Application of ulnar nerve diameter changes examined by HRUS in patients with cubital tunnel syndrome / 中国骨伤

OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the value of high-resolution ultrasound the diagnosis and prognosis of cubital tunnel syndrome.@*METHODS@#From January 2018 to June 2019, 47 patients with cubital tunnel syndrome were treated with ulnar nerve release and anterior subcutaneous transposition. There were 41 males and 6 females, aged from 27 to 73 years old. There were 31 cases on the right, 15 cases on the left, and 1 case on both sides. The diameter of ulnar nerve was measured by high-resolution ultrasound pre-and post-operatively, and measured directly during the operation. The recovery status of the patients was evaluated by the trial standard of ulnar nerve function assessment, and the satisfaction of the patients was assessed.@*RESULTS@#All the 47 cases were followed up for an average of 12 months and the incisions healed well. The diameter of ulnar nerve at the compression level was (0.16±0.04) cm pre-operatively, and the diameter of ulnar nerve was (0.23±0.04) cm post-operatively. The evaluation of ulnar nerve function:excellent in 16 cases, good in 18 cases and fair in 13 cases. Twelve months post-operatively, 28 patients were satisfied, 10 patients were general and 9 patients were dissatisfied.@*CONCLUSION@#The preoperative examination of ulnar nerve by high-resolution ultrasound is consistent with the intuitive measurement during operation, and the result of postoperative examination of ulnar nerve by high-resolution ultrasound is consistent with follow-up results. High-resolution ultrasound is an effective auxiliary method for the diagnosis and treatment of cubital tunnel syndrome.

Research progress of Wallis dynamic stabilization system for lumbar degenerative diseases / 中国骨伤

Wallis dynamic stabilization system is a surgical approach in the non-fusion technique of lumbar spine, consisting of interspinous blockers and dacron artificial ligaments that provide stability to the spine while maintaining a degree of motion in the affected segment. Recent studies have demonstrated the significant benefits of Wallis dynamic stabilization system in treating lumbar degenerative diseases. It not only improves clinical symptoms, but also effectively delays complications such as adjacent segmental degeneration. This paper aims to review the literature related to the Wallis dynamic stabilization system and degenerative diseases of the lumbar spine to describe the long-term prognostic effect of this system in the treatment of such diseases. This review provides a theoretical basis and reference for selecting surgical methods to treat degenerative diseases of the lumbar spine.

Observation of early clinical efficacy of unilateral biportal endoscopy technique in the treatment of lumbar postoperative adjacent segmental diseases / 中国骨伤

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate early clinical efficacy of unilateral biportal endoscopy technique for the treatment of lumbar postoperative adjacent segmental diseases.@*METHODS@#Fourteen patients with lumbar postoperative adjacent segmental diseases were treated with unilateral biportal endoscopy technique from June 2019 to June 2020. Among them, there were 9 males and 5 females, aged from 52 to 73 years old, and the interval between primary and revision operations ranged from 19 to 64 months. Adjacent segmental degeneration occurred after lumbar fusion in 10 patients and after lumbar nonfusion fixation in 4 patients. All the patients received unilateral biportal endoscopy assisted posterior unilateral lamina decompression or unilateral approach to the contralateral decompression. The operation time, postoperative hospital stay and complications were observed. The visual analogue scale (VAS) of low back pain and leg pain, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association (mJOA) score were recorded before operation and at 3 days, 3 months, and 6 months after operation.@*RESULTS@#All procedures were successfully completed. Surgical duration ranged from 32 to 151 min. Postoperative CT showed adequate decompression and preservation of most joints. Out of bed walking 1 to 3 days after surgery, postoperative hospital stay was 1 to 8 days, and postoperative follow-up was 6 to 11 months. All 14 patients returned to normal life within 3 weeks after surgery, and VAS, ODI, and mJOA scores improved significantly at 3 days and 3, 6 months after surgery. One patient occurred cerebrospinal fluid leak after operation, received local compression suture, and the wound healed after conservative treatment. One patient occurred postoperative cauda equina neurologic deficit, which was gradually recovered about 1 month after rehabilitation therapy. One patients advented transient pain of lower limbs after surgery, and the symptoms were relieved after 7 days of treatment with hormones, dehydration drugs and symptomatic management.@*CONCLUSION@#Unilateral biportal endoscopy technique has a good early clinical efficacy in the treatment of lumbar postoperative adjacent segmental diseases, which may provide a new minimally invasive, non-fixation option for the treatment of adjacent segment disease.

