Neurology Commons^™

Global Spinal Deformity From The Upper Cervical Perspective. What Is "Abnormal" In The Upper Cervical Spine?, Peter G Passias, Haddy Alas, Renaud Lafage, Bassel G Diebo, Irene Chern, Christopher P Ames, Paul Park, Khoi D Than, Alan H Daniels, D Kojo Hamilton, Douglas C Burton, Robert A Hart, Shay Bess, Breton G Line, Eric O Klineberg, Christopher I Shaffrey, Justin S Smith, Frank J Schwab, Virginie Lafage

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

Hypothesis: Reciprocal changes in the upper cervical spine correlate with adult TL deformity modifiers.

Design: This was a retrospective review.

Introduction: The upper cervical spine has remarkable adaptability to wide ranges of thoracolumbar (TL) deformity.

Methods: Patients >18 years with adult spinal deformity (ASD) and complete radiographic data at baseline (BL) and 1 year were identified. Patients were grouped into component types of the Roussouly classification system (Type 1: Pelvic incidence [PI]

Results: A total of 343 ASD patients were analyzed. When grouped by BL Schwab and Roussouly, Group

Conclusions: Our study suggests that upper cervical alignment remains relatively stable …

The Impact Of Osteotomy Grade And Location On Regional And Global Alignment Following Cervical Deformity Surgery., Peter G Passias, Samantha R Horn, Tina Raman, Avery E Brown, Virginie Lafage, Renaud Lafage, Justin S Smith, Cole A Bortz, Frank A Segreto, Katherine E Pierce, Haddy Alas, Breton G Line, Bassel G Diebo, Alan H Daniels, Han Jo Kim, Alex Soroceanu, Gregory M Mundis, Themistocles S Protopsaltis, Eric O Klineberg, Douglas C Burton, Robert A Hart, Frank J Schwab, Shay Bess, Christopher I Shaffrey, Christopher P Ames

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

Introduction: Correction of cervical deformity (CD) often involves different types of osteotomies to address sagittal malalignment. This study assessed the relationship between osteotomy grade and vertebral level on alignment and clinical outcomes.

Methods: Retrospective review of a multi-center prospectively collected CD database. CD was defined as at least one of the following: C2-C7 Cobb >10°, cervical lordosis (CL) >10°, C2-C7 sagittal vertical axis (cSVA) >4 cm, and chin-brow vertical angle > 25°. Patients were evaluated for level and type of cervical osteotomy.

Results: 86 CD patients were included (61.4 ± 10.6 years, 66.3% female, body mass index 29.1 kg/m

Conclusions: CD …

Avoiding The Esophageal Branches Of The Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve During Retractor Placement: Precluding Postoperative Dysphagia During Anterior Approaches To The Cervical Spine., Christian Fisahn, Emre Yilmaz, Joe Iwanaga, Cameron K Schmidt, Eric Benca, Jens R Chapman, Rod J Oskouian, R Shane Tubbs

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

Study Design: Anatomical cadaver study.

Objectives: Postoperative dysphagia is a significant complication following anterior approaches to the cervical spine and the etiology of this complication is poorly understood. Herein, we studied the esophageal branches of the recurrent laryngeal nerves to improve understanding of their anatomy and potential involvement in dysphagia.

Methods: Ten fresh frozen cadaveric human specimens were dissected (20 sides). All specimens were adults with no evidence of prior surgery of the anterior neck. The recurrent laryngeal nerves were identified under a surgical microscope and observations and measurements of their esophageal branches made.

Results: For each recurrent laryngeal nerve, …

A Comprehensive Review Of The Sinuvertebral Nerve With Clinical Applications., Brian Shayota, T L Wong, Donald Fru, Glen David, Joe Iwanaga, Marios Loukas, R Shane Tubbs

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

The anatomy and clinical significance of the sinuvertebral nerve is a topic of considerable interest among anatomists and clinicians, particularly its role in discogenic pain. It has required decades of research to appreciate its role, but not until recently could these studies be compiled to establish a more complete description of its clinical significance. The sinuvertebral nerve is a recurrent nerve that originates from the ventral ramus, re-entering the spinal canal via the intervertebral foramina to innervate multiple meningeal and non-meningeal structures. Its complex anatomy and relationship to discogenic pain have warranted great interest among clinical anatomists owing to its …

Grab Control! Choosing The Right Comparison Group In An Observational Study., Joseph R Dettori, Daniel C Norvell, Jens R Chapman

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

No abstract provided.

