World Neurosurg
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Adipose lesions of nerve are generally distinguished as either extraneural or intraneural lipomas or, alternatively, lipomatosis of nerve. We present a patient with an unusual circumferential lipoma that completely encircles the right sciatic nerve and discuss a possible pathogenesis. ⋯ The pathogenetic mechanism of the reported circumferential lipoma of the sciatic nerve is not known. Two possible mechanisms considered included 1) envelopment by an extraneural lipoma over time and 2) occurrence of a lipoma in the paraneurial compartment (and in this case, extension into an extraneural one). Based on the available literature, lipomas that circumferentially envelop the entire nerve seem to be underrecognized and poorly understood. Analogous cases of lipomas enveloping nerves or other structures than nerves have been reported in the literature. Our reported case highlights the complexity of adipose lesions affecting nerves.
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Ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) is a hyperostotic condition resulting in a progressive narrowing of the spinal canal and subsequent neurologic deficits. Although systemic and local factors in combination with genetic abnormality have been considered in its etiopathogenesis, OPLL remains a poorly understood pathology. Surgical management of OPLL and the choice of the most appropriate treatment are still controversial issues. Here the authors report a series of OPLL-affected patients treated by "only-fixation" technique. ⋯ Decision making in the surgical management of cervical OPLL is still controversial. The concept of spinal instability has been shown to be a nodal point in the pathogenesis of OPLL, and "only-spinal fixation" can be considered a rationale for an appropriate surgical treatment.
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Case Reports
DECOMPENSATION OF A THORACIC MENINGIOMA BELOW THE OPERATED LEVEL: A DRAMATIC AND UNEXPECTED COMPLICATION.
Paraplegia after lumbar spinal surgery has been previously described. It was generally provoked by a missed thoracic compression because of degenerative processes, arachnoid cyst, and spinal cord tumor such as meningioma. We describe here a case of a patient with neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF-2) with multiple spinal meningiomas that developed postoperative paraplegia because of decompensation of spinal cord compression below and far from the operated level. ⋯ We report here the first case of acute neurologic deterioration after decompensation of a spinal cord compression below the operated level in spinal intradural surgery. Neurosurgeons must be aware of this possible complication when treating patients with multiple spinal meningiomas.
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To investigate the effect of deep brain stimulation (DBS) on rats with spinal cord injury (SCI) and its possible molecular mechanism. ⋯ DBS improves motor function in rats with SCI by increasing synaptic plasticity via tropomyosin-related kinase B-protein kinase B-mammalian target of rapamycin pathway.