Research progress of different minimally invasive spinal decompression in lumbar spinal stenosis / 中国修复重建外科杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To review the application and progress of different minimally invasive spinal decompression in the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS).@*METHODS@#The domestic and foreign literature on the application of different minimally invasive spinal decompression in the treatment of LSS was extensively reviewed, and the advantages, disadvantages, and complications of different surgical methods were summarized.@*RESULTS@#At present, minimally invasive spinal decompression mainly includes microscopic bilateral decompression, microendoscopic decompression, percutaneous endoscopic lumbar decompression, unilateral biportal endoscopy, and so on. Compared with traditional open surgery, different minimally invasive spinal decompression techniques can reduce the operation time, intraoperative blood loss, and postoperative pain of patients, thereby reducing hospital stay and saving treatment costs.@*CONCLUSION@#The indications of different minimally invasive spinal decompression are different, but there are certain advantages and disadvantages. When patients have clear surgical indications, individualized treatment plans should be formulated according to the symptoms and signs of patients, combined with imaging manifestations.

Advances in surgical strategies for ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament involving the C 2 segment / 中国修复重建外科杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the application of surgical strategies for the treatment of cervical ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) involving the C 2 segment.@*METHODS@#The literature about the surgery for cervical OPLL involving C 2 segment was reviewed, and the indications, advantages, and disadvantages of surgery were summarized.@*RESULTS@#For cervical OPLL involving the C 2 segments, laminectomy is suitable for patients with OPLL involving multiple segments, often combined with screw fixation, and has the advantages of adequate decompression and restoration of cervical curvature, with the disadvantages of loss of cervical fixed segmental mobility. Canal-expansive laminoplasty is suitable for patients with positive K-line and has the advantages of simple operation and preservation of cervical segmental mobility, and the disadvantages include progression of ossification, axial symptoms, and fracture of the portal axis. Dome-like laminoplasty is suitable for patients without kyphosis/cervical instability and with negative R-line, and can reduce the occurrence of axial symptoms, with the disadvantage of limited decompression. The Shelter technique is suitable for patients with single/double segments and canal encroachment >50% and allows for direct decompression, but is technically demanding and involves risk of dural tear and nerve injury. Double-dome laminoplasty is suitable for patients without kyphosis/cervical instability. Its advantages are the reduction of damage to the cervical semispinal muscles and attachment points and maintenance of cervical curvature, but there is progress in postoperative ossification.@*CONCLUSION@#OPLL involving the C 2 segment is a complex subtype of cervical OPLL, which is mainly treated through posterior surgery. However, the degree of spinal cord floatation is limited, and with the progress of ossification, the long-term effectiveness is poor. More research is needed to address the etiology of OPLL and to establish a systematic treatment strategy for cervical OPLL involving the C 2 segment.

Progress of decompression surgery for spinal metastases / 中国骨伤

The spine is the most common site of bone metastases from malignant tumors, with metastatic epidural spinal cord compression occurring in about 10% of patients with spinal metastases. Palliative radiotherapy and simple laminectomy and decompression have been the main treatments for metastatic spinal cord compression. The former is ineffective and delayed for radiation-insensitive tumors, and the latter often impairs spinal stability. With the continuous improvement of surgical techniques and instrumentation in recent years, the treatment model of spinal metastases has changed a lot. Decompression surgery underwent open decompression, separation surgery, minimally invasive surgery and laser interintermal thermal ablation decompression. However, no matter what kind of surgical plan is adopted, it should be assessed precisely according to the specific situation of the patient to minimize the risk of surgery as far as possible to ensure the smooth follow-up radiotherapy. This paper reviews the research progress of decompression for spinal metastases.

Percutaneous foraminal endoscopy for the treatment of lumbar lateral recess stenosis in elderly / 中国骨伤

