World Neurosurg
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Review Case Reports
Pseudomalignant myositis ossificans of the neck in a child. Description of a case and review of the literature.
Myositis ossificans is a benign process of heterotopic bone formation developing in soft tissues that can mimic malignancy. Differential diagnosis can be difficult without a biopsy when it originates in atypical locations. ⋯ Myositis ossificans circumscripta is rare in children, especially in the neck region. The diagnostic challenge is to differentiate it from bone and soft tissue malignancies. Appropriate management, including surgery if needed, leads to an excellent outcome. Another concern is to exclude fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva when atraumatic myositis ossificans develops in a young child in the neck or shoulder region.
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Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common and aggressive form of brain cancer in adults. GBM carries a dismal prognosis because of its proliferative, invasive, and angiogenic capabilities and because of its ability to downregulate the immune system. ⋯ Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) is a high-energy state of matter that can be applied directly or indirectly to tumor tissue to serve as an adjunct to immunotherapy in the treatment of GBM because it upregulates the immune system by the induction of reactive oxygen species. CAP has the potential to improve the efficacy of existing and investigative immunotherapies for GBM.
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Review Case Reports
Intraosseous thoracic schwannoma: case report and review of the literature.
Intraosseous locations are extremely rare when it comes to schwannomas and account for 0.2% of primary bone tumors. The most common intraosseous locations include the mandible and sacrum, while cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine lesions are even more uncommon. ⋯ Our case is the fourth case of purely intraosseous schwannoma described in the mobile spine in the literature, with good results both clinically and radiologically after complete surgical resection.
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Multicenter Study
Retrospective multicenter assessment of rod fracture after anterior column realignment in minimally invasive adult spinal deformity correction.
Anterior column realignment (ACR) was developed as a minimally invasive method for treating sagittal imbalance. However, rod fracture (RF) rates associated with ACR are not known. Our objective was to assess the rate of and risk factors for RF following ACR in deformity correction surgery. ⋯ RF occurred in 4.4% of patients with ASD who underwent ACR with a minimum of 1-year follow-up. RF was not associated with focal correction but appears to be associated with global correction and extent of fixation.
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Traumatic brain injury (TBI) represents a major health care problem and a significant social and economic issue worldwide. Considering the generalized failure in introducing effective drugs and clinical protocols, there is an urgent need for efficient treatment modalities, able to improve devastating posttraumatic morbidity and mortality. In this work, the status of brain trauma research is analyzed in all its aspects, including basic and translational science and clinical trials. ⋯ Distinct strategies can be delineated to overcome specific shortcomings of research studies. Identifying and contextualizing the failures that have dominated TBI research is mandatory. This review analyzes current approaches and discusses possible strategies for improving outcomes.