Neurosurgery
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Anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) is an established surgical approach for spinal fusion, offering distinct advantages in restoring lumbar lordosis, indirectly decompressing neural elements, and facilitating high fusion rates because of the increase in the fusion surface area. Traditionally, ALIF is performed with the patient in a supine position, necessitating repositioning for additional posterior interventions, which increases operative time, anesthetic time, and complexity. The recent development of single position lateral ALIF (SPL-ALIF) enables anterior and posterior access without repositioning, enables gravity facilitated retroperitoneal access, and optimizes surgical efficiency, particularly in cases necessitating multilevel anterior column fusion. ⋯ The technique may be less effective in cases requiring direct decompression or in patients with complex vascular anatomy or extensive retroperitoneal scarring. These challenges necessitate careful patient selection to optimize outcomes and minimize intraoperative risks. Future studies are warranted to validate the clinical benefits of SPL-ALIF, particularly concerning fusion rates, patient-reported outcomes, and complication profiles, thereby solidifying its role in the evolving landscape of minimally invasive spine surgery.
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Spinal chordomas are primary bone tumors where surgery remains the primary treatment. However, their low incidence, lack of evidence, and late disease presentation make them challenging to manage. Here, we report the postoperative outcomes of a large cohort of patients after surgical resection, investigate predictors for overall survival (OS) and local recurrence-free survival (LRFS) times, and trend functional outcomes over multiple time periods. ⋯ Surgeons must often weigh the pros and cons of en bloc resection and sacrificing important but affected native tissues. Our findings can provide a benchmark for counseling patients with spinal chordoma. Tumors ≥100 cm 3 appear to have a 5.89-times higher risk of recurrence, mobile spine chordomas have a 7.73 times higher risk, and neoadjuvant radiotherapy confers an 11.1 times lower risk for local recurrence. Patients age ≥65 years at surgery have a 16.70 times higher risk of mortality than those <65 years.
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Tobacco use is known to affect incidence and postoperative outcome for several neurosurgical disorders, but its relationship to trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is not known. We sought to identify unique population characteristics that correlate with tobacco use in a cohort of patients with TN who underwent microvascular decompression (MVD), including effect on long-term postoperative outcome. ⋯ In patients undergoing MVD for TN, smoking is associated with younger age of TN onset, more widespread facial pain, and worse long-term postoperative outcome after MVD. These features suggest that TN in smokers may represent a more severe disease form compared with TN in nonsmokers with different responses to treatment.
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Craniosynostosis can lead to progressive cranial and skull base deformities and can be associated with increased intracranial pressure (ICP), ophthalmological manifestations, behavioral changes, and developmental delay. Most published data on the incidence of elevated ICP include older children undergoing open surgical correction. Endoscopic-assisted release of fused sutures with postoperative helmet therapy is an established method for managing craniosynostosis presenting at an early age; however, the immediate effect of this approach on ICP in a young cohort has not been previously reported. ⋯ Elevated ICP may occur in infants with craniosynostosis at higher rates than previously reported. Endoscopic-assisted craniectomy has an immediate effect on lowering ICP and improving postoperative ophthalmological findings.
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Image guidance has transformed minimally invasive spine surgery (MISS), allowing for safer procedures without excessive bony exposure and reducing radiation exposure for the surgical team. Robotic platforms have enhanced the benefits of navigation by providing high precision and accuracy. Here we describe a case series to demonstrate the accuracy and low complication rates of real-time image-guided robotic-assisted (RA) MISS at a tertiary referral center. In addition, we performed a narrative review on how robotics and navigation facilitate MISS. ⋯ Robotic platforms have further enhanced navigation benefits by providing high precision and accuracy, with low complication rates.