Spine
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A report of a patient with cervical intramedullary cysticercosis is presented. ⋯ A preoperative diagnostic suspicion of cysticercosis is important in patients with intramedullary cystic lesions because specific drug treatment is available. Treatment with anthelmintics, particularly albendazole, should be considered in patients with intramedullary cysticercosis before surgery. Corticosteroids may be added to the therapeutic regimen because this may reduce the perilesional edema and prevent neurologic deterioration during the course of anthelmintic treatment.
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Comparative Study
Differences in sensitivity between magnetic motor-evoked potentials and somatosensory-evoked potentials in experimental spinal cord lesions.
Graded posterior spinal cord compression and partial sectioning of the spinal cord were performed, and magnetically induced descending spinal cord potentials were recorded. ⋯ Posterior compression injuries are diagnosed more easily with spinal somatosensory-evoked potentials. Motor-evoked potentials were slightly less sensitive, but they were significantly more useful in diagnosing posterior compression injuries than were cortical somatosensory-evoked potentials.
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Biography Historical Article
The education, training, and evaluation of a spine surgeon.
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A retrospective study to review the results of unstable thoracolumbar burst fractures managed with casting or bracing and early ambulation in neurologically healthy patients. ⋯ Nonoperative management of thoracolumbar burst fractures with hyperextension casting or bracing was proven to be a safe and effective method of treatment in selected patients. Clinical results were favorable; no neurologic deterioration was observed; hospitalization times were minimized, and patient satisfaction was high. The authors do not believe that ligamentous injury of the posterior column is a contraindication to nonoperative management of thoracolumbar burst fractures.