World Neurosurg
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Dorsal spinal instrumentation with cervical pedicle screws (CPS) and rod constructs is performed for numerous pathologies of the cervical spine, although technically demanding. Screw misplacement is biomechanically disadvantageous and carries the risk of neurovascular sequelae. The aim of this study was to assess the accuracy of patient-specific, template-guided CPS placement from C2 to C7 compared with the freehand technique. ⋯ In a cadaver model, template-guided CPS placement has a significantly greater accuracy than the freehand technique. This accuracy is comparable with navigated techniques reported in the literature.
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A clival plate and screw fitted to the craniovertebral junction (CVJ) were developed in our previous studies. However, the anatomy of intracranial structures related to clival screw placement has not been studied. ⋯ Appropriate screw size at the lower clivus and the pharyngeal tubercle may help avoiding inadvertent injury to the brainstem and the VBA. Preoperative CTA and MRI of the CVJ are suggested to guide the surgeon in this regard.
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Laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) presents an important new minimally invasive tool in the management of drug-resistant mesial temporal epilepsy (MTE). However, because of its relative novelty, not much is known about long-term seizure freedom rates. The objective of this study was to evaluate the postsurgical seizure outcome following LITT after a minimum follow-up period of 2 years. ⋯ LITT appears to be a safe and effective initial surgical option for treatment-resistant MTE. Among patients who have seizures after treatment, those without MTS appear to have seizures earlier than those with MTS.
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The involved carotid forks in moyamoya disease (MMD) will show decreases in both luminal caliber and outer diameter. The present study aimed to clarify the changes in the outer diameter associated with luminal stenosis/occlusion of the posterior cerebral artery (PCA) in patients with MMD. ⋯ The results of our study have shown that the involved PCA demonstrates, not only luminal stenosis, but also arterial shrinkage in MMD. This finding strongly suggests that the underlying mechanism in the development of MMD is common in both the carotid fork and PCA.
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Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) may lead to vasospasm in various vessels. The cervical nerves have a vasodilatory effect on the upper extremity arteries. The aim of this study was to investigate if there is a relationship between C6 dorsal root ganglion (DRG) degeneration and brachial artery (BA) vasospasm after spinal SAH. ⋯ C6DRG degeneration may be considered as an important factor in the etiopathogenesis of severe BA vasospasm after SAH.