Cranioplasty [Monomeric acrylic designed in dental laboratory versus methylmethacrylate codman's type]

Cranioplasty is a surgical procedure for closure of skull defect either duo to traumatic or non traumatic causes, using a synthetic or natural materials for repair. 14 patients collected from AL-Kadhimiya teaching hospital ,complaining of skull defect ,12 males, 2 females. 8 patients had history of bullet injury. Surgery done for all using methylmethacrylate Codmans type for 8,the other 6, monomeric acrylic designed in the hospital. 1 patient had history of loss of consciousness postoperatively, 1 patient had postoperative dizziness, mild improvement of headache in two patients. Monomeric acrylic designed preoperatively decreasing the time of surgical maneuvere

Intradural Spinal Lipoma without dysraphism

Intradural lipomas are rare tumors of the spinal canal. The aim of this paper is to report four cases of an unusually late presentation of a young male with this tumor

Intracranial meningiomas: diagnosis and treatment

Meningiomas are extra-axial central nervous system tumors most often discovered in middle to late adult life, and are more often seen in women. Ninety percent of meningiomas are benign, 6% are atypical, and 2% are malignant. 27 patients collected as aprospective study was conducted over period of 4.5 years between June 2005 and December 2009. At the Al Kadhimyia Teaching Hospital. The most common age group involved was between 40-60 years, showed the female affected more than the male, The common presenting symptoms were headache, hemiparesis, seizures, personality changes and visual impairment respectively, the most common location is frontal region, the most common type is convexity meningioma. Total removal applied in most of the cases, meningiothelial meningioma is the most common histopathology type. Meningiomas are benign tumors where total removal with preservation and improvement of the function is very rewarding the completeness of the surgical removal of the tumor is the single most important prognostic factor. The symptoms and signs produced by Meningiomas fall in to two categories; site specific findings secondary to the actual location of the tumor, and non specific findings secondary to elevation of intracranial pressure

Spinal magnetic resonance imaging using skin markers

Accurate localization using magnetic resonance imaging [MRI] of the spinal lesions can assist neurosurgeon to reach the lesion directly saving time and efforts for proper and definite therapy. The aim of this paper is to report our experience with use of skin markers vitamin A, E, and water for accurate localizing of pathological lesions in the spine and the cord during MRI

Currarino triad: case report and surgical management of anterior meningocele

The Currarino triad is combination of a presacral mass, congenital sacral bony abnormalities and anorectal malformation. An 18 years old women with constipation, plain X rays of sacrum shows sacrococcygeal deformity in the shape of scimitar, magnetic resonance imaging shows cystic mass of the presacral region which appeared to be continues with the dural sac, and on lateral views appeared to be continues with dural sac as anterior meningocele. Surgical management was done as thecoperitoneal shunt by direct approach

Spinal hydatid disease: our experience

The aim of this paper is to report 30 patients with spinal hydatid cyst which is found in less than 1% of all cases of Hydatidosis. 30 patients with spinal Hydatid cyst were diagnosed and treated surgically using decompressive laminectomy, posterior approaches or transthoracic decompressive laminectomy with using hypertonic saline during surgery and albandazole in postoperative period