Intraoperative Discography for Detecting Concealed Lumbar Discal Cysts

Lumbar discal cyst is a rare cause of radiculopathy. Their exact pathogenesis and the optimal treatment modality remain unidentified. Depending on their location, discal cysts cannot always be easily identified intraoperatively. We describe 2 patients with discal cysts and introduce an intraoperative discography technique for discal cyst location. Both patients were treated with surgical excision; with intraoperative discography, the cystic lesions could easily be detected and removed.

Combined Anterior Approach with Transcorporeal Herniotomy for a Huge Migrated Cervical Disc Herniation

The report describes the herniation of a huge migrated cervical disc, which was treated by a combined anterior approach. A 50-year-old man presented with radiculopathy and myelopathy. Radiological images revealed the herniation of a huge disc which had migrated superiorly from the C6-7 disc to the C5-6 disc. We tried to combine an anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) and transcorporeal herniotomy to avoid corpectomy. Postoperatively, successful clinical and radiological results were obtained. It is therefore possible to remove a huge migrated herniated cervical disc completely by a combined ACDF and trancorporeal approach without corpectomy.

Pyogenic Spondylodiscitis after Percutaneous Endoscopic Lumbar Discectomy

We reviewed 9 cases of pyogenic spondylodiscitis following percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy (PELD). Microbiologic cultures revealed 6 causative organisms. Five patients were managed conservatively and four were treated surgically. The mean follow-up period was 20.6 months and the average length of hospitalization was 24 days. Radiological evidence of spinal fusion was noted and infection was resolved in all patients. Although PELD is a safe and effective procedure, the possibility of pyogenic spondylodiscitis should always be considered.

Cervical Disc Herniation as a Cause of Brown-Sequard Syndrome

The possible causes of Brown-Sequard Syndrome (BSS) have been frequently observed with spinal trauma and extramedullary spinal tumors, but the cervical disc herniation to cause BSS is rare. The authors present five cases of patients who were diagnosed with BSS resulting from cervical disc herniation, and the results of the literature in view of their distinctive symptoms and clinical outcomes. Postoperatively, the patients showed complete or almost complete recovery from their motor and sensory deficits. On the basis of our cases, it is important to diagnose it early by cervical magnetic resonance imaging, especially in the absence of the typical symptoms of cervical disc herniation or other obvious etiology of extremity numbness. Immediate surgical treatment is also essential for a favorable functional neurological recovery.

Traumatic False Aneurysm: Two Cases of Traumatic False Aneurysm of the Superficial Temporal Artery

Two cases of iatrogenically induced false aneurysm of the superficial temporal artery are presented. One patient showed partially filled aneurysmal sac, 1x1 cm sized, on the main trunk of left superficial temporal artery by external carotid artery angiography. Another patient showed aneurysmal dilatation, 3x2 cm sized, of the superficial temporal artery with direct injection of Urograffin into the pulsatile mass. Aneurysm excision is indicated to reduce the risk of hemorrhage from the subsequent head trauma, to relieve headache, and for any cosmetic defect. The authors have reviewed the literature and discussed the incidence, classification, pathogenesis, clinical and angiographic diagnosis, differential diagnosis, and treatment.