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Background: A number of complications following surgery aimed at atlantoaxial fixation have been reported. However, there is no report in the literature describing visual loss following vertebral artery injury., Objective: Vision loss as a complication of vertebral artery injury during surgery for atlantoaxial fixation is reported., Material and Methods: This is a report of two patients who were operated for atlantoaxial instability by the Goel technique of atlantoaxial fixation. During surgery, there was an injury to the vertebral artery and the artery had to be sacrificed., Results: Both patients suffered severe visual loss following surgery. One patient had a partial visual recovery that started within few days of surgery while the other patient remained completely blind., Conclusions: Although rare, visual loss can be a complication of vertebral artery sacrifice during surgery for atlantoaxial stabilization., Competing Interests: None

This article discusses a surgical approach called the Bernard George anterolateral transcervical approach for the treatment of upper anterior cervical spine tumors. The case study presented involves a 67-year-old man with a recurrent C2-3 chordoma. The surgical procedure involved making incisions and dissecting various muscles to access the tumor, which was subsequently resected. An expandable cage was then placed in the tumor cavity. The patient experienced improvement in quadriparesis with no new neurological deficits. The anterolateral transcervical approach provides unique and comprehensive access to the challenging ventral upper cervical region. [Extracted from the article]

Technical surgery-related issues for large ossified/calcified meningioma that encased one or both vertebral arteries located anterior to brainstem in the region of foramen magnum are discussed. Relatively long-term outcome of successful surgery is reported. Three women were operated on for symptoms of progressive quadriparesis. Investigations revealed ossified meningioma located anterior to the brainstem. One or both vertebral arteries were encased within the confines of the tumor. Large size, bone-hard consistency, location anterior to the brainstem, and intimate vascular relationship made the surgery a formidable surgical problem. A midline posterior suboccipital approach was used to resect these tumors. Radical tumor resection was achieved in all cases successfully. Tumor drilling or heavy tumor breaking instruments were not necessary to debulk the tumor. Histologic examination in all 3 cases revealed psammomatous meningioma. During the follow-up period that ranged from 2 to 12 years, all 3 patients were leading a normal life, and there has been no documented recurrence in any case. Successful resection of "ossified" meningioma is associated with satisfactory long-term clinical outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]