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Byline: Nail. Ozdemir, Mustafa. Gelal, Mustafa. Minoglu, Levent. Celik Bone wax is a well-known agent used to prevent bleeding from the bone that can be used in different surgical procedures. [...]

Objective: To investigate the clinical-radiological presentation, treatment response and prognostic factors of adult medulloblastoma patients. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 13 adult medulloblastoma patients who had been treated and followed in our hospital between January 2000 and December 2008. The extent of resection was determined from surgery reports and postoperative MRI. All pathology slides were re-reviewed by two neuropathologists. Results: The mean age was 35.2 years (range 22 - 50 years). The tumors were median localization in 5 patients, paramedian hemispheric in 5 and lateral hemispheric in 3. Lesions were predominantly nonhomogeneously enhancing mass on T1-weighted images. Total excision could be achieved in 9 (69.2%) cases. There were 2 (15%) surgical mortality. Histopathological examination showed desmoplastic variant in 11 cases (85%). Nine patients received postoperative radioterapy. Mean follow up was 28.5 months, 2 patients had relapse (6 and 8 months). Remaining 9 patients were alive and disease free at their last controls. Conclusion: Developing a medulloblastoma is a risk, not only for children and adolescents but also for adults. Magnetic resonance imaging findings of adult patients with medulloblastoma can mimic other posterior fossa tumors. Radiotherapy seems to be effective for prevention of early recurrences even in patients with subtotal removed tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to report our 39 patients treated with anterior debridement and autologous iliac bone grafting with or without anterior instrumentation, which is the presumed treatment of choice for thoracic or lumbar spondylodiscitis.Our patients underwent surgical treatment of spondylodiscitis using anterior debridement and autologous iliac bone grafting with or without anterior instrumentation and were analyzed with a mean follow-up of 8 years (range, 2-11 years). Kaneda 2-rod system instrumentation was used in 12 patients, in total. Clinical outcomes were assessed by the Frankel grade. Radiographic fusion was characterized based on 3-dimensional computed tomography.Of the whole group, 20 patients suffered from tuberculous spondylodiscitis and 19 suffered from hematogenous spondylodiscitis. Pathogens responsible for pyogenic infection included Staphylococcus aureus (4 patients), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (3 patients), and Brucella melitensis (1 patient). Fifteen patients had thoracic involvement, 20 had lumbar involvement, and 4 had thoracolumbar junction involvement. Preoperative neurological deficits were noted in 13 of the 39 patients. In terms of Frankel grade, 8 patients have improved, 4 have remained the same, and 1 patient has worsened during the follow-up period. Imaging-documented fusion was achieved in 23 of 27 patients in the graft group (85% fusion rate) and 11 of 12 patients in the graft + Kaneda instrumentation group (91% fusion rate).There was no instrumentation failure, loosening, or graft-related complication such as slippage or fracture of the graft. This approach demonstrated a good recovery rate of neurological functions and a high fusion rate., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

Primary spinal primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNETs) of the extradural space are very rare; only 10 cases have been reported in the English language literature. The histopathological diagnosis of primary spinal PNETs has been discussed for many years. These tumors have a rapidly progressive course, and there is no current consensus on the optimal therapeutic approach for these patients. The authors present a case of primary PNET located in the lumbar extradural space in a 13-year-old girl and report the clinical, radiological, histopathological, and surgical findings. They compare their findings with those from the other 10 cases reported in the literature and review relevant literature.