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Prospective, 3:1 randomized, single-blind, multicenter investigational study.To assess the safety and efficacy of a low-swell spinal sealant when used as an adjunct to sutured dural repair compared with standard of care methods to obtain watertight dural closure in subjects undergoing spinal surgery.Watertight dural closure is paramount in spinal surgery to avoid complications of cerebrospinal fluid leak. Prior reports have proven the efficacy of a synthetic, absorbable polyethylene glycol (PEG) hydrogel sealant in spinal surgery compared with standard of care. Given the potential concerns of swelling in spinal applications, the hydrogel was modified to a low-swell formulation.The primary endpoint was success rate in obtaining intraoperative watertight dural closure in subjects receiving PEG hydrogel sealant versus a control group of subjects receiving any standard method designed to provide intraoperative watertight closure. Subjects were evaluated at discharge and at 30 and 90 days postprocedure for cerebrospinal fluid leaks, surgical site infections, and adverse events.Between May 2007 and May 2009, 98 subjects (74 PEG hydrogel spinal sealant, 24 control) were randomized at 14 clinical sites in the United States. Patients treated with the PEG hydrogel spinal sealant had a significantly higher rate of watertight closure than the control (98.6% vs. 79.2%, P = 0.003). No statistical differences were seen in postoperative cerebrospinal fluid, infection, and wound healing. No neurological deficits were seen attributable to the sealant.The low-swell PEG hydrogel spinal sealant evaluated in this study has been proven safe and effective for providing watertight closure when used as an adjunct to sutured closure of intentional durotomies during spinal surgery. PEG hydrogel sealants have again proved superior to other standard of care technologies for safe, efficacious dural closure.2.

Dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor (DNT) is commonly located in the supratentorial cortex. Extracortical localization of DNT is extremely rare. A 15-year-old female presented with loss of consciousness after head trauma. MRI demonstrated hydrocephalus secondary to a small non-enhancing T1 hypointense and T2 hyperintense mass lesion in the foramen of Monro; with radiologic impression of low-grade astrocytoma or colloid cyst. Tumor was gross totally resected. Histologic examination showed partly microcystic architecture with oligodendroglia-like neurocytic cells, glioneuronal element, and floating neurons, with synaptophysin reactivity mainly in cell processes, consistent with DNT. Focal subependymoma-like pattern was noted. The low tumor cellularity and morphologic pattern did not support a central neurocytoma. Patient was asymptomatic and was radiologically stable 9 months post-surgery. Literature review of previously reported supratentorial extracortical DNT cases demonstrate that 24 of 25 cases involved the ventricular system (as in our case) of which eight additionally involved periventricular deep gray or white matter. None of the cases recurred following surgery. Clinico-pathologically, extracortical DNTs were similar to the cerebral cortical simple DNTs and differed only in their presentation related to their location. The novel aspects of this report are the radiologic resemblance of DNT to colloid cyst and focal subependymoma-like pattern on histology. Importantly, intra-/periventricular region appears to be the most common extracortical location of cerebral DNT with a 100% disease-free survival reported in the literature.

Purpose The lateral transpsoas interbody fusion (LTIF) is an increasingly popular minimally invasive technique for lumbar interbody fusion. Although a posterior approach to the lumbar spine has traditionally been favored for the treatment of canal stenosis and neural foraminal stenosis, a growing body of evidence suggests that indirect decompression of the spinal canal and neural foramen can be achieved using a lateral transpsoas approach to the lumbar spine. We present 2 cases that may suggest a role for spontaneous electromyography (s-EMG) monitoring in assessing the adequacy of decompression during LTIF. Methods The 2 cases presented in this technical note illustrate resolution of s-EMG firing during LTIF, following distraction across the disk space. Removal of the distracting device produced the return of s-EMG firing. Both of these cases were operated at the L2-3 level. Results In the first case, s-EMG firing was noted in the bilateral tibialis anterior leads. Resolution of EMG firing may suggest indirect decompression of the canal via ligamentotaxis as the L5 root traverses the L2-3 disk space. In the second case, s-EMG firing was noted in the left abductor hallucis and resolved with distraction of the L2-3 disk space. Again, this may be explained by canal decompression via ligamentotaxis as the S1 root traverses the L2-3 disk space. Conclusion In both cases, distraction across the disk space resulted in resolution of s-EMG discharges—this correlated with an improvement in symptoms. These findings may suggest a role for s-EMG as a marker for adequacy of decompression in a select subset of patients undergoing LTIF. Further study is needed to determine if resolution of s-EMG is a useful measure of indirect decompression during LTIF.

Study design Retrospective analysis of the fusion rate of a group of 38 patients having undergone anterior screw fixation for type II and "shallow" type III odontoid fractures. OBJECTIVE.: To determine primarily the long-term fusion rate after anterior screw fixation and to study the clinical characteristics of patients that have a statistically significant or nonsignificant influence on successful outcome. Summary of background data Long-term outcome of anterior screw fixation for odontoid fractures has been evaluated in very few studies. This information should be critical for further establishing this technique as a major therapeutic strategy for these cases. Methods Thirty-eight patients, 25 males and 13 females (with mean age 48.4 +/- 0.4 years), with type II and rostral type III odontoid fractures, underwent anterior cannulated screw fixation during a 62-month period. Radiologic examination of the cervical spine with plain radiographs was performed at 6 weeks, and 2, 6, 12, and 24 months, while computerized tomography of the upper cervical spine (C1-C3) was obtained at 6 months after surgery. Follow-up was available for 31 patients, and the follow-up time ranged from 39 to 87 months (mean 58.4). Results Radiographic evaluation of the follow-up group showed satisfactory bony fusion and no evidence of abnormal movement at the fracture site in 27 (87.1%) patients. Pseudarthrosis developed in 4 (12.9%) patients; however, 3 (9.6%) of them without instability and 1 (3.2%) with instability. One (3.2%) patient had an instrumentation failure without instability. Conclusions In our series, anterior odontoid screw fixation comprised a safe therapeutic modality with high stability and low mechanical failure rates during short-term and long-term follow-up.

The atlantoaxial region has been extensively described as a spinal segment especially prone to injury in children. In this clinical review, the authors evaluate and summarize the management of 23 pediatric cases of atlantoaxial instability treated between March 1990 and October 2002. Four broad categories of atlantoaxial problems were observed—atlantoaxial rotatory subluxation in six patients, anterior–posterior atlantoaxial instability caused by ligamentous injury or congenital ligamentous laxity (10 patients), atlantoaxial fracture with or without dislocation (five patients), and atlantooccipital dislocation (two patients). Most cases (60.9%) were treated without surgical intervention, resulting in excellent outcomes; however, 21.7% of cases were treated with a cervical halo (mean patient age 72.6 months) alone for 3 months. Various techniques of surgical stabilization including transarticular screws with sublaminar wiring, trans-oral decompression with posterior plating, and laminectomy with Steinmann pin occipital–cervical fusion were used with good results. Both patients with atlantooccipital dislocation underwent immediate Locksley occipital–cervical fusion, with marked neurological improvement. Individualized case management must be based on clinical presentation, with internal fixation being the last resort.