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of percutaneous foraminal endoscopy in the treatment of lumbar lateral recess stenosis in elderly.@*METHODS@#The clinical data of 31 elderly patients with lumbar lateral recess stenosis treated by percutaneous foraminal endoscopic decompression from March 2018 to August 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Including 16 males and 15 females, aged from 65 to 81 years with an average of (71.13±5.20) years, the course of disease ranged from 3 months to 7 years with an average of (14.36±6.52) months. Visual analogue scale (VAS) and Oswestry disability index (ODI) were used to assess clinical symptom and functional status before operation and 1, 6, 12 months after operation. At the final follow-up, the modified Macnab standard was used to evaluate clinical efficacy.@*RESULTS@#All patients were completed the operation successfully. The operation time was from 75 to 120 min with an average of (97.84±11.22 ) min. All 31 patients were followed up from 12 to 28 months with an average of (17.29±5.56) months. Postoperative lumbago-leg pain VAS and ODI were significantly improved at 1, 6, and 12 months(P<0.01). At the final follow-up, according to the modified Macnab standard to evaluate the effect, 23 got excellent results, 5 good, 3 fair. One patient had severe adhesions between peripheral tissues and nerve root, and postoperative sensory abnormalities in the lower extremities were treated conservatively with traditional Chinese medicine and neurotrophic drugs, which recovered at 2 weeks after surgery. No complications such as nerve root injury and infection occurred.@*CONCLUSION@#The intervertebral foraminal endoscopy technique, which is performed under local anesthesia for a short period of operation, ensures adequate decompression while minimizing complications, and is a safe and effective surgical procedure for elderly patients with lumbar lateral recess stenosis.

Current status and progress of percutaneous spinal endoscopy in the treatment of degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis / 中国骨伤

Percutaneous endoscopic spine decompression(PSED) in recent years in the treatment of degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis(DLSS) achieved excellent results.Compared with traditional open surgery, which is characterized by large trauma, much bleeding, longer bed stay and slow recovery, the rapid development of PSED technology has greatly reduced the surgical trauma, postoperative recovery time and complications of DLSS patients. PSED core as the target therapy, with minimal trauma at the same time to achieve satisfactory decompression effect for lumbar spinal stenosis. Depending on the level, location, and degree of lumbar spinal stenosis, it is important to determine the ideal treatment. However, in practice, PSED has insufficient understanding of the treatment of different pathological types of lumbar spinal stenosis, such as indication selection, surgical approach selection, advantages and limitations of various approaches, and endoscopic vertebral fusion.At present, with the deepening of PSED research and the improvement of endoscopic instruments, great progress has been made in the treatment of DLSS.In this paper, the research progress in the treatment of DLSS by PSED in recent years will be described from four aspects, namely, the grasp of indications, the selection of approaches, the advantages and disadvantages of endoscopic approaches, and endoscope-assisted vertebral fusion, in order to provide certain guidance for the clinical treatment of DLSS by PSED.

Características de orbitopatía asociada al tiroides y tasa de requerimiento de cirugía / Thyroid-associated orbitopathy characteristics and surgery requirement rate

RESUMO Objetivo: Conheça as características demográficas e clínicas da Órbita Associada da Tiroide (OAT), bem como a taxa de exigência da cirurgia orbital em pacientes do Centro Médico Nacional do Oeste. Métodos. Estudo observacional, transversal, descritivo e retrospetivo realizado analisando os registos de pacientes diagnosticados com OAT tratados num centro de cuidados de terceiro nível de janeiro de 2005 a julho de 2016. Os resultados. Um total de 236 órbitas de 118 pacientes foram avaliados, com uma idade média de 47,3 (13,2 anos, 74,6% eram do sexo feminino e 25,4% masculinos. 4,2% dos doentes foram tratados com hipotiroidismo, 94,1% com hipertireoidismo e 1,7% com goiter tóxico difuso. 44,9% dos doentes estudados com restrição de movimento ocular,10,2% com queratopatia de exposição e 51,7% com hipertensão intraocular. 34,7% dos doentes avaliados no serviço necessitaram de descompressão orbital, 16,1% de cirurgia palpebral e 8,5% de correção do hatrabisma. Na gestão conservadora destes doentes, 48,3% exigiam o uso de lubrificantes tópicos dos olhos, enquanto 52,5% dos pacientes necessitavam do uso de hipotensivos oculares em número variável. As conclusões. A OAT foi associada principalmente ao hipertiroidismo, sendo mais comum em pacientes do sexo feminino entre os 40 e os 59 anos; mais de 50% dos pacientes necessitaram do uso de hipotensivos oculares. Da mesma forma, a gestão cirúrgica foi realizada em mais de 50% dos pacientes, sendo a descompressão orbital a intervenção mais frequente.

