Journal of neurosurgery. Spine
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The authors describe a patient who presented with acute tetraparesis and a proposed acute traumatic spinal cord injury that was the result of nitrous oxide myelopathy. This 19-year-old man sustained a traumatic fall off a 6-ft high wall. His examination was consistent with a central cord syndrome with the addition of dorsal column impairment. ⋯ Nitrous oxide abuse is increasing in prevalence. Its toxic side effects can mask vitamin B12 and folate deficiency and central cord syndrome. The patient's history and radiographic presentation are key to establishing a diagnosis.
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Spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas (SDAVFs) cause myelopathy through arterialization of the perimedullary venous plexus and venous congestion of the spinal cord. The authors hypothesized that the craniocaudal extent of engorgement of intrathecal draining veins between the fistula site and the point of drainage out of the thecal sac correlates with the degree of myelopathy. ⋯ The craniocaudal extent of enlarged intrathecal veins draining SDAVF correlates with patient functional status, providing further insight into the pathophysiology of venous hypertensive myelopathy.
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Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a debilitating disease. Primary SCI results from direct injury to the spinal cord, whereas secondary injury is a side effect from subsequent edema and ischemia followed by activation of proinflammatory cytokines. These cytokines activate the prosurvival molecule nuclear factor-κB and generate obstacles in spinal cord reinnervation due to gliosis. Curcumin longa is an active compound found in turmeric, which acts as an antiinflammatory agent primarily by inhibiting nuclear factor-κB. Here, the authors study the effect of curcumin on SCI recovery. ⋯ Epidural administration of curcumin resulted in improved recovery from SCI. This occurred with no adverse effects noted in experimental animals. Therefore, curcumin treatment may translate into a novel therapy for humans with SCI.
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Comparative Study
The impact of segmental and en bloc derotation maneuvers on scoliosis correction and rib prominence in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.
Idiopathic scoliosis is a pathological process influencing the spinal column in 3 dimensions. Initial surgical treatment focused primarily on correction in the coronal plane, and with improved instrumentation, increasing attention has targeted balancing the sagittal profile. Newer surgical techniques now permit operative corrective forces to also directly address axial rotation. Although several technical variations of direct vertebral body derotation (DVBD) have been devised, no studies have compared outcomes from the differing techniques. The purpose of this study was to describe and compare the differences between segmental and en bloc DVBD. ⋯ Although each surgical technique of DBVD may have theoretical benefits and risks, no apparent difference in outcomes was observed between techniques. The concurrent use of both techniques was associated with increased blood loss and operative duration without any appreciable benefit. The surgeon should adopt the derotation technique with which he or she is most comfortable, but concurrent use of both does not appear to improve results.
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The object of this study was to compare the clinical and radiographic outcomes of 36 patients with posttuberculosis kyphosis who underwent one of two types of osteotomy. ⋯ Posterior tubercular kyphosis can be effectively improved through corrective surgery, and deformity correction can be accompanied by improvement in clinical symptoms. When appropriately selected, both the mPSO and the VCR can be expected to yield satisfactory reduction of post-tuberculosis kyphotic deformities. Differences in radiographic and clinical outcomes should be anticipated, however, when treating such deformities in different regions of the spine.