No abstract

Our study aim was to assess the neurological outcomes of surgical decompression and stabilization within 5 and 24 h after injury. We performed a multi-center, retrospective cohort study in adolescents and adults 15-85 years of age presenting cervical spinal cord injury (CSCI) at one of 6 Austrian trauma centers participating in the Austrian Spinal Cord Injury Study (ASCIS). Neurological outcomes were measured using the American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale (AIS) grade according to the International Standards For Neurological Classification Of Spinal Cord Injury (ISNCSCI) form after at least 6 months of follow-up (FU). Of the 49 enrolled patients with acute CSCI, 33 underwent surgical decompression within 5 h (mean 3.2 h ± 1.1 h; very early group) after injury, and 16 underwent surgical decompression between 5 and 24 h (mean 8.6 h ± 5.5 h; early group). Significant neurological improvement was observed among the entire study population between the preoperative assessment and the FU. We identified a significant difference in the AIS grade at the last FU between the groups the using Jonckheere-Terpstra test for doubly ordered crosstabs (p = 0.011) and significantly different AIS improvement rates in the early group (Poisson model, p = 0.018). Improvement by one AIS grade was observed in 31% and 42% of the patients in the early and very early groups, respectively (p = 0.54). Improvement by two AIS grades was observed in 31% and 6% of the patients in the early and very early groups, respectively (p = 0.03; relative risk [RR], 5.2; 95% CI, 1.1-35). Improvement by three AIS grades was observed in 6% and 3% of patients in the early and very early groups, respectively (p = 1.0). Decompression of the spinal cord within 24 h after SCI was associated with an improved neurological outcome. No additional neurological benefit was observed in patients who underwent decompression within 5 h of injury.

Juxta-articular cysts are synovial cysts originating from the facet joints or the flava ligaments. If they grow intra-spinally they can compress nervous structures and cause a variety of symptoms. Micro-neurosurgery is usually the treatment of choice. Alternatively to surgical treatment the cyst can be approached and treated with a CT guided percutaneous injection inducing rupture. After fulfilling strict selection criteria twenty patients (25% of all treated lumbar synovial cyst patients), were treated minimally invasive by this method from 2010-2016. The facet joint was punctured under CT guidance and a mixture of a local anesthetic and contrast liquid was injected until the cyst was blasted. The mean follow-up period was 1.1 years (range 2 weeks - 5 years).Fifteen of twenty procedures were successful and cyst rupture was confirmed by CT-scans. Twelve of these fifteen patients experienced a significant improvement of their symptoms and needed no further intervention or surgical procedure up until now, three patients showed no clinical improvement and were treated surgically within one week after cyst rupture. In five patients it was technically not possible to rupture the cyst. These patients were treated microsurgically by cyst resection and dynamic stabilization or fusion procedures. The percutaneus rupture of juxtaarticular cysts has fewer risks and is cost effective compared to microsurgical resection. It may be an alternative to surgical treatment for a selected group of patients. However there are some limitations to the procedure though, such as difficult patient selection, unpredictable outcome or technical problems due to highly degenerated facet joints.

Zusammenfassung. Dislozierte basisnahe Brüche des ersten Mittelhandknochens werden in der Regel osteosynthetisch versorgt mit dem Ziel, die Sattelgelenkfläche exakt wiederherzustellen, um eine posttraumatische Arthrose zu verhindern. Von Juli 1985 bis April 1996 wurden 38 Patienten operativ mit der Methode nach Iselin behandelt. 23 Patienten konnten durchschnittlich 53 Monate postoperativ nachuntersucht werden. In 21 Fällen fand sich ein gutes Ergebnis.

<p class="abstract">Hypertrophic pachymeningitis is a very rare form of diffuse inflammatory dural fibrosis. It is typically encountered intracranially rather than spinally and can have a progressive and recurrent course as encountered in our patient. The aetiology of this disorder is multifactorial. While acute management of hypertrophic pachymeningitis consists of immediate decompression in conjunction with steroid medication and treatment of the underlying disease, the management of chronic and recurrent disease is controversially debated in the current literature. A previously healthy 49-year-old woman presented with progressive back pain and acute onset of incomplete paraplegia. Spinal MRI showed a large ventral semicircular mass with intense contrast enhancement from Th3-8. Acute patient management consisted of immediate decompression and debulking the space-occupying lesion in conjunction with antibiotic and steroid therapy. Histopathologic examination of the surgical specimens revealed a chronic inflammatory process. The patient fortunately recovered from the severe paraparesis and upon discharged, spinal MRI disclosed a further regressing residual spinal mass. Over time, our patient suffered two times a relapse and was finally treated with Methotrexate and low-dose steroids. Under this medication she has made a nearly complete neurological recovery. This case report highlights a rare disease with challenging management, which should be considered diagnostically in patients with intraspinal space-occupying lesions. In our experience combination of Methotrexate and low-dose steroids might be an effective and safe treatment.</p>