World Neurosurg
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Comparative Study
A Prospective Comparison of the Impact of Instrument Tracking on Time and Radiation during Minimally Invasive Lumbar Interbody Fusion.
Minimally invasive surgical techniques have resulted in improved patient outcomes. One drawback has been the increased reliance on fluoroscopy and subsequent exposure to ionizing radiation. We have previously shown the efficacy of a novel instrument tracking system in cadaveric and preliminary clinical studies for commonplace orthopedic and spine procedures. In the present study, we examined the radiation and operative time using a novel instrument tracking system compared with standard C-arm fluoroscopy for patients undergoing minimally invasive lumbar fusion. ⋯ Instrument tracking, when used for minimally invasive lumbar fusion, leads to significant reductions in radiation and operative time compared with conventional fluoroscopy.
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Type II odontoid fractures are the commonest C2 fractures. The management of dens fractures remains controversial with various radiological and fracture morphological factors affecting the approach and outcomes. ⋯ Anterior odontoid screw fixation is technically straightforward, less morbid, and preserves biomechanical cervical mobility, when compared with the posterior instrumentation. With careful patient selection, meticulous surgical planning, and intraoperative image-guided screw insertion, good fracture union outcomes can be obtained. In the current study, we were able to achieve stable fracture union in 83.7% patients.
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Carotid-ophthalmic aneurysms arise from the internal carotid artery between the distal dural ring and the origin of the posterior communicating artery. The surgical treatment of these aneurysms usually requires anterior clinoidectomy. However, this procedure is not without complications. In the present report, we have described optic nerve mobilization after optic foraminotomy as an alternative to anterior clinoidectomy to clip superior carotid-ophthalmic aneurysms. ⋯ Optic nerve mobilization after optic foraminotomy proved to be a safe and relatively easy technique for exposing and treating superior carotid-ophthalmic aneurysms.