World Neurosurg
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Case Reports
Hypothalamic hamartoma, gray matter heterotopia and polymicrogyria in a boy: a case report and literature review.
Hypothalamic hamartomas (HHs) are rare, and it is even rarer when combined with gray matter heterotopia (GMH) and polymicrogyria (PMG). ⋯ In this extremely rare case, resection of the HH eliminated the symptoms. Nonetheless, we still need to be cautious about the possible epilepsy that may be caused by GMH and PMG.
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Traumatic spinal injury (TSI) is a global health issue contributing to morbidity and mortality, especially in low- and middle-income countries. The aim of this study is to compare the epidemiological estimates of TSI with the corresponding amount of published papers for different regions. ⋯ A marked divide is currently found between countries with a high burden of TSI and those where there is most research interest, estimated as amount of publications. Data demonstrate the need for increased inclusiveness in guidelines generation from high-income countries including collection and analysis from low- and middle-income countries.
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Case Reports
An airplane landing accident. How safe is the use of passenger lap seat belts in aircrafts?
Seat belts are considered the reason for seat belt syndrome, which mainly occurs during rapid deceleration in motor vehicle accidents. Seat belt syndrome is characterized by contusion of the front torso, intrathoracic or intraabdominal organ injuries, and spinal thoracic or lumbar chance fractures. ⋯ While an airplane is in a flying position, a lap seat belt functions to protect the passenger from any turbulence. However, during the landing or take-off phase, it may not be enough to fully protect the passenger, especially during sudden deceleration accidents, which cause seat belt injuries and head traumas. Therefore the unique design of a double functional passenger seat belt harness, along with a 3- or 4-point buckle protruding from the shoulder, can serve as a more favorable protective measure in limiting the severity of injury a passenger receives. After the plane has taken off, the diagonal seat belt can then be unlocked, leaving the lap seat belt to remain firmly in place and secured.
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In this study we present the nature and characteristic of the fluctuation of blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signals measured from brain tumors. ⋯ The power spectra of BOLD signals from tumor tissue showed fluctuations in the low-frequency signals and were significantly correlated with tumor grade. These signals could have a misleading effect when analyzing resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging and could be also viewed as a potential method of tumor characterization.
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We assessed the hypothesis that nonoperative management would be a viable treatment option for patients with underlying degenerative disease who have traumatic cervical spinal cord injury (TCSI) without neurological deterioration and/or spinal instability during hospitalization. ⋯ The findings from the present study have shown that nonoperative management can result in improved neurological outcomes for patients with underlying degenerative disease who have experienced TCSI without evidence of neurological deterioration and spinal instability. The Frankel grade at presentation was significantly associated with outcome parameters such as the neurological outcome on discharge and the occurrence of urinary tract infection. The results from the present study could be helpful to neurological surgeons in rural and other low-resource settings because the cost savings realized by nonoperative treatment will not sacrifice the provision of adequate care to their patients.