ABSTRACT Objective. To know the demographic and clinical characteristics of Thyroid Associated Orbitopathy (TAO), as well as the requirement rate of orbital surgery in patients of the Orbit Service in the National Medical Center of the West, IMSS. Methods. Observational, cross-cutting, descriptive and retrospective study carried out analyzing the records of patients diagnosed with TAO and treated at a third-level care center from January 2005 to July 2016. Results. A total of 236 orbits of 118 patients were valued, with an average age of 47.3 ± 13.2 years, 74.6% were female and 25.4% male. 4.2% of patients were treated with hypothyroidism, 94.1% with hyperthyroidism and 1.7% with diffuse toxic goiter. 44.9% of patients studied had eye movement restriction,10.2% exposure keratopathy and 51.7% intraocular hypertension. 34.7% of patients valued in the service required orbital decompression, 16.1% palpebral surgery and 8.5% strabism correction. In the conservative management of these patients 48.3% required the use of topical eye lubricants, while 52.5% required the use of eye hypotensives in variable numbers. Conclusions. TAO was mainly associated with hyperthyroidism, being more common in female patients between the age of 40 and 59; more than 50% of patients required the use of eye hypotensives. Likewise, surgical management was performed in more than 50% of patients, with orbital decompression being the most frequent intervention.

Terapia con células madre en la osteonecrosis de la cabeza femoral / Stem Cell Therapy in Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head

RESUMEN Objetivos: Describir el efecto terapéutico del uso de células madre en el manejo de la osteonecrosis de la cabeza femoral. Métodos: Se realizó una búsqueda en las distintas bases de datos como Pubmed/MEDLINE, BVS y Cochrane de los últimos 10 años, incluyéndose estudios relevantes de metaanálisis, ensayos clínicos y revisiones. Además, se revisó la página electrónica oficial de la Organización Mundial de la Salud para referencias adicionales. Las palabras de búsqueda fueron: "("Stem Cells" OR "Stem Cell Transplantation"[Mesh] OR "Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation"[Mesh] OR Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation"[Mesh] OR Cell-and Tissue-Based Therapy"[Mesh] "Multipotent Stem Cells"[Mesh] OR "Embryonic Stem Cells"[Mesh]) AND ("Osteonecrosis"[Mesh] OR "Femur Head Necrosis"[Mesh] "osteonecrosis of the femoral head" OR "Femoral head"). Incluimos un total de 7 estudios. 2 metaanálisis, 2 artículos de revisión, 2 ensayos clínicos controlados y aleatorizados y un estudio de evidencia. Resultados: Todos los estudios evidenciaron que la terapia con células madre en el manejo de la osteonecrosis de la cabeza femoral es segura y efectiva. El tratamiento combinado de descompresión central más implantación de células madre mostró mayor efectividad. Conclusiones: La terapia con células madre es una opción terapéutica para tratar la osteonecrosis de la cabeza femoral, sobre todo en etapas tempranas. La combinación de descompresión central más la infiltración de células madre en la zona necrótica produce mejoría de la sintomatología y contiene el progreso de la enfermedad(AU)

ABSTRACT Objectives: To describe the therapeutic effect of the stem cell use in managing osteonecrosis of the femoral head. Methods: A search was carried out in the different databases as Pubmed / MEDLINE, BVS and Cochrane for the last 10 years, including relevant meta-analysis studies, clinical trials and reviews. In addition, the official website of the World Health Organization was checked for additional references. The search words were: "(" Stem Cells "OR" Stem Cell Transplantation "[Mesh] OR" Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation "[Mesh] OR Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation" [Mesh] OR Cell-and Tissue-Based Therapy "[ Mesh] "Multipotent Stem Cells" [Mesh] OR "Embryonic Stem Cells" [Mesh]) AND ("Osteonecrosis" [Mesh] OR "Femur Head Necrosis" [Mesh] "osteonecrosis of the femoral head" OR "Femoral head"). We include a total of 7 studies, 2 meta-analyzes, 2 review articles, 2 controlled and randomized clinical trials, and one evidence study. Findings: All the studies showed that stem cell therapy in managing osteonecrosis of the femoral head is safe and effective. The combined treatment of central decompression plus stem cell implantation showed greater effectiveness. Conclusions: Stem cell therapy is a therapeutic option to treat osteonecrosis of the femoral head, especially in the early stages. The combination of central decompression plus the infiltration of stem cells in the necrotic area produces an improvement in the symptoms and contains the progress of the disease(AU)

Migraña: efectividad del tratamiento quirúrgico: revisión de la literatura / Migraine headache: effectiveness of surgical treatment: review of the literature