How Should We Deal With "Black Swan" Surgeons In Spine Surgery?, Jens R Chapman, Jeffrey C Wang, Karsten Wiechert

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

No abstract provided.

Iatrogenic Bowel Injury Following Minimally Invasive Lateral Approach To The Lumbar Spine: A Retrospective Analysis Of 3 Cases., Tarush Rustagi, Emre Yilmaz, Fernando Alonso, Cameron K Schmidt, Rod J Oskouian, R Shane Tubbs, Jens R Chapman, Sarah Hopkins, Thomas A Schildhauer, Christian Fisahn

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Objective: Anterior approaches are often used during lumbar interbody fusion procedures. Visceral injuries (bowel injuries) are rare but represent a primary risk during anterior approaches to the lumbar spine. Left untreated, these injuries can result in significant complications. The aim of this study was to investigate the presentation and management of bowel injury cases following anterior approaches to the lumbar spine to raise the surgeon's awareness of this rare complication.

Methods: All direct anterior, oblique anterior, and transpsoas lumbar interbody fusion surgeries performed at our institution between 2012 and 2016 were analyzed retrospectively. Charts were …

Ossification Of The Mamillo-Accessory Ligament: A Review Of The Literature And Clinical Considerations., Graham Dupont, Emre Yilmaz, Joe Iwanaga, Rod J Oskouian, R Shane Tubbs

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

Ossification of the mamillo-accessory ligament (MAL) is a misunderstood phenomenon; however, many have posited that it can result in nerve entrapment of the medial branch of the dorsal ramus causing zygapophyseal joint related low back pain. The MAL has been studied anatomically by few, yet the data indicate possible associations between ossification of this ligament and spondylosis. It has been proposed that mechanical stress upon the lumbar spine may also lead to progressive ossification of the MAL into a bony foramen.

Ossification Of The Roof Of The Porus Trigeminus With Duplicated Abducens Nerve., Graham Dupont, Juan J Altafulla, Joe Iwanaga, Koichi Watanabe, R Shane Tubbs

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

Ossification of parts of the intracranial dura mater is common and is generally accepted as an age-related finding. Additionally, duplication of the abducens nerve along its course to the lateral rectus muscle is a known, although uncommon anatomical variant. During routine cadaveric dissection, an ossified portion of dura mater traveling over the trigeminal nerve's entrance (porus trigeminus) into the middle cranial fossa was observed unilaterally. Ipsilaterally, a duplicated abducens nerve was also observed, with a unique foramen superolateral to the entrance of Dorello's canal. To our knowledge, there has been no existing report of a simultaneous ossified roof of the …

Publisher Correction: Toxoplasma Modulates Signature Pathways Of Human Epilepsy, Neurodegeneration & Cancer., Huân M Ngô, Ying Zhou, Hernan Lorenzi, Kai Wang, Taek-Kyun Kim, Yong Zhou, Kamal El Bissati, Ernest Mui, Laura Fraczek, Seesandra V Rajagopala, Craig W Roberts, Fiona L Henriquez, Alexandre Montpetit, Jenefer M Blackwell, Sarra E Jamieson, Kelsey Wheeler, Ian J Begeman, Carlos Naranjo-Galvis, Ney Alliey-Rodriguez, Roderick G Davis, Liliana Soroceanu, Charles Cobbs, Dennis A Steindler, Kenneth Boyer, A Gwendolyn Noble, Charles N Swisher, Peter T Heydemann, Peter Rabiah, Shawn Withers, Patricia Soteropoulos, Leroy Hood, Rima Mcleod

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML and PDF versions of this paper. The error has been fixed in the paper.

Predator Journals: An Urgent And Global Problem., Karsten Wiechert, Jeffrey C Wang, Jens R Chapman

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

No abstract provided.

