An Evaluation of the Quality of Sleep Before and After Surgical Treatment of Patients with Cervical Disc Herniation

OBJECTIVE: It has been reported in recent studies that 50-80% of patients with cervical disc hernia have concomitant sleep disorders. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of sleep before and after surgical treatment in patients with cervical disc hernia and to assess the effects on treatment.METHODS: The study included 32 patients performed discectomy and fusion with an intervertebral cage through the right anterior cervical approach. Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were applied to all patients preoperatively and at one month postoperatively.RESULTS: The postoperative PSQI total points and all the PSQI subscale points, the ODI and VAS scores were significantly reduced compared to the preoperative values. A positive correlation was determined between the preoperative ODI points and the PSQI total points and sleep duration, sleep latency and daytime functional loss subscale points. A positive correlation was also found between preoperative ODI points and VAS points. A positive correlation was determined between the preoperative VAS points and and the PSQI total points and sleep duration, and sleep latency subscale points. A negative correlation was determined between the postoperative ODI and the daytime functional loss subscale points.CONCLUSION: The results of the study showed that in patients with cervical disc hernia, sleep quality and daytime functionality were negatively affected by severity of pain that limited daily activities. Bringing the pain under control with surgical treatment was observed to increase sleep quality. It can be concluded that when planning treatment for these patients, it should be taken into consideration that there could be a sleep disorder in addition to the complaints and symptoms such as pain, hypoestesia and loss of strength.

An Evaluation of the Quality of Sleep Before and After Surgical Treatment of Patients with Cervical Disc Herniation

OBJECTIVE: It has been reported in recent studies that 50-80% of patients with cervical disc hernia have concomitant sleep disorders. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of sleep before and after surgical treatment in patients with cervical disc hernia and to assess the effects on treatment. METHODS: The study included 32 patients performed discectomy and fusion with an intervertebral cage through the right anterior cervical approach. Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were applied to all patients preoperatively and at one month postoperatively. RESULTS: The postoperative PSQI total points and all the PSQI subscale points, the ODI and VAS scores were significantly reduced compared to the preoperative values. A positive correlation was determined between the preoperative ODI points and the PSQI total points and sleep duration, sleep latency and daytime functional loss subscale points. A positive correlation was also found between preoperative ODI points and VAS points. A positive correlation was determined between the preoperative VAS points and and the PSQI total points and sleep duration, and sleep latency subscale points. A negative correlation was determined between the postoperative ODI and the daytime functional loss subscale points. CONCLUSION: The results of the study showed that in patients with cervical disc hernia, sleep quality and daytime functionality were negatively affected by severity of pain that limited daily activities. Bringing the pain under control with surgical treatment was observed to increase sleep quality. It can be concluded that when planning treatment for these patients, it should be taken into consideration that there could be a sleep disorder in addition to the complaints and symptoms such as pain, hypoestesia and loss of strength.

Neuropsychological Assessment of Adult Patients with Shunted Hydrocephalus

OBJECTIVE: This study is planned to determine the neurocognitive difficulties of hydrocephalic adults. METHODS: The research group contained healthy adults (control group, n : 15), and hydrocephalic adults (n : 15). Hydrocephalic group consisted of patients with idiopathic aquaduct stenosis and post-meningitis hydrocephalus. All patients were followed with shunted hydrocephalus and not gone to shunt revision during last two years. They were chosen from either asymptomatic or had only minor symptoms without motor and sensorineural deficit. A neuropsychological test battery (Raven Standart Progressive Matrices, Bender-Gestalt Test, Cancellation Test, Clock Drawing Test, Facial Recognition Test, Line Orientation Test, Serial Digit Learning Test, Stroop Color Word Interference Test-TBAG Form, Verbal Fluency Test, Verbal Fluency Test, Visual-Aural Digit Span Test-B) was applied to all groups. RESULTS: Neuropsychological assessment of hydrocephalic patients demonstrated that they had poor performance on visual, semantic and working memory, visuoconstructive and frontal functions, reading, attention, motor coordination and executive function of parietal lobe which related with complex and perseverative behaviour. Eventually, these patients had significant impairment on the neurocognitive functions of their frontal, parietal and temporal lobes. On the other hand, the statistical analyses performed on demographic data showed that the aetiology of the hydrocephalus, age, sex and localization of the shunt (frontal or posterior parietal) did not affect the test results. CONCLUSION: This prospective study showed that adult patients with hydrocephalus have serious neuropsychological problems which might be directly caused by the hydrocephalus; and these problems may cause serious adaptive difficulties in their social, cultural, behavioral and academic life.

Bilateral Chronic Subdural Hematoma Contaminated with Klebsiella Pneumoniae : An Unusual Case

This article presents the case of a bilateral chronic subdural hematoma which was contaminated with Klebsiella pneumoniae and resulted in a life-threatening central nervous system infection. After repeated of bilateral burr-hole drainage, the patient became hyperpyrexic and drowsy. Suppuration within the subdural space was suspected and then the patient underwent bilateral fronto-temporo-parietal craniotomies, and pus was evacuated. Its cultures revealed Klebsiella pneumoniae. Intravenous meropenem was given for 6 weeks. He recovered completely. Microorganisms like Klebsiella pneumoniae may directly infect the subdural space with iatrogenic contamination.

Lumbar Periradicular Abscess Mimicking a Fragmented Lumbar Disc Herniation : An Unusual Case

We herein describe the case of a focal spontaneous spinal epidural abscess who was initially diagnosed to have a free fragment of a lumbar disc. A 71-year-old woman presented with history of low back and right leg pain. Magnetic resonance imaging suggested a peripherally enhancing free fragment extending down from S1 nerve root axilla. Preoperative laboratory investigation showed elevation of c-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) levels. She was taken for surgery and a fluctuating mass at the axilla of S1 nerve was found. When the mass was probed with a dissector, a dark yellow, thick pus drained out. Pus cultures were negative. Patients who present with extreme low back plus leg pain and increased leucocyte count, ESR and CRP levels should raise the suspicion of an infection of a vertebral body or spinal epidural space.

The Jugular Foramen Schwannomas: Review of the Large Surgical Series

OBJECTIVE: Jugular foramen schwannomas are uncommon pathological conditions. This article is constituted for screening these tumors in a wide perspective. MATERIALS: One-hundred-and-ninty-nine patients published in 19 articles between 1984 to 2007 years was collected from Medline/Index Medicus. RESULTS: The series consist of 83 male and 98 female. The mean age of 199 operated patients was 40.4 years. The lesion located on the right side in 32 patients and on the left side in 60 patients. The most common presenting clinical symptoms were hearing loss, tinnitus, disphagia, ataxia, and hoarseness. Complete tumor removal was achieved in 159 patients. In fourteen patients tumor reappeared unexpectedly. The tumor was thought to originate from the glossopharyngeal nerve in forty seven cases; vagal nerve in twenty six cases; and cranial accessory nerve in eleven cases. The most common postoperative complications were lower cranial nerve palsy and facial nerve palsy. Cerebrospinal fluid leakage, meningitis, aspiration pneumonia and mastoiditis were seen as other complications. CONCLUSION: This review shows that jugular foramen schwannomas still have prominently high morbidity and those complications caused by postoperative lower cranial nerve injury are life threat.