Resumen La migraña afecta a un porcentaje importante de la población y los síntomas pueden interferir con calidad de vida de manera importante. A pesar de los avances en el manejo médico, existe una proporción de pacientes que no responden adecuadamente a la intervención farmacológica. En los últimos años, se han planteado nuevos enfoques en el tratamiento de la migraña. Éstos se basan en la teoría que ramas sensoriales extracraneales del trigémino y de los nervios espinales cervicales pueden irritarse, atraparse o comprimirse en algún punto a lo largo de su trayecto, generándose una cascada de eventos fisiológicos que finalmente resulta en la migraña. Se ha demostrado que la inyección diagnóstica y terapéutica de toxina botulínica y la descompresión quirúrgica de estos puntos gatillos reducen o eliminan las migrañas en pacientes que no responden adecuadamente a la intervención farmacológica y siguen sintomáticos. La evidencia que respalda la eficacia y seguridad de la descompresión quirúrgica de los puntos de gatillos periféricos se está acumulando rápidamente, y la tasa de éxito general de la cirugía se acerca a 90%. Este trabajo revisa la evidencia clínica y pretende proporcionar un artículo sobre el estado actual de la técnica en el tratamiento quirúrgico de las migrañas.

Migraine headaches affect a significant percentage of the population and the symptoms can interfere with quality of life in an important way. Despite advances in medical management, there is a proportion of patients who do not respond adequately to the pharmacological intervention. In recent years, new approaches have been proposed in the treatment of migraine. These are based on the theory that extracranial sensory branches of the trigeminal and cervical spinal nerves can become irritated, trapped or compressed at some point along their path, generating a cascade of physiological events that ultimately results in migraine. It has been shown that the diagnostic and therapeutic injection of botulinum toxin and the surgical decompression of these trigger points reduce or eliminate migraines in patients who do not respond adequately to the pharmacological intervention and remain symptomatic. The evidence supporting the efficacy and safety of surgical decompression of peripheral trigger points is rapidly accumulating, and the overall success rate of surgery approaches 90%. This paper reviews the clinical evidence and aims to provide an article on the current state of the art in the surgical treatment of migraines.

The Influence of the Type of Surgical Thread and Suture in the Open Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Surgery

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the result of compression and/or traction of the median nerve in the carpal tunnel. It is the most frequent compressive neuropathy of the upper limbs and it is usually idiopathic. Diagnosis is essentially clinical, defined by symptoms and provocative tests. Decompression of themedian nerve by section of the transverse carpus ligament is the treatment of choice, but the lack of consensus on the type of suture and surgical thread to be used in the open carpal tunnel decompression surgery justifies the importance of evaluating the comparative results of existing studies, aiming to describe the influence of different types of sutures and surgical threads to guide the professionals about the most appropriate conduct. This is a systematic review of the international and national literature. Four studies comparing the influence of surgical threads and one study evaluating the influence of the type of suture were found. From the comparative studies, it was observed that there is advantage in the use of nonabsorbable suture due to the lower occurrence of inflammation and postoperative wound complications. When using Donatti sutures, wound edge inversion is less likely to occur comparedwith single individual sutures, but they are also related to longer postoperative pain.

Bilateral Accessory C1 and C2 Facet Joints; Clinical, Neuroradiological and Peroperative Findings in an Adult with Quadriparesis

Objectives Accessory C1 and C2 facet joints are very rare. Only few cases were reported in the literature.We report a case of bilateral accessory facets in an adult with special attention to clinical, neuroradiological, as well as peroperative findings. Case report A 37-year-old male presented with progressive quadriparesis. Radiology revealed bilateral posterior accessory C1 and C2 facet joints compressing the spinal cord with craniovertebral junction (CVJ) instability. Both accessory C1 and C2 facets with the posterior arch of the C1 were removed. Lateral mass screws and plates fixation at the C1 and C2 level, as well as fusion, were performed. Postoperatively, the patient recovered well. Conclusion In accessory C1 and C2 facet joints, when symptomatic, neuroradiological findings can guide to the proper diagnosis, to pathological understanding, and, ultimately, to management strategy.