Management Of Acute Traumatic Central Cord Syndrome: A Narrative Review., Srikanth N Divi, Gregory D Schroeder, John J Mangan, Madeline Tadley, Wyatt L Ramey, Jetan H Badhiwala, Michael G Fehlings, F Cumhur Oner, Frank Kandziora, Lorin M Benneker, Emiliano N Vialle, Shanmuganathan Rajasekaran, Jens R Chapman, Alexander R Vaccaro

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

Study Design: Narrative review.

Objectives: To provide an updated overview of the management of acute traumatic central cord syndrome (ATCCS).

Methods: A comprehensive narrative review of the literature was done to identify evidence-based treatment strategies for patients diagnosed with ATCCS.

Results: ATCCS is the most commonly encountered subtype of incomplete spinal cord injury and is characterized by worse sensory and motor function in the upper extremities compared with the lower extremities. It is most commonly seen in the setting of trauma such as motor vehicles or falls in elderly patients. The operative management of this injury has been historically variable …

P-Value Worship: Is The Idol Significant?, Joseph R Dettori, Daniel C Norvell, Jens R Chapman

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

No abstract provided.

Comparison Of Best Versus Worst Clinical Outcomes For Adult Cervical Deformity Surgery., Justin S Smith, Christopher I Shaffrey, Han Jo Kim, Peter Passias, Themistocles Protopsaltis, Renaud Lafage, Gregory M Mundis, Eric Klineberg, Virginie Lafage, Frank J Schwab, Justin K Scheer, Michael Kelly, D Kojo Hamilton, Munish Gupta, Vedat Deviren, Richard Hostin, Todd Albert, K Daniel Riew, Robert A Hart, Doug Burton, Shay Bess, Christopher P Ames

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Objective: Factors that predict outcomes for adult cervical spine deformity (ACSD) have not been well defined. To compare ACSD patients with best versus worst outcomes.

Methods: This study was based on a prospective, multicenter observational ACSD cohort. Best versus worst outcomes were compared based on Neck Disability Index (NDI), Neck Pain Numeric Rating Scale (NP-NRS), and modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association (mJOA) scores.

Results: Of 111 patients, 80 (72%) had minimum 1-year follow-up. For NDI, compared with best outcome patients (n = 28), worst outcome patients (n = 32) were more likely to have had a …

Decreased Odds For Vasospasm Treatment In Patients With Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage After Transitioning From Neurosurgery Led Care To A Neurology Led Multidisciplinary Approach., Russell Bartt, Stephanie Jarvis, Lauren Cittadino, Benjamin Atchie, Kathryn Mccarthy, Rebecca Van Vliet, Alicia Bennett, Jeffrey Wagner, Alessandro Orlando, David Bar-Or

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

Introduction: The limited research on the management of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhages (aSAHs) has not assessed the efficacy of neurology-led care. Our objective was to describe aSAH patients' outcomes after transitioning from a neurosurgery-led intensive care unit (ICU) to a neurology-led multidisciplinary care neurocritical care unit (NCCU). The study hypothesis was that the neurology-led multidisciplinary care would improve patient outcomes.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study. We included patients (≥ 18) with aSAHs from 1/16 to 8/16 (pregroup) and from 3/17 to 11/17 (postgroup). The pregroup care was led by a neurosurgeon. The postgroup care included a neurologist, a pulmonary …

Report Of An Inferior Rectal Nerve Variant Arising From The S3 Ventral Ramus., Graham Dupont, Joe Iwanaga, Rod J Oskouian, R Shane Tubbs

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

In surgical approaches to the perineum in general and anal region specifically, considering the possible variations of the inferior rectal nerve is important for the surgeon. Normally, the inferior rectal nerve originates as a branch of the pudendal nerve. However, during routine dissection, a variant of the inferior rectal nerve was found where it arose directly from the third sacral nerve ventral ramus (S3). Many cases have described the inferior rectal nerve arising independently from the sacral plexus, most commonly from the fourth sacral nerve root (S4); however, few cases have reported the inferior rectal nerve arising from S3. Herein, …

Variant Anatomy Of The Buccal Nerve., Mayank Patel, Joe Iwanaga, Shogo Kikuta, Rod J Oskouian, R Shane Tubbs

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

Knowledge of the anatomy and variations of the nerves of the oral cavity is important to surgeons who operate this region. Herein, we report a rare case of a buccal nerve with two distinct roots. The anatomy of this case and its clinical applications is discussed.

