Pros and Cons of Early and Very Early Surgery for Traumatic Central Cord Syndrome with Spinal Stenosis: Literature Review and Case Report

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerhard Hildebrandt ◽  
Holger Joswig ◽  
Martin Nikolaus Stienen ◽  
Denis Bratelj
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Case Report ◽  
Surgical Treatment ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Spinal Stenosis ◽  
Cervical Spinal Cord ◽  
Illustrative Case ◽  
Neuropathic Pain Syndrome ◽  
Cord Injury ◽  
Central Cord Syndrome

Abstract Background The case of a 69-year-old patient with an acute traumatic central cord syndrome (ATCCS) with preexisting spinal stenosis raised a discussion over the question of conservative versus surgical treatment in the acute setting. We provide a literature overview on the management (conservative vs. surgical treatment) of ATCCS with preexisting spinal stenosis. Methods We reviewed the literature concerning essential concepts for the management of ATCCS with spinal stenosis and cervical spinal cord injury. The data retrieved from these studies were applied to the potential management of an illustrative case report. Results Not rarely has ATCCS an unpredictable neurologic course because of its dynamic character with secondary injury mechanisms within the cervical spinal cord in the early phase, the possibility of functional deterioration, and the appearance of a neuropathic pain syndrome during late follow-up. The result of the literature review favors early surgical treatment in ATCCS patients with preexisting cervical stenosis. Conclusion Reluctance toward aggressive and timely surgical treatment of ATCCS should at least be questioned in patients with preexisting spinal stenosis.

“Proximalization is Advancement”—Zone 3 Frozen Elephant Trunk vs Zone 2 Frozen Elephant Trunk: A Literature Review

2021 ◽  
pp. 153857442110024
Author(s):  
Rozina Yasmin Choudhury ◽  
Kamran Basharat ◽  
Syeda Anum Zahra ◽  
Tien Tran ◽  
Lara Rimmer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Spinal Cord Injury ◽  
Surgical Treatment ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Frozen Elephant Trunk ◽  
Elephant Trunk ◽  
Descending Aorta ◽  
Cord Injury ◽  
Aortic Pathologies

Over the decades, the Frozen Elephant Trunk (FET) technique has gained immense popularity allowing simplified treatment of complex aortic pathologies. FET is frequently used to treat aortic conditions involving the distal aortic arch and the proximal descending aorta in a single stage. Surgical preference has recently changed from FET procedures being performed at Zone 3 to Zone 2. There are several advantages of Zone 2 FET over Zone 3 FET including reduction in spinal cord injury, visceral ischemia, neurological and cardiovascular sequelae. In addition, Zone 2 FET is a technically less complicated procedure. Literature on the comparison between Zone 3 and Zone 2 FET is scarce and primarily observational and anecdotal. Therefore, further research is warranted in this paradigm to substantiate current surgical treatment options for complex aortic pathologies. In this review, we explore literature surrounding FET and the reasons for the shift in surgical preference from Zone 3 to Zone 2.

A critical reappraisal of corticospinal tract somatotopy and its role in traumatic cervical spinal cord syndromes

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Allan D. Levi ◽  
Jan M. Schwab
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Spinal Cord Injury ◽  
Upper Extremity ◽  
Corticospinal Tract ◽  
Cervical Spinal Cord ◽  
Hand Function ◽  
Cervical Spinal Cord Injury ◽  
Pathophysiological Mechanism ◽  
Cord Injury ◽  
Central Cord Syndrome

The corticospinal tract (CST) is the preeminent voluntary motor pathway that controls human movements. Consequently, long-standing interest has focused on CST location and function in order to understand both loss and recovery of neurological function after incomplete cervical spinal cord injury, such as traumatic central cord syndrome. The hallmark clinical finding is paresis of the hands and upper-extremity function with retention of lower-extremity movements, which has been attributed to injury and the sparing of specific CST fibers. In contrast to historical concepts that proposed somatotopic (laminar) CST organization, the current narrative summarizes the accumulated evidence that 1) there is no somatotopic organization of the corticospinal tract within the spinal cord in humans and 2) the CST is critically important for hand function. The evidence includes data from 1) tract-tracing studies of the central nervous system and in vivo MRI studies of both humans and nonhuman primates, 2) selective ablative studies of the CST in primates, 3) evolutionary assessments of the CST in mammals, and 4) neuropathological examinations of patients after incomplete cervical spinal cord injury involving the CST and prominent arm and hand dysfunction. Acute traumatic central cord syndrome is characterized by prominent upper-extremity dysfunction, which has been falsely predicated on pinpoint injury to an assumed CST layer that specifically innervates the hand muscles. Given the evidence surveyed herein, the pathophysiological mechanism is most likely related to diffuse injury to the CST that plays a critically important role in hand function.

Delayed Cervical Spinal Cord Injury After High Voltage Electrical Injury: A Case Report

2007 ◽  
Vol 28 (6) ◽  
pp. 905-908 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gülten Erkin ◽  
Meltem Akinbingöl ◽  
Hilmi Uysal ◽  
Isik Keles ◽  
Canan Aybay ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Spinal Cord Injury ◽  
Case Report ◽  
High Voltage ◽  
Cervical Spinal Cord ◽  
Cervical Spinal Cord Injury ◽  
Electrical Injury ◽  
Cord Injury
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