Transitory ischemic attack associated with a rare fenestration of the cervical segment of the internal carotid artery: a case report

Background Fenestration of the cervical segment of the internal carotid artery is a very rare finding, and its origin is still not fully understood. Explanations of its genesis range from dissections leading to the fenestration to the more common interpretation as a developmental vascular variant. However, most reported cases were symptomatic and presented with dissections, where even endovascular treatment of the fenestration of the cervical segment of the internal carotid artery became necessary. Here we report a case of a fenestration of the cervical segment of the internal carotid artery suffering a transitory ischemic attack and local pain in absence of any sign of dissection. Case presentation A 62-year-old Caucasian male patient was admitted to our institution because of an episode of amaurosis fugax, initially accompanied with headache. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed an intact fenestration of the cervical segment of the internal carotid artery on the symptomatic side. With antiplatelet therapy, all symptoms vanished within 2 months of the initial event. Conclusions Our findings support the interpretation of a fenestration of the cervical segment of the internal carotid artery as a developmental vascular variant, but also suggest a substantial risk for dissection and ischemic stroke. Even in case of an accidental finding, clinicians should be aware of this. At least in this case, antiplatelet therapy seemed beneficial.

Influence of Sodium Hypochlorite and Chlorhexidine on the Dynamic Cyclic Fatigue Resistance of XP Endo Shaper Instruments

Objective This study evaluated the dynamic cyclic fatigue resistance of the XP-Endo Shaper (XPS), associated with chlorhexidine digluconate (CHX) or sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) in two different formulations: gel (G) or liquid (L). Materials and Methods Sixty XPS were used in an artificial stainless-steel canal, and the files were fully immersed in the irrigating solution throughout the experiment until the fracture. The files were divided into six groups (n = 10) based on the irrigation solution used: NaOCl(L), NaOCl(G), CHX(L), CHX(G), natrosol gel (NAT) (control), and lubricating oil (LO) (control). The artificial canal was manufactured 1.5 mm wide, 20 mm long, and, 3.5 mm deep with a straight cervical segment measuring 14.29 mm; an apical segment of 4.71 mm with 3 mm radius; and 90 degrees of curvature apical 1 mm long straight segment. Resistance to cyclic fatigue was determined by recording the number of cycles to fracture (NCF). Results The CHX(G), CHX(L), and OIL (LO) groups showed no significant difference between them and presented longer time to fracture (p > 0.05). NaOCl(L) shows the lowest NCF without significant differences between NaOCl(G) and NAT. The NCF of the NaOCl(G) was statistically similar to the CHX(L) and statistically lower than the CHX(G) and OIL groups. NAT did not present a statistical difference of the NaOCl(L), NaOCl(G), and presented a significantly lower NCF than the CHX(G) (p < 0.01). Conclusion The use of CHX(G) resulted in increased cyclic fatigue resistance of the XPS instruments compared to NaOCl or LO.

Large Conization—Retrospective Monocentric Results for Fertility Preservation in Young Women with Early Stage Cervical Cancer

The shorter cervical segment after classic radical trachelectomy (RT) imposes a number of pregnancy associated risk factors. In this aspect, large conization (LC) could be an oncologically safe alternative to RT in young women with early stage cervical cancer who want to spare their fertility. Our aim was to evaluate fertility-sparing surgical treatment of early stage cervical cancer after the introduction of LC. Our objectives were to assess surgical, oncological, fertility and obstetric outcomes. We retrospectively investigated oncological and fertility outcomes of patients who underwent LC in a large oncological single University centre between 2009 and 2014. Medical records were reviewed and analysed for surgical, oncological, fertility and obstetric outcomes. Postal questionnaires were collected to further evaluate and validate the fertility and obstetric outcomes. A total of 23 LCs were analysed. Seven patients had to undergo secondary radical hysterectomy after LC due to unclear resection margins. Nine of 16 women tried to conceive, of which all nine became pregnant. Seven patients underwent a prophylactic cerclage between 13 and 16 gestational weeks and seven women delivered 9 children; the majority of women conceived spontaneously. Follow-up time was a median of 3.9 years (2.6–8 years). There was no relapse of cervical cancer in the investigated timeframe. Early stage cervical cancers treated by LC are associated with excellent oncological outcomes. LC appears to be a safe option for eligible women who intend to maintain their fertility.

