World Neurosurg
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The prevalence of obesity continues to rise in the United States at a disparaging rate. Although previous studies have attempted to identify the influence obesity has on short-term outcomes following elective spine surgery, few studies have assessed the impact on discharge disposition following anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) for cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM). The aim of this study was to determine whether obesity impacts the hospital management, cost, and discharge disposition after elective ACDF for adult CSM. ⋯ Our study demonstrates that obesity is an independent predictor for nonroutine discharge disposition following elective anterior cervical discectomy and fusion for cervical spondylotic myelopathy.
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Case Reports
UNILATERAL TENSION PNEUMOCEPHALUS OF THE SYLVIAN FISSURE: A RARE NEUROSURGICAL COMPLICATION.
Tension pneumocephalus is an uncommon complication of neurosurgical procedures. We report a patient who presented with headache, vomiting, left hemiparesis and rhinorrhea 30 days after correction of a recurrent nasal cerebrospinal fluid fistula and shunt placement. A computed tomography scan revealed a massive collection of air with air-fluid level in the right sylvian fissure and midline shift. ⋯ It was removed and the cranial defect was corrected with a split calvarial bone graft. Follow-up brain computed tomography revealed complete resolution of pneumocephalus. After surgery there was progressive improvement of neurological symptoms over 10 days, and the patient was asymptomatic after 1 month of follow-up.
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To determine the diagnostic accuracy of combined computed tomography (CT) findings for detecting posterior ligamentous complex (PLC) injury in thoracolumbar fractures using magnetic resonance imaging as a reference. ⋯ Two or more CT findings provided the best combination to confirm PLC injury; thus, this combination could be used as a criterion for injured PLC. A single CT finding lacks sufficient predictive value to confirm or rule out PLC injury. A negative CT for the 4 CT findings provided the highest sensitivity for PLC injuries.