Object The X-Stop interspinous device is designed for the treatment of patients with neurogenic intermittent claudication due to lumbar spinal stenosis. It distracts the posterior elements of adjacent vertebral bodies, unloading the intervertebral disc, limiting spinal extension, and improving central canal and neuroforaminal stenosis. In