The Effect of Cervical Fusion on Functional Sagittal Spinal Alignment Based on the Inflection Point: Case Series Study

Study Design: A retrospective radiologic study. Objective: The inflection point is the disc space between a lordotic and kyphotic segment of spine. To our knowledge, there has been no study evaluating changes in functional sagittal alignment determined by inflection points after cervical fusion surgery. The purpose is to identify changes in functional sagittal alignment after cervical fusion as determined by functional segments between cervicothoracic and thoracolumbar inflection points. Methods: Standing radiographs of the sagittal whole spine were taken in 62 patients who underwent cervical fusion procedures. We identified cervicothoracic and thoracolumbar inflection points in the sagittal plane and measured Cobb angles of resulting “functional” cervical, thoracic, and lumbar segments. We also measured the C2 and T1 sagittal vertical axis (SVA) distance to S1 and the anatomic cervical lordosis, thoracic kyphosis, lumbar lordosis, spinopelvic parameters, and T1 sagittal slope. We compared the pre- and post-op values. Results: The functional cervical segment and T1 sagittal slope increased postoperatively. C2 and T1 SVA distance to S1 decreased postoperatively. In patients with a single level fusion or lower instrumented vertebra (LIV) proximal or equal to C6, functional cervical segment, and anatomic cervical lordosis increased postoperatively. In those with multiple level fusion or LIV distal or equal to C7, the C2 SVA distance to S1 decreased postoperatively. Conclusions: After cervical fusion surgery, functional cervical sagittal parameters determined by the inflection point improve without changes in the anatomic sagittal parameters. Postoperative changes in functional sagittal parameters were affected by the number of fused levels and LIV.

Epidemiological Analysis of 459 Patients Hospitalized With Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury in Suzhou City, China

Study design Retrospective study.Objective: To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of patients hospitalized with traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI). Setting: The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow UniversityMethods: This retrospective epidemiological study included 459 patients hospitalized with TSCI. Results: Mean age in this patient cohort was 50.7 ± 14.2 years, and 50–59 year olds were the most vulnerable age group (27.0%). Main cause of injury was fall from height in the 10-49 year-old group, traffic accident in the 50-79 year-old group, and low fall in ≥80 year-old group. Traffic accident accounted for the largest proportion of injuries (37.0%). The male-to-female ratio was 3.1:1, with more males than females accounting for all causes of injury. The difference in proportion of males to females was the greatest for fall from height and lowest for low fall. The anatomical site most vulnerable to fracture was the cervical segment (68.2%). Thoracolumbar segment (15.0%) was the anatomical site most frequently injured in fall from height, and the cervical segment was the most commonly injured site for all the remaining causes of injury. Most patients were classified with Grade D injuries using the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) Impairment scale. The most common complication of injuries was urinary tract infection (48.3%). Patients with bedsores had the longest hospital stay, with an average of 105 days. Patients with complications had significantly longer hospital stays than those without complications. Patients with multiple complications had longer hospital stays than those with a single complication. Patients receiving surgery accounted for 82.4%, and those receiving conservative treatment accounted for 17.6%, of our patient population. Average length of hospital stay for all patients was 51.1 ± 79.3 days. Patients that received surgery, those with ASIA Grade A, and those with injured thoracolumbar segment had prolonged hospital stays.Conclusion: Patients with TSCI were generally of advanced age. Traffic accident was the main cause of TSCI, but causes of TSCI were different in different age groups. Elderly patients showed a high rate of low fall. The majority of TSCI occurred in male patients, and males and females had different causes of TSCI. Neck injuries were relatively common. Injury sites varied according to the different causes of injury. The prolonged hospital stays of patients with TSCI were related to numerous factors. Our study highlights the need to focus on the prevention and treatment of various complications, and selection of appropriate treatment, in patients with TSCI. TSCI should be comprehensively prevented according to its epidemiological characteristics.

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF CERVICAL SAGITTAL BALANCE WITH RADIOGRAPHS IN DIFFERENT POSTURES

ABSTRACT Objective: To compare the cervical sagittal balance in groups of patients submitted to lateral radiographs of the cervical segment, with the upper limbs in two different positions. Methods: This is a cross-sectional, quantitative, prospective, descriptive study using radiographic analysis of 100 adult individuals, aged between 20 and 70 years. Two lateral radiographs were taken of each patient, one image with the upper limbs crossed over the trunk (flexed elbows) and the other with the upper limbs elevated in front (extended elbows). All patients answered a questionnaire about age, sex, presence of pain in the cervical spine, as well as degree of pain based on the Likert scale. The radiographic parameters evaluated were the COBB angle (Cobb), thoracic inlet angle (TIA), T1 slope, neck tilt and distance from the center of gravity (COG) of the skull to C7 (COG-C7) with the elbows in extension (Ext) and flexion (Flex). A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered a statistically significant difference. Results: Sixty patients were female (60%) and forty were male (40%). The data analysis obtained showed statistical significance in Cobb Flex vs. Cobb Ext (p = 0.000), TIA Flex vs. TIA Ext (p = 0.000), T1 Flex vs. T1 Ext (p = 0.000), Neck tilt Flex vs. Neck tilt Ext (p = 0.000), and COG-C7 Flex vs. COG-C7 Ext (p = 0.000). Conclusion: There was statistical significance in relation to the positioning of the upper limbs in the lateral radiographs, yielding higher values in the angulations with the limbs raised towards the front (extended elbows). Level of evidence II; Prospective Comparative Study.

