European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society
-
Intraradicular lumbar disc herniation is a rare complication of disc disease that is generally diagnosed only during surgery. The mechanism for herniated disc penetration into the intradural space is not known with certainty, but adhesion between the radicular dura and the posterior longitudinal ligament was suggested as the most important condition. The authors report the first case of an intraradicular lumbar disc herniation without subdural penetration; the disc hernia was lodged between the two radicular dura layers. ⋯ The mass was extirpated without cerebrospinal fluid outflow. The postoperative course was uneventful. Radicular interdural lumbar disc herniation should be suspected when a swollen, hard and immobile nerve root is present intraoperatively.
-
Pure spinal epidural cavernous angiomas are extremely rare lesions, and their normal shape is that of a fusiform mass in the dorsal aspects of the spinal canal. We report a case of a lumbo-sacral epidural cavernous vascular malformation presenting with acute onset of right-sided S1 radiculopathy. Clinical aspects, imaging, intraoperative findings, and histology are demonstrated. ⋯ There was no obvious mass hemorrhage into the surrounding tissue. In this unique case, the pathologic mechanism was not the usual rupture of the cavernous angioma with subsequent intraspinal hemorrhage, but acute mass effect by intralesional bleedings and thrombosis with subsequent increase of volume leading to nerve root compression. Thus, even without a sudden intraspinal hemorrhage a spinal cavernous malformation can cause acute symptoms identical to the clinical features of a soft disc herniation.
-
We report a case of fatal evolution of neurofibromatosis in a young boy. A laminectomy was performed when he was 9 years old. A secondary hyperkyphosis led to many surgeries resulting in recurrent malunions. ⋯ NF1 is characterised by neurofibromas that have a possibility of malign degeneration and conversion to a sarcoma. However, the chronology, rapidity of evolution and the exceptional volume of the tumour made us wonder whether the BMP had a part of responsibility as osteoinductor in the malignant degeneration, in this particular case, of neurofibromatosis. It seemed important to point out this case to the medical community.
-
Review Case Reports
Cervical synovial cyst: case report and review of literature.
Synovial cysts, typically observed in the lumbar spine eventually associated with degenerative changes of the facet joints, only rarely present in the cervical spine. Up to now, only 28 symptomatic cases are described in literature. Typically, the treatment of these cases is a decompressive laminectomy followed by complete surgical removal of the lesion. The authors present the case of an 84-year-old man with a symptomatic synovial cyst involving the space between C7 and T1.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial
Efficacy of triamcinolone acetonide and bupivacaine for pain after lumbar discectomy.
The study is a prospective blinded randomised controlled trial to compare the efficacy of triamcinolone acetonide, bupivacaine or in combination in managing pain after lumbar discectomy. Patients undergoing primary single-level lumbar discectomy were randomised. Triamcinolone acetonide, bupivacaine or in combination was instilled at the nerve root as decompression. ⋯ A significant difference was noted in day one postoperative mean pain score, mean 24-h opiate requirement and mean inpatient stay in the triamcinolone acetonide and bupivacaine group. At 8 weeks postoperatively, no significant differences were seen in the pain score in all groups. Significant postoperative pain reduction and opiate requirements in the first 24 h, and significantly shortened duration of inpatient stay were achieved in the triamcinolone acetonide and bupivacaine group compared with other groups.