Secondary Lumbar Spinal Stenosis; Clinical and Radiological Features, and Surgical Outcomes (Five-years Follow Up)

One hunderd and ten patients who had undergone surgery for lumbar spinal stenosis between March, 1988 and March, 1991 were evaluated in terms of radiological findings, classification, clinical features, coexisting disease and postoperative results. The overall mean age was 60 years, and patients with lateral stenosis were, an average, 11years younger than those with central canal stenosis. There was a high incidence of coexisting disease but its effect on symptoms and disease progression was statistically not significant. Characteristic radiological features were disc height decrease, facet joint hypertrophy, facet joint arthrosis, diffuse bulging disc, and ligamentum flavum hypertrophy, but no significant difference between the sexes was seen Nor were there differences between the symptoms of patients with lateral and central stenosis, though claudication was found mainly in patients with multiple level stenosis. The relief of symptoms by decompressive surgery more significantly successful in lateral than in central stenosis, and the surgical success rate was 74%.

Primary Malignant Lymphoma of the Brain: A Case Report

Primary malignant lymphoma is very rare and represents less than 1.5% of all intracranial neoplasms. The authors have experienced a case of primary malignant lymphoma of the brain in a 66 year-old woman who presented with presistent headache, nausea and generalized weakness. Brain CT scan demonstrated typical deep seated tumor masses in the right temporal and left frontal lobes with strong contrast enhancement. We obtained a good result after surgery followed by radiation and chemotherapy and report our case with review of the articles.