Observation of others’ painful heat stimulation involves responses in the spinal cord

Observing others’ aversive experiences is central to know what is dangerous for ourselves. Hence, observation often elicits behavioral and physiological responses comparable to first-hand aversive experiences and engages overlapping brain activation. While brain activation to first-hand aversive experiences relies on connections to the spinal cord, it is unresolved whether merely observing aversive stimulation also involves responses in the spinal cord. Here, we show that observation of others receiving painful heat stimulation involves neural responses in the spinal cord, located in the same cervical segment as first-hand heat pain. However, while first-hand painful experiences are coded within dorsolateral regions of the spinal cord, observation of others’ painful heat stimulation involves medial regions. Dorsolateral areas that process first-hand pain exhibit negative responses when observing pain in others. Our results suggest a distinct processing between self and others’ pain in the spinal cord when integrating social information.

The Enterprise2 Stent for Endovascular Treatment of Intracranial Aneurysms: Short-Term Results From a Single Center Experience

Background: Self-expanding devices, such as the Enterprise VRD (EP-VRD) have widely used for stent-assisted coiling treatment in wided-necked aneuryms while some thromboembolic complications were reported due to its incomplete stent apposition (ISA). We report our experiences on the novel Enterprise2 (EP-VRD2) stent in vivo in the treatment of intracranial and cranial cervical junction aneurysms.Methods: Twenty-five consecutive patients with intracranial or cranial cervical junction aneurysms were treated with EP-VRD2 stents retrospectively collected in our institution. We use the ‘jailing' technique in all cases and deployed the stent by using pushing over the outer curve technique. The 3- or 6-monthS follow-up was done regularly by DSA.Results: Twenty-five EP-VRD2 stents were implanted to treat 21 aneurysms at the siphon segment of internal carotid artery (ICA), one at the petrous segment, two at the cervical segment, one at the verteral artery with five accompanied with stenosis. Two patients had kinking during the procedure and were solved by microwire or microcatheter massaging. Four patients with a larger arc angle and a smaller radius of the parent vessel was detected ISA. No patient underwent the ischemic event after the operation. Twenty-three of 25 patients were evaluated after 3- or 6-months by DSA, 22 showed complete occlusion (RROC1), one slight re-stenosis in the follow-up within those five patients with stenosis. A length of 23 mm seemed associated with ISA (p &lt; 0.01).Conclusion: The EP-VRD2 performed well in our small patient series; however, ISA could still occur with a sharp angle of the parent vessel.

Hemihypoglossal-Facial Nerve Transfer: Technical Description and Key Points: 2-Dimensional Operative Video

ABSTRACT Irreversible facial palsy, generally post-traumatic or postsurgical, can have devastating consequences for the patient from a functional, aesthetic, and psychological point of view. Among all of the reconstructive techniques, the hemihypoglossal-facial nerve transfer, which avoids the complete section of the hypoglossal nerve, is preferred by senior authors because of its excellent results and very low morbidity.1-5 This technique can be carried out in any neurosurgical center because it requires only basic instruments of microsurgery and a high-speed drill. However, detailed knowledge of the anatomy of the facial nerve in both its intrapetrosal and extracranial segments and of the hypoglossal nerve in its cervical segment is essential.1,6,7 Thus, previous practice in a cadaveric laboratory is recommended. The purpose of this video is to describe the technical nuances and key points of hemihypoglossal-facial nerve transfer. It was made using the surgical videos of 5 patients with a complete and irreversible facial paralysis who were operated using this technique in our institution between May and September 2019, all of whom consented to the procedure and to use for scientific purposes. The footages were edited, making a film in which the surgical technique is described in a stepwise fashion, emphasizing its most important features. To conclude, we would like to emphasize that the timing of surgery is of utmost importance and that this technique is both effective and reliable. Figures in the video at 00:54 and 01:35 are reprinted by permission from CCC: Springer Nature, Acta Neurochirurgica, Treatment of complete facial palsy in adults: comparative study between direct hemihypoglossal-facial neurorrhaphy, hemihipoglossal-facial neurorrhaphy with grafts, and massater to facial nerve transfer. Socolovsky M, Martins RS, di Masi G, Bonilla G, Siqueira M, vol 158, 945-957, copyright 2016.