World Neurosurg
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Patients with Crouzon syndrome are mainly treated in childhood by frontofacial monobloc advancement to avoid ophthalmic, neurologic, and maxillary complications. There is no reported case of surgery on adult patients with Crouzon syndrome in the literature. However, when faced with 2 cases of adult patients showing severe quality of life deterioration, our team decided to make an attempt using monobloc advancement technique. ⋯ Adults with craniofacial malformations have a lower self-esteem, lower quality of life, and less satisfaction with their facial look as compared with individuals without facial malformations. There is also an increased risk of psychosocial problems. Despite postoperative difficulties and minor complications, our 2 patients were satisfied with the functional and aesthetic results. This led to the conclusion that surgically addressing adult patients with Crouzon syndrome via monobloc advancement is appropriate and secure when performed by a trained team.
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The posterior ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) placement procedure is technically efficient and cosmetically appealing. The main limitations of the posterior approach relate to the technical challenges associated with accurately placing the ventricular catheter. In this report, we describe methods and simple devices used for posterior VPS surgery that have evolved over a >25-year period to enhance catheter placement accuracy and reduce complication rates. ⋯ Using the methods and devices described in this series, posterior VPS operations can be performed safely with a high degree of ventricular catheter placement accuracy.
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Case Reports
Stabbing injury of the cervical spinal cord resulting in complete bilateral proprioception loss.
Direct penetrating trauma to the spinal cord as a result of stabbing is rare. The vertebral column is strongly suited to protecting the vital neural structures underneath, especially in the midline. ⋯ Owing to the strength of the protective elements of the osseous structures surrounding the spinal cord, direct stabbing injuries usually result in incomplete neurologic deficits. This is generally manifested as a Brown-Sequard syndrome because of the midline ligamentous structures and spinous processes deflecting injuries laterally. Our patient experienced a direct midline puncture, resulting in a unique case of bilateral dorsal column injury. These injuries are generally treated conservatively, in the absence of a retained foreign body. Spinal cord stabbing injuries are a rare entity with interesting clinical and anatomic correlations.
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Endoscopic spinal surgery is becoming quite popular, and the pursuit of a training model to improve surgeons' skills is imperative to overcome the limited availability of human cadavers. Our goal was to determine whether the porcine spine could be a representative model for learning and practicing interlaminar percutaneous endoscopic lumbar procedures (IL-PELPs). ⋯ The porcine spine is an effective and representative model for learning and practicing IL-PELPs. Although the described anatomical differences should be known, they did not interfere in performing the main surgical steps and maneuvers for IL-PELPs in the porcine model.
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Brain parenchyma herniation through a disrupted inner table into an enlarged diploic cavity with an intact outer table is described as intradiploic encephalocele. Intradiploic encephaloceles share common morphologic characteristics with expanding skull fractures and intradiploic arachnoid cysts. Herein, we describe a case of traumatic occipital intradiploic encephalocele. ⋯ Intradiploic encephaloceles have different features compared with the classic encephalocele and can be considered as a variant of expanding skull fracture and intradiploic arachnoid cyst.