Neck Movement During Cervical Transforaminal Epidural Injections And The Position Of The Vertebral Artery: An Anatomical Study., Juan J Altafulla, Emre Yilmaz, Stefan Lachkar, Joe Iwanaga, Jacob Peacock, Zachary Litvack, R Shane Tubbs

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

Background: Cervical transforaminal epidural steroid injections (CTFESIs) are sometimes performed in patients with cervical radiculopathy secondary to nerve-root compression. Neck movements for patient positioning may include rotation, flexion, and extension. As physicians performing such procedures do not move the neck for fear of injuring the vertebral artery, we performed fluoroscopy and cadaveric dissection to analyze any movement of the vertebral artery during head movement and its relation to the foramina in the setting of CTFESI.

Purpose: To determine cervical rotational positioning for optimized vertebral artery location in the setting of cervical transforaminal epidural steroid injections.

Material and Methods: Four sides …

Ectopic Pituitary Adenoma Presenting As A Clival Mass., Juan J Altafulla, Joshua Prickett, Graham Dupont, R Shane Tubbs, Zachary Litvack

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

Pituitary adenomas are well described in the literature and are frequently observed and treated in clinical practice by neurosurgeons. On the other hand, ectopic adenomas are a diagnostic enigma; a good understanding of anatomy and radiological characteristics is crucial for the successful management of such pathologies. In this paper, we describe the case of a 77-year-old woman who presented with a clival mass invading the left cavernous sinus; we also discuss the associated diagnostic techniques, approaches, imaging options, and characteristics.

A Propensity-Matched Analysis Of Outcomes For Patients With M2 Branch Occlusions At Endovascular Stroke Centers, R. Ovando, L. Lucas, Elizabeth Baraban, Jason Tarpley

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

Introduction: Endovascular therapy (EVT) for Emergent Large Vessel Occlusion (ELVO) is recommended for patients with acute proximal MCA (M1 segment) occlusions (Class I, level A evidence), but the benefits of EVT are uncertain in patients with M2 and more distal occlusions. The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy and outcomes of EVT-treated M2 ELVOs with EVT-treated M1 ELVOs, and to examine the outcomes of EVT-treated M2 ELVO patients with those whose M2 ELVOs were not treated.

Methods: Data were obtained from a multi-hospital system of patients from January 2014 and May 2018. Two propensity score (PS)-based nearest-neighbor …

Contact Sports As A Risk Factor For Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Systematic Review., Ronen Blecher, Michael A Elliott, Emre Yilmaz, Joseph R Dettori, Rod J Oskouian, Akil P Patel, Andrew Clarke, Mike Hutton, Robert Mcguire, Robert Dunn, John Devine, Bruce Twaddle, Jens R Chapman

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

Study Design: Systematic review.

Introduction: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease, ultimately resulting in paralysis and death. The condition is considered to be caused by a complex interaction between environmental and genetic factors. Although vast genetic research has deciphered many of the molecular factors in ALS pathogenesis, the environmental factors have remained largely unknown. Recent evidence suggests that participation in certain types of sporting activities are associated with increased risk for ALS.

Objective: To test the hypothesis that competitive sports at the highest level that involve repetitive concussive head and cervical spinal trauma result in an increased …

Editorial., Jeffrey C Wang, Jens R Chapman, Karsten Wiechert

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

No abstract provided.

Static And Dynamic Postural Control Deficits In Aging Fragile X Mental Retardation 1 (Fmr1) Gene Premutation Carriers., Zheng Wang, Pravin Khemani, Lauren M Schmitt, Su Lui, Matthew W Mosconi

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

BACKGROUND: Individuals with premutation alleles of the fragile X mental retardation 1 (FMR1) gene are at risk of developing fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS) during aging. Characterization of motor issues associated with aging in FMR1 premutation carriers is needed to determine neurodegenerative processes and establish new biobehavioral indicators to help identify individuals at greatest risk of developing FXTAS.

