when posterior electrical stimulation is impossible, and they provide reliable information regarding spinal motor pathways.