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Lumbar discectomy is one of the most commonly performed neurosurgical procedure. Far lateral disc herniations (FLDH) make up a minor portion of the total discectomy workload for spine surgeons. Due to their lower incidence, as well as their different anatomical positioning compared to the more common para-median disc herniation, the surgical procedures involved in releasing the neural compression caused by FLDHs are often challenging and at times frustrating to most spine surgeons, resulting in suboptimal outcomes for the patient related to the higher risk of spinal instability from facet joint disruption and may even be associated with nerve root injury. We discuss here a safe and simple approach to tackle FLDH.

Subdural hematoma (SDH) is a common neurosurgical pathology, characteristically recognised on plain CT and can be treated with simple and effective surgical intervention. In contrast, dural metastatic adenocarcinoma of the prostate with SDH and malignant extension into the subdural membranes is extremely rare. We describe the case of a 62-year old Caucasian male, provide a brief review of the literature, and explore the potential role of neoangiogenesis and disseminated intravascular coagulopathy in SDH development.

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Background: A pedicle screw insertion technique known as "hubbing" involves the removal of cortical bone around the screw insertion with the aim of improving fixation and decreasing screw loosening.However, the efficacy of this procedure relative to bone density and early loading have not been fully explored. The purpose of this study is to establish the contribution of the cortical layer (hubbing), cancellous density, early loading (toggling) in an idealised model. This is an in vitro laboratory study.Methods: Synthetic bone blocks with cancellous bulk and a simulated cortical shell were implanted with 6.5 mm pedicle screws. Three key variables were evaluated in this study; density of the simulated bone (10-20 lb/ft 3 ), toggling (±0.5 mm for 10,000 cycles), and the presence or absence of the surrounding cortex (hubbing). Pullout testing after toggling was performed to determine maximum load, stiffness and energy.Results were analyzed to assess interaction and main effects.Results: Removal of the cortex decreased the pullout loads by approximately 1,100 N after toggling.Toggling in the presence of the cortical shell had no effect. However, once the cortical shell is removed damage to the weaker cancellous bone accumulates and further compromises the fixation.Conclusions: The addition of a cortical layer in the Sawbone model is significant and provides a more realistic model of load sharing. The cortex plays a considerable role in the protection of underlying cancellous bone as well as contributing to initial pullout strength. The results of this study demonstrate a negative synergistic effect when both toggling and hubbing are applied to the weaker bone.

Malignant mesothelioma is an uncommon, highly invasive tumor derived from the mesothelial cells of pleura or peritoneum characterized by poor outcome. Mesothelioma was thought to metastasize locally only via direct invasion and not have distant spread. Distant metastases were discovered mostly on post-mortem examination. The authors present a case of 62-year-old man with pleural mesothelioma and brain metastasis.

We describe a patient with persisting fevers, a progressive pulmonary infiltrate, and high levels of serum lactate dehydrogenase. No underlying cause for these changes was found prior to her death despite extensive investigations. Postmortem tissue revealed invasive pulmonary aspergillosis and subsequent brain examination revealed vascular changes in keeping with intravascular large B-cell lymphoma (IVLBCL). On review, subtle yet extensive lymphomatous infiltrates involved the vasculature of multiple other organs, including the lungs. Aspergillosis is a relatively rare presenting feature of lymphoproliferative disorders, and IVLBCL is a rare subtype of diffuse large B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma with, to our knowledge, very few case reports to date. Lymphoma should be considered in patients presenting with pneumonitis with bilateral lung infiltrates on imaging, with a high serum level of lactate dehydrogenase.