METHODS: We examined postural stability in 18 premutation carriers ages 46-77 years and 14 age-matched healthy controls. Participants completed a test of static stance and two tests of dynamic postural sway on a force platform to quantify postural variability and complexity. CGG …

The Carotid Sinus Nerve And The First English Translation Of Hering's Original Research On This Nerve., Mohammadali M Shoja, Rabjot Rai, Stefan Lachkar, Seleipiri Iboroma Akobo, Emre Yilmaz, Marios Loukas, Emanuela Binello, Mehrnoush Gorjaian, Christoph J Griessenauer, Joe Iwanaga, R Shane Tubbs

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

This paper provides a brief depiction of the life and achievements of the most iconic experiments of Heinrich Ewald Hering. The authors herein have presented a translation of his paper on the carotid sinus nerve in English; the original paper by Heinrich Ewald Hering, titled "Ueber die Wand des Sinus caroticus als Reizempfänger und den Sinusnerv als zentripetale Bahn für die Sinusreflexe" (1924), provides a detailed account of his experimental process and findings. He recognized that the sinus reflexes are mediated by a branch of the glossopharyngeal nerve (CN IX).

Single-Cell Glia And Neuron Gene Expression In The Central Amygdala In Opioid Withdrawal Suggests Inflammation With Correlated Gut Dysbiosis., Sean J O'Sullivan, Evangelia Malahias, James Park, Ankita Srivastava, Beverly A S Reyes, Jon Gorky, Rajanikanth Vadigepalli, Elisabeth J Van Bockstaele, James S Schwaber

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

Drug-seeking in opioid dependence is due in part to the severe negative emotion associated with the withdrawal syndrome. It is well-established that negative emotional states emerge from activity in the amygdala. More recently, gut microflora have been shown to contribute substantially to such emotions. We measured gene expression in single glia and neurons gathered from the amygdala using laser capture microdissection and simultaneously measured gut microflora in morphine-dependent and withdrawn rats to investigate drivers of negative emotion in opioid withdrawal. We found that neuroinflammatory genes, notably

Characterizing Whole Brain Temporal Variation Of Functional Connectivity Via Zero And First Order Derivatives Of Sliding Window Correlations., Flor A Espinoza, Victor M Vergara, Eswar Damaraju, Kyle G Henke, Ashkan Faghiri, Jessica A Turner, Aysenil A Belger, Judith M Ford, Sarah C Mcewen, Daniel H Mathalon, Bryon A Mueller, Steven G Potkin, Adrian Preda, Jatin G Vaidya, Theo G M Van Erp, Vince D Calhoun

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

Brain functional connectivity has been shown to change over time during resting state fMRI experiments. Close examination of temporal changes have revealed a small set of whole-brain connectivity patterns called dynamic states. Dynamic functional network connectivity (dFNC) studies have demonstrated that it is possible to replicate the dynamic states across several resting state experiments. However, estimation of states and their temporal dynamicity still suffers from noisy and imperfect estimations. In regular dFNC implementations, states are estimated by comparing connectivity patterns through the data without considering time, in other words only zero order changes are examined. In this work we propose …

Are There Mortality Risks For Patients With Epilepsy Who Use Cannabis Treatments As Monotherapy?, Devon M Kollmyer, Kyla E Wright, Nicole M Warner, Michael J Doherty

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

Mortality associated with cannabis used for treatment of epilepsy is not well documented. We discuss two fatalities in the setting of epilepsy and self-determined therapy with cannabis (SDTC). One patient had probable sudden unexpected death in epilepsy, the second death was due to seizure-associated drowning. Both directed SDTC over conventional anti-seizure medications. Where recreational cannabis is legal, decisions to use cannabis are often self-directed and independent of physician advice of cannabis risks, in part because physicians may not be aware of the risk of SDTC. Further study of morbidity and mortality of SDTC in patients with epilepsy is needed.

How Might Tissue Glucose Influence Responsive Neurostimulation Detection?, Kyla E Wright, Devon M Kollmyer, Nicole M Warner, Alan M Haltiner, Ryder P Gwinn, Michael J Doherty

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

No abstract provided.

An Inflammatory Landscape For Preoperative Neurologic Deficits In Glioblastoma., Amal Katrib, Hyun-Hwan Jeong, Nina L Fransen, Kristin S Henzel, Jeremy A Miller

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

No abstract provided.

Difficult Conversations., Alison Christy

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

No abstract provided.