The anatomy of Liliequist's membrane was studied in seven adult human cadavers by a technique that preserves the cisternal shape, stains arachnoid membranes violet, and fills the arteries with red gelatin. Our findings suggest the following about Liliequist's membrane: it is located between the interpeduncular cistern posteriorly, the carotid cisterns anterolaterally, and the chiasmatic cistern anteromedially; it is attached laterally to the mesial surface of the temporal lobe above the tentorial edge; it lies posterior to the infundibulum; and it presents a free edge between the optic tract and the temporal uncus.

-Eighty-nine patients with lower cervical spine fractures or dislocations were evaluated for risk factors of neurological lesion. The age, sex, level and pattern of fracture and sagittal diameter of the spinal canal were analysed. There were no significant differences on the age, gender, level and Torg's ratio between intact patients and those with nerve root injury, incomplete or complete spinal cord injuries. Bilateral facet dislocations and burst fractures are a significant risk factor of spinal cord injury.KEY WORDS: cervical spine, fractures, dislocations, spinal cord injury. Fatores de risco de lesão neurológica nas fraturas e luxações da coluna cervical baixaRESUMO -O risco de lesão neurológica foi avaliado em 89 pacientes com fraturas ou luxações da coluna cervical baixa. Foram analisados o sexo, a idade, o diâmetro sagital do canal vertebral, o nível e o tipo de fratura ou luxação. Não foram encontradas diferenças significativas para a idade, sexo, nível da fratura ou luxação e razão de Torg entre os pacientes intactos e aqueles com lesão radicular, lesão medular incompleta e lesão medular completa. Luxações bilaterais de facetas articulares e fraturas em explosão são um fator de risco significativo de lesão neurológica. PALAVRAS-CHAVE: coluna cervical, fratura, luxação, lesão medular.The pattern and the intensity of neurological injury that occurs during lower cervical spine fractures and dislocations have been correlated to many factors. Examples of these factors are the amount of spinal cord disruption 1,2 , and the fracture characteristics and degree of displacement 1,[3][4][5][6][7][8] . The relationship between the degree of displacement and the degree of neurological injury is not unanimously accepted 9,10 .Spinal cord injuries without osteoligamentous injury and severe fracture and dislocations in neurologically intact patients are sometimes seen in daily practice 11,12 . The size of the spinal canal (before the traumatic event) has been naturally interpreted as one of the explanations for this discrepancy, but there is no general agreement in this point [11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18] .In order to identify risk factors for neurological injury, the records of 89 patients who had sustained lower cervical spine trauma were retrospectively reviewed in our institution.

The neurological outcome of 146 patients who survived spinal cord injury in a neurosurgical hospital of a developing country, were compared to those reported from Stoke Mandeville, UK. The average recuperation in the two groups was similar.

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Object. The authors conducted a biomechanical study in which they compared the uses of the Rogers interspinous and the Lovely-Carl tension band wiring techniques for internal fixation of the cervical spine. Method. An extensive biomechanical evaluation (stiffness in positive and negative rotations around the x, y, and z axes; range of motion in flexion—extension, bilateral axial rotation, and bilateral bending; and neutral zone in flexion—extension, bilateral axial rotation, and lateral bending to the right and to the left) was performed in two groups of intact calf cervical spines. After these initial tests, all specimens were subjected to a distractive flexion Stage 3 ligamentous lesion. Group 1 specimens then underwent surgical fixation by the Rogers technique, and Group 2 specimens underwent surgery by using the Lovely—Carl technique. After fixation, specimens were again submitted to the same biomechanical evaluation. The percentage increase or decrease between the pre- and postoperative parameters was calculated. These values were considered quantitative indicators of the efficacy of the techniques, and the efficacy of the two techniques was compared. Conclusions. Analysis of the findings demonstrated that in the spines treated with the Lovely—Carl technique less restriction of movement was produced without affecting stiffness, compared with those treated with the Rogers technique, thus making the Lovely—Carl technique clinically less useful.

Background: Lumbar plexus schwannomas are a rare occurrence in neurosurgery, with few reported cases and no standard surgical approach. This study describes a successful surgical resection with no complications using the Wiltse approach. Methods: Patient presented with an intra-psoas tumor suggesting schwannoma. We described the surgical technique involved step by step. Results: The patient recovered from the surgery with no complications. The anatomopathological examination confirmed the schwannoma diagnosis. The post operatory magnetic resonance imaging showed complete resection. Conclusion: This study shows that the use of Wiltse approach, mainly used for classical herniated disc extraforaminal, can be used successfully on Lumbar plexus schwannomas.