World Neurosurg
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Selecting optimal strategies for improving fixation in osteoporotic lumbar spine is an important issue in clinical research. Cortical bone trajectory (CBT) screws have been proven to enhance screw pullout strength, but biomechanical efficacy of these screws remains understudied. The aim of this study was to evaluate biomechanical efficacy of CBT screws in osteoporotic lumbar spine. ⋯ CBT screws had better biomechanical fixation in osteoporotic lumbar spine compared with standard pedicle screws.
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The pathogenesis of spinal posterior ring apophysis separation (PRAS) remains controversial, and spontaneous regression of PRAS has not been established previously. This is a case report about a 33-year-old man with a PRAS of the posterior superior end plate of S1 who presented with spontaneous low back pain followed by right leg pain. The patient was managed conservatively. A control lumbar spinal computed tomography scan performed 3 years later revealed complete spontaneous regression of the detached bony fragment.
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Comparative Study
Comparison of Impact Factor, Eigenfactor Metrics, and SCImago Journal Rank Indicator and h-index for Neurosurgical and Spinal Surgical Journals.
In academic specialties such as neurosurgery, bibliometrics are often used to guide readers, academic institutes, and researchers to make objective assessment of journals. Recently, new indices have been developed to overcome the shortcomings of the widely used Impact Factor. The objective of our study was to investigate the correlations among 6 of the commonly used bibliometric indices (Impact Factor, SCImago Journal indicator, SCOPUS h-index, Google h-index, Eigenfactor, Article Influence Score) in neurosurgical and spinal surgical journals. ⋯ Despite the different mathematical basis among the citation-based bibliometric indices studied, they have strong correlations in ranking neurosurgical journals. This study provides evidence that the newer indices may be used interchangeably with the Impact Factor in this context, and they may, theoretically, mitigate some the shortcomings of the Impact Factor.
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Migration of the Distal Catheter of Ventriculoperitoneal Shunts in Pediatric Age Group: Case Series.
Ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunting is the most commonly performed procedure in the treatment of hydrocephalus. VP shunt migration can occur at different sites. The aim of the study was to present different sites of abnormal distal shunt location, pathophysiology, and the management in each situation. ⋯ Peritoneal complications are among the most common causes of VP failure. We present a rare complication where the shunt migrates outside the peritoneal cavity elsewhere with ambiguous pathogenesis. Special considerations have to be appointed during the shunt revision surgeries of these cases.
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Spinal arteriovenous fistulas at the filum terminale (filum AVFs) are rare. Treatment strategies have not yet been established, particularly for cases of filum AVF with lipoma. ⋯ Caution is needed when identifying the spinal level of occlusion of the fistula, particularly in cases of a tethered spinal cord by lipoma, because the feeding artery is associated with the artery of Adamkiewicz, which supplies the low-lying spinal cord in the sacral region.