World Neurosurg
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Case Reports
Delayed Abdominal Pseudohernia in a Young Patient After an LLIF Procedure: Case Report.
To describe a rare complication of the extreme lateral interbody fusion technique. ⋯ Abdominal pseudohernia is a rare complication of LLIF procedures. The interest of the present case is 3-fold: 1) it is the first delayed case of abdominal pseudohernia after an LLIF procedure; 2) it is the first case described in a young patient in whom risk factors have been identified and discussed; and 3) it is the first case that did not resolve spontaneously and required surgical repair. This exceptional complication must be borne in the mind of the spine surgeon when using the LLIF technique, and special precautions, such as laxatives or respiratory physiotherapy, apart from meticulous atraumatic dissection and closure of the abdominal wall and specific intraoperative monitoring, should be taken in high-risk patients to prevent it.
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Comparative Study
Microvascular decompression for trigeminal neuralgia: the role of mechanical allodynia.
This study was conducted to determine whether mechanical allodynia (MA) acts as a predictor of outcome after microvascular decompression (MVD) for trigeminal neuralgia (TN) and to discuss the potential pathologic mechanisms involved. ⋯ The presence of MA is a reliable predictor of immediate and long-term outcome after MVD for TN. Compared with the patients without MA, the incidence rate of intraoperative neurovascular compression was higher in MA-positive patients, who were more likely to achieve a better outcome and lower rate of recurrence after MVD for TN. Application of the information in this study will be helpful in patient selection of MVD for TN.
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Chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) is considered an angiogenic and inflammatory disease. Interleukin-6, a well-known inflammatory cytokine, activates the Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT) signaling pathway. We previously reported that the JAK/STAT pathway is activated in fibroblasts in the outer membrane of CSDH. More recently, signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) has been shown to have a role in angiogenesis. We examined the expression of STAT3 in endothelial cells in the outer membrane of CSDH. ⋯ Interleukin-6 might dominantly activate STAT3 in endothelial cells, which might have a central role in endothelial cell proliferation and angiogenesis of CSDH outer membranes.
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The modified Rankin Scale (mRS) was developed to monitor functional recovery after stroke, but nowadays it is a treatment outcome measure in elective neurosurgery. Our objective was to study how mRS changes associate with short-term postoperative outcome. ⋯ The mRS changes after elective cranial neurosurgery are inconsistent. The mRS seems to represent functional changes, which do not necessarily associate with detected in-hospital complications.
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Despite recent technological advances, direct approaches to the posterolateral incisural space remain surgical challenges. The choice of the operative route depends on the exact location and extent of the target lesion as well as individual preferences. The extreme lateral infratentorial supracerebellar approach to treat pathologies located in the ambient cistern and posterior incisural space is a technically feasible route in selected cases. In this cadaveric study, we demonstrate the benefits of endoscope-assisted microsurgical maneuvers using the extreme lateral supracerebellar infratentorial approach. ⋯ Direct visualization of the posterior and posterolateral incisural space avoids retraction of the occipital lobe and damage to the deep venous complex. The extreme lateral infratentorial supracerebellar corridor is effective for approaching the posterolateral mesencephalic junction and the posterior incisural space in selected cases. Endoscope-assisted microsurgery can improve visualization and minimize parenchymal retraction, which should enhance surgical control.