Hematoma espinal epidural espontáneo asociado a tratamiento anticoagulante con acenocumarol: a propósito de un caso / Spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma in patients treated with acenocumarol. A case study

El hematoma epidural espontáneo es una entidad muy poco frecuente que supone una urgencia neurológica. Su presentación es muy variable, desde un dolor de espalda hasta una tetraplejia, según la gravedad y el nivel de compresión. Se comunica el caso de un paciente cardiópata de 71 años, tratado con acenocumarol, que presentó un hematoma epidural de modo espontáneo. Al inclinarse hacia el suelo, el paciente, que no tenía síntomas, sufrió un dolor brusco cervical seguido de debilidad en los miembros superiores e inferiores. Ante la sospecha clínica de una compresión medular, se decide realizar una resonancia magnética de urgencia, que mostró un hematoma de localización epidural con extensión desde C4 hasta T8. El diagnóstico urgente y el tratamiento de descompresión precoz son fundamentales para reducir al mínimo los daños neurológicos posteriores permanentes. Nivel de Evidencia: IV

Spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma is an uncommon condition and a neurological emergency. The clinical presentation of this type of hematoma is very variable, ranging from a backache up to a quadriplegia, according to the severity and the site of compression. Here, we discuss the clinical case of a 71-year-old patient with heart problems, under previous treatment with acenocumarol, that suffered a spontaneous epidural hematoma. The patient, previously asymptomatic, presented, sudden cervical pain when he bent over, followed by weakness in the lower and the upper limbs. Due to the clinical suspicion, an emergency MRI was performed, showing an epidural hematoma extending from C4 to T8. Early diagnosis and decompressive treatment are mandatory to minimize permanent neurological damage. Level of Evidence: IV

Descompresión orbitaria endoscópica transnasal en orbitopatía tiroidea severa / Transnasal endoscopic orbital decompression in severe thyroid orbitopathy

RESUMEN La orbitopatía tiroidea es una enfermedad autoinmune, en la que una reacción inflamatoria genera aumento de la presión orbitaria con protrusión de su contenido. A menudo es autolimitada y sus síntomas más frecuentes son retracción palpebral, exoftalmo y diplopía. Existen casos severos con compromiso de la agudeza visual por compresión del nervio óptico. El diagnóstico es clínico, pero debe complementarse con una tomografía computarizada. Su tratamiento depende de la gravedad y actividad de la enfermedad, siendo los procedimientos quirúrgicos, como la descompresión orbitaria, de elección en exoftalmo y neuropatía óptica compresiva. El pilar de tratamiento en la orbitopatía tiroidea severa es la cirugía descompresiva. Se han descrito múltiples técnicas, pero con limitaciones. La descompresión endoscópica transnasal, es considerada actualmente el procedimiento de elección, ya que permite una buena visualización de la pared medial, con resultados comparables y menores complicaciones, respecto a métodos tradicionales. Describimos un caso de oftalmopatía tiroidea severa, con exoftalmo, diplopía y disminución de la agudeza visual, en la que se realizó una descompresión endoscópica con muy buenos resultados.

ABSTRACT Thyroid orbitopathy is an autoimmune disease in which an inflammatory reaction generates increased orbital pressure with protrusion of its contents. It is often self-limiting and its most frequent symptoms are eyelid retraction, exophthalmos and diplopia. There are severe cases with compromised visual acuity due to compression of the optic nerve. The diagnosis is clinical, but must be complemented with a computed tomography scan. Its treatment depends on the severity and activity of the disease and the surgicals procedures such as orbital decompression is the best choice in exophthalmos and compressive optic neuropathy. The treatment in severe thyroid orbitopathy is decompressive surgery. Multiple techniques have been described, but with limitations. The transnasal endoscopic decompression is currently considered the gold standard, since it allows a good visualization of the medial wall with comparable results and less complications, compared to traditional methods. We present a case of severe thyroid ophthalmopathy, with exophthalmos, diplopia and decreased visual acuity, in which a transnasal endoscopic decompression was performed with very good outcomes.

