World Neurosurg
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Symptomatic Atlanto-axial (C1-2) osteoarthritis (AAOA) is a common phenomenon in elderly patients; however, there is a paucity of data on the effectiveness of posterior atlanto-axial fusion (PAAF) for this condition. To this end, here we assess changes in patient-reported outcomes and neck-related disability in adult patients undergoing PAAF for symptomatic C1-2 AAOA. ⋯ In appropriately selected patients, PAAF may decrease neck pain and improve functional disability in patients with AAOA. Future prospective longitudinal studies are needed to corroborate these findings.
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To analyze the relationship between cognitive performance and white matter integrity in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) to establish radiologic criteria to help with patient selection for surgery. ⋯ Structural changes of some white matter tracts were associated with deterioration of both short- and long-term memory. These alterations were more associated with verbal memory than with nonverbal memory. These changes mainly consist of an increase in fractional anisotropy and a decrease in MD, which could be interpreted as reorganization phenomena. Diffusion tensor imaging could be a useful tool for cognitive assessment in surgical candidates with temporal lobe epilepsy who are not suitable for neuropsychological testing or in whom their results do not lead to definitive conclusions.