Effect of a strutted intradiscal spacer (DIVA®) on disc reherniation following lumbar discectomy: A 2-year retrospective matched cohort study.

INTRODUCTION: Discectomy for lumbar disc herniation has a high rate of reoperation and recurrent herniation. METHODS: Retrospectively matched cohort of patients undergoing lumbar discectomy alone or with a strutted intradiscal spacer. RESULTS: 133 discectomy and 112 patients with discectomy plus spacer were included. Pain and disability scores were significantly lower for both groups at 2 years. Patients receiving a strutted intradiscal spacer following discectomy had a reduced rate of all-cause reoperations and operations for recurrent herniations compared to discectomy alone. CONCLUSION: Use of a strutted intradiscal spacer following discectomy improves surgical outcomes following surgery for lumbar herniation versus discectomy alone.

A Rare Case of Isolated Intracranial Rosai-Dorfman Disease Mimicking Optic Nerve Meningioma: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy, or Rosai-Dorfman disease (RDD), was first described in 1969 as a reactive condition of unknown etiology that is characterized by a proliferation of histiocytes exhibiting emperipolesis of both lymphocytes and plasma cells. It usually presents with painless cervical lymphadenopathy either with or without extranodal manifestations. Intracranial involvement of this disease is extremely rare. Intracranial RDD occurs in <5% of all patients with extranodal disease. Here, we report a case of RDD with isolated intracranial involvement. A 67-year-old male presented with a long-standing headache, retro-ocular pain, and progressive visual loss of the left eye. Magnetic resonance imaging showed features of optic nerve meningioma. The histopathology revealed sheets of histiocytes displaying emperipolesis. These histiocytes were S100 positive; however, a CD1a and epithelial membrane antigen were negative.

Pure Endoscopic Management of Fourth Ventricle Arachnoid Cyst: Case Report and Literature Review.

Arachnoid cysts (ACs) within the fourth ventricle are rare, and only a few cases have been reported in the literature. These are benign lesions within the arachnoid membrane, and they have been reported to occur in almost all locations where arachnoid is present. Different procedures have been performed to restore a normal cerebrospinal fluid dynamic and/or pressure, including shunting and partial or complete excision of the cyst by open microsurgery or endoscopic fenestration. We report the case of a fourth ventricle AC successfully treated using only endoscopic anterior trans-frontal cyst fenestration/marsupialization and standard third ventriculostomy. Clinical and technical features are discussed, along with the pertinent literature.

Intracranial solitary fibrous tumor/hemangiopericytoma: Report of two cases and literature review.

Intracranial solitary fibrous tumors (ISFTs) are rare mesenchymal neoplasms originating in the meninges and constitute a heterogeneous group of rare spindle cell tumors that include benign and malignant neoplasms of which hemangiopericytoma is nowadays considered a cellular phenotypic variant. ISFT usually shows benign or indolent clinical behavior. We describe two cases of ISFT managed in our institution along with a review of pertinent literature.