Trigeminal Neuralgia Caused by Cerebellopontine Angle Tumors: Surgical Series

Introduction Cerebellopontine angle (CPA) tumors represent an important cause of persistent and refractory trigeminal neuralgia (TN). It is believed that between 1 and 9.9% of the cases of patients presenting with TN painful manifestation are caused by space-occupying lesions. Objective The objective of the present study is to describe the clinical and surgical experience of the operative management of patients presenting with secondary type TN associated with CPA tumors. Method An observational investigation was conducted with data collection from patients with secondary type TN associated with CPA tumors who were treated with surgical resection of the space-occupying lesion and decompression of the trigeminal nerve from January 2013 to November 2016 in 2 different centers in the western region of the state of São Paulo, Brazil. Results We operated on 11 consecutive cases in which TN was associated with CPA during the period of analysis. Seven (63.6%) patients were female, and 4 (36.4%) were male. Seven (63.6%) patients presented with right-side symptoms, and 4 (36.4%) presented with left-side symptoms. After 2 years of follow-up, we observed that 8 (72.7%) patients showed a complete improvement of the symptoms, with an excellent outcome, and that 3 (27.3%) patients showed an incomplete improvement, with a good outcome. No patient reported partial improvement or poor outcome after the follow-up. There was no operative mortality. Conclusion Cerebellopontine angle tumors represent an important cause of TNandmust be included in the differential diagnosis of patients presenting with refractory and persistent symptoms. Surgical treatment with total resection of the expansive lesion and effective decompression of the trigeminal nerve are essential steps to control the symptoms.

Basilar invagination associated with chiari malformation type I: A literature review

Basilar invagination (BI) and Chiari malformation type I (CM-I) are very important anomalies that introduce instability and compression in the occipitocervical transition region and have complex clinical characteristics. These anomalies vary according to the affected structures. The present study revises current knowledge regarding the anatomy, anatomo-physiology, clinical manifestations, and radiological findings of these entities and the associated surgical treatment approaches. A bibliographic survey was performed through a search in the Medline, PubMed, SciELO, Science and LILACS databases. When associated, these craniovertebral malformations result in neurological deficits due to neural parenchyma compression; however, the presence of microtraumas due to repetitive lesions caused by the bulb and cervical marrow instability has been highlighted as a determinant dysfunction. Surgical treatment is controversial and has many technical variations. Surgery is also challenging due to the complex anatomical characteristics and biomechanics of this region. Nevertheless, advances have been achieved in our understanding of related mechanisms, and compression and atlantoaxial instability are considered key elements when selecting the surgical approach.

Microsurgical Resection of Craniocervical Dermoid Cyst by Far Lateral Approach: Case Report and Literature Review

Introduction Intracranial dermoid tumors represent a rare clinical entity that accounts for 0.04 to 0.6% of all intracranial tumors. Their location in the posterior fossa is uncommon. Objectives To report the case of a young woman with a posterior fossa dermoid cyst treated by right far lateral approach. Case Report A 17-year-old woman presenting with swallowing difficulties for 6 weeks was referred for a neurological investigation. Amagnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan showed a hyperintense T1-weighted large expansive lesion occupying the posterior fossa and compressing the anterior face of the brain stem and cerebellum. The patient underwent surgical treatment by right far lateral approach with decompression of vascular and neural structures. The patient presented an uneventful recovery, and was discharged home on the fourth postoperative day without any additional neurological deficits. The anatomopathological analysis confirmed the diagnosis of dermoid cyst. Conclusion The far lateral approach is a safe and feasible route to appropriately treat large posterior fossa dermoid cysts. Decompression of vascular and neural structures is essential to achieve good symptom control.

Intra-individual evaluation of results between open and endoscopic release in bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome / Avaliação intraindividual dos resultados entre as técnicas aberta e endoscópica de um portal na síndrome do túnel do carpo bilateral

ABSTRACT Objective: The authors performed an intra-individual comparison of surgical results between the open and endoscopic surgical techniques in patients with bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome. Each hand was submitted to surgery using one of these techniques. Methods: Fifteen patients (30 hands) were evaluated by the Boston Questionnaire, visual analogue pain scale, palmar grip strength, and for tip, key, and tripod pinch strengths. These measurements were taken before surgery and at two weeks, one month, three months, and six months after the procedure. Scores for each evaluation tool in each evaluation time period were compared. Results: In comparison to the group submitted to open surgery, the group submitted to endoscopic surgery had worse scores in the evaluation of the 1st and 6th postoperative months regarding the severity of the symptoms. The authors found no differences in the functional status of the hand. Regarding the intensity of pain evaluated by the visual analogue pain scale, no difference was found between the averages in all time periods evaluated. No differences in palmar grip strength and in fingertip, key (lateral), and tripod pinch strengths were found in all time periods. There were no differences between averages in the preoperative period at two weeks, one month, and three months after surgery. After six months, the group of patients submitted to open surgery presented greater tripod force than the group of patients who underwent endoscopic surgery. Conclusion: No differences were observed by using the intra-individual evaluation in the results between open and endoscopic techniques for the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome.

