European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society
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The Authors illustrate the feasibility of an open biopsy and complete excision of Osteoid Osteoma involving the C2 vertebral body performed via endoscopic anterior cervical approach. ⋯ The endoscopic transcervical surgery represents an interesting option for the treatment of these diseases in difficult areas of the upper cervical spine, also minimizing soft tissue trauma and collateral damage allows patients a faster and complete return to normal function. To our knowledge this is the first report of cervical spine tumor removal using this minimally invasive approach.
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Case Reports
Spontaneous chronic epidural hematoma of the lumbar spine mimicking an extradural spine tumour.
Spontaneous chronic epidural hematomas are extremely rare and can be extremely challenging to diagnose and differentiate. The clinical findings, computed tomographic scan and magnetic resonance imaging does not always enough to complete differentiate this condition. Our purpose is to report a case of a spontaneous chronic epidural hematoma presenting as an extradural mass leading to compressive radicular symptoms with images of bony scalloping which are sparsely reported in the literature. ⋯ Spontaneous chronic epidural hematomas are rare, even more when they produce scalloping of bony structures becoming a diagnostic challenge. Therefore they should be always considered as a differential diagnosis in patients with extradural chronic compressions taking into account that also chronic epidural hematomas can cause bone involvement.
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Case Reports
Asymptomatic thoracic Pantopaque cyst mimicking an intradural extramedullary lipoma on MR images.
Oil-based contrast media such as Pantopaque have not used for imaging for several decades, but because these contrast media have an extremely low clearance rate, the remnant contrast media or residual sequelae of these materials may be encountered in the clinical field. ⋯ Intraspinal masses showing metal-like density in X-ray or computed tomography but in MRI showing only lipoma or cystic lesions, not metallic characteristics, the differential diagnosis should include iophendylate (Pantopaque) cyst. Oil-based contrast medium is believed to have the potential to make a syrinx formation via arachnoiditis, which can lead to severe neurologic deteriorations, so even if the patients do not represent with an acute neurologic deficit, surgical total removal of remnant material without leaking should be considered.
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Klippel-Feil syndrome (KFS) is a congenital cervical vertebral union caused by a failure of segmentation during abnormal development and frequently accompanies conditions such as basicranial malformation, atlas assimilation, or dens malformation. Especially in basilar invagination (BI), which is a dislocation of the dens in an upper direction, compression of the spinomedullary junction from the ventral side results in paralysis, and treatment is required. ⋯ Reduction and internal fixation using instrumentation are effective techniques for KFS with BI; however, caution should be exercised because of the possibility of paralysis caused by intraoperative reduction.
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To report a complication of airway obstruction during spinal deformity correction surgery in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) patient, due to lordoscoliosis, airway malacia, and prone surgical positioning, which was rectified by changing the position of the patient and surgery was successfully completed. ⋯ Lordoscoliosis and airway malacia in a patient with DMD can lead to occlusion of the tracheobronchial lumen when the patient is in the prone position. Changing the patient's position from prone to semi-lateral can be of help to reverse this airway obstruction and complete the surgery. Pedicular screw insertion can be safely and effectively carried out in this position using free-hand technique.