World Neurosurg
-
Pedicle screw instrumentation is a standard procedure in lumbar spinal fusion. The cortical bone trajectory (CBT) screw is an alternative technique, less invasive but harder to perform. The identification of the entry point and the appropriate direction can be tricky especially to the surgeons just at the beginning. Therefore, the aim of this study is to evaluate the reliability of preoperative computed tomography (CT) planning in the CBT screw placement. ⋯ The CBT screw placement is a great alternative to the pedicle screw. Accurate preoperative 3D planning is useful to predict the entry point and the direction with accuracy similar to navigation systems, avoiding its costs and technical difficulties. The 3D CT planning is helpful in the customization of spine surgery, and the results underline the radiological reliability of this technique.
-
Case Reports
Endoscopic Treatment of Thoracic Discitis with Robotic Access: A Case Report Merging Two Cutting-edge Technologies.
Emerging technologies in minimally invasive spinal surgery include surgical robots for navigation and spinal endoscopy. We applied these technologies in concert to treat a critically ill patient with thoracic discitis. ⋯ This case represents a novel endoscopic-robotic hybrid spine surgery that we believe will find further applications in spinal surgery.
-
Observational Study
Normal Atlanto-Occipital Interval In Adults Of South-East Nigeria: An evaluation of the effect of age, gender and race.
Imaging of the craniocervical junction (CCJ) after trauma is crucial for injury detection and description. Of all the anatomic measurements of the CCJ, the normal value of atlanto-occipital interval (AOI) is not yet well established in adults. The aim of our study is to determine the normal values of the AOI in Nigerians aged between 21 and 60 years using multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) scan and to determine racial, age, and sex differences. ⋯ AOI values in this study were higher than previous MDCT-based values in non-African populations. The AOI decreased linearly with age and did not show any sex difference.
-
Spinal cord and neuron injury result in loss of muscle function, sensation, or autonomic function in the body. Tet1 produces 5-hydroxymethylcytosin. The conversion was proposed as the initial step of deoxyribonucleic acid demethylation in mammals. However, effects of Tet1 expression and hydroxymethylation status on neuron injury remain unclear. Therefore the current study was designed to explore effects of Tet1 expression and hydroxymethylation status on cell survival and gene expression after neuron injury. ⋯ Tet1 overexpression and demethylation caused by azacytidine protect neurons against cell death after injury by increasing expression of genes involved in cell survival.
-
Spinal surgery is a procedure that causes intense and severe pain in the postoperative period. Erector spinae plane (ESP) block can target the dorsal-ventral rami of thoracolumbar nerves, but its effect on lumbar surgery is unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the ESP block on postoperative opioid consumption and pain scores in patients undergoing spinal surgery. ⋯ ESP block can be used in multimodal analgesia practice to reduce opioid consumption and relieve acute postoperative pain in patients undergoing open lumbar decompression surgery.