RESUMO Objetivo: Foi feito um estudo de comparação intraindividual dos resultados cirúrgicos entre as técnicas cirúrgica aberta e endoscópica de um portal em pacientes com síndrome do túnel do carpo bilateral, cada uma das mãos operada por uma das técnicas citadas. Métodos: Quinze pacientes (30 mãos) foram avaliados no pré-operatório, na segunda semana e no primeiro, terceiro e sexto mês pós-operatório pelo questionário de Boston, escala visual analógica da dor, força de preensão palmar, pinça lateral, pinça polpa-polpa e pinça trípode. Foram comparados os escores de cada ferramenta de avaliação obtidos com as cirurgias endoscópica e aberta em cada um dos tempos de seguimento. Resultados: Em comparação com o grupo submetido a cirurgia aberta, o grupo submetido a cirurgia endoscópica apresentou piores escores na avaliação do primeiro e sexto meses pós-operatório quanto à gravidade dos sintomas. Não foram observadas diferenças quanto ao estado funcional da mão. Quanto à intensidade da dor avaliada pela escala visual analógica da dor, não foram observadas diferenças entre as médias em todos os períodos de tempo avaliados. Não foram observadas diferenças nas forças de preensão palmar, pinça polpa-polpa, polpa-lateral em todos os períodos de tempo. Quanto aos escores da força de preensão trípode, não foram observadas diferenças entre as médias nos períodos pré-operatório, duas semanas, um mês e três meses após a cirurgia. Aos seis meses de pós-operatório, o grupo de pacientes submetido a cirurgia aberta apresentou força trípode maior do que o grupo de pacientes submetidos a cirurgia endoscópica. Conclusão: Com o uso da avaliação intraindividual não foram observadas diferenças entre os resultados das técnicas aberta e endoscópica para o tratamento da síndrome do túnel do carpo.

Histiocitosis de células de Langerhans con compromiso vertebral / Langerhans cell histiocytosis with vertebral involvement

Resumen: Introducción: La histiocitosis de células de Langerhans (HCL) es un trastorno histiocítico raro y su incidencia exacta se mantiene desconocida; se ha diagnosticado en todos los grupos de edad, pero es más común en los primeros 3 años de vida. Se caracteriza por lesiones únicas o múltiples de tipo osteolítico causadas por proliferación clonal de células histológicamente similares a las células de Langerhans; su presentación clínica es heterogénea. Caso clínico: Presentamos el caso de una paciente de sexo femenino de 7 años, con dificultad para la marcha y debilidad progresiva en los miembros inferiores de 5 días de evolución. A la exploración física presenta hallazgos concordantes con síndrome piramidal e hipoes­ tesias de miembros inferiores. Se realizó resonancia magnética (RM) de columna y tomografía computarizada de cráneo simple, que descartó patología intracraneal . En la RM de columna se detectó vertebra plana con extensión epidural y para­ vertebral, por lo que se inició manejo con esteroides y se indicó descompresión quirúrgica. Se realizó resección parcial y biopsia de la lesión. Debido a los hallazgos histológicos y la presencia de marcadores positivos para CD1a y CD207, se confirmó el diagnóstico de HCL. Conclusiones: La HCL es una enfermedad poco frecuente y de difícil diagnóstico por su presentación heterogénea. El granuloma eosinofílico y la vértebra plana como hallazgos imagenológicos pueden orientar el diagnóstico, aunque siempre se debe confirmar histológicamente.

Abstract: Background: Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a rare disease, more common in the first three years of lite. lt is characterized by single ar multiple osteolytic lesions due to clonal proliferation of cells histologically similar to Langerhans cells; its clínical presentation is heterogeneous. Case report: 7-year-old female patient with 5 days of progressive lower extremity weakness and difficulty to walk. Physical exam findings were consistent with pyramidal syndrome and lower extremities hypoesthesia. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of spine and cranial computed tomography (CT) were performed. lntracranial pathology was ruled out. The MRI findings showed vertebra plana with epidural and paravertebral involvement, so treatment with steroids and surgical decompression initiated. Partíal resection and biopsy of the lesion was performed. Due to histological findings and positive CD1a and CD207 markers, diagnosis of LCH was confirmed. Conclusions: LCH is an uncommon disease with a challenging diagnosis due to its heterogeneous clinical presentation. Eosinophilic granuloma and vertebra plana as imaging findings may guide the diagnosis. However, it should always be confirmed with histological evidence.