World Neurosurg
-
Atypical meningioma has a higher recurrence rate than benign meningioma. The mainstay of treatment is surgery with or without radiation therapy (RT). The objective of this study was to investigate progression-free survival (PFS) and factors associated with postoperative recurrence in patients with atypical meningioma. ⋯ Tumor location and pial invasion were significantly correlated with increased incidence of tumor recurrence, and postoperative RT was found to be significantly associated with decreased tumor progression and recurrence.
-
Revascularization of the upper posterior circulation (UPC), including the superior cerebellar artery (SCA) and posterior cerebral artery (PCA), may be necessary as part of the surgical treatment of complex UPC aneurysms or vertebrobasilar insufficiency. The existing bypass options have relative advantages and disadvantages. However, the use of a superficial temporal artery graft (STAg) in a bypass from the internal maxillary artery (IMA) to the UPC has not been previously assessed. We studied the surgical anatomy and assessed the technical feasibility of the IMA-STAg-UPC bypass. ⋯ The proposed bypass is anatomically feasible and provides a suitable caliber match between the bypass components. Our results provide the anatomic basis for clinical assessment of the bypass in tackling complex lesions of the vertebrobasilar system requiring revascularization.
-
The safe working zone for lateral access to the L4/5 disc space has been said to lie in the anteroposterior (AP) midpoint of the disc space due to the location of the femoral nerve at that level. However, the AP location of the psoas muscle (and thus the lumbosacral plexus within) at L4/5 is variable. A psoas muscle lying excessively anteriorly at the L4/5 disc space may preclude safe access to the L4/5 disc space from a lateral transpsoas approach. ⋯ The location of the psoas muscle in relation to the L4/5 disc space is somewhat variable. In 11% of patients, the dorsal-most aspect of the psoas muscle was located within zones II or III, likely precluding safe access to the L4/5 disc space from a lateral transpsoas approach.
-
It is difficult to evaluate the significant findings of epidural hematoma in magnetic resonance images (MRIs) obtained immediately after thoracic posterior screw fixation (PSF). ⋯ This study shows that epidural hematomas can be detected on MRI performed immediately after thoracic fixation surgery, despite metal artifacts and findings such as hematoma causing spinal cord compression. Loss of CSF space should be considered to be associated with neurologic deficit.
-
High cervical myelopathy is a common entity and often encountered in clinical practice. Various pathologies can present with this symptomatology. ⋯ Non tuberculous ANCA positive pachymeningitis is a rare entity and a diagnosis of exclusion or following histopathological confirmation. Here we describe a case of high cervical myelopathy, the presentation, imaging and the various differentials considered and how we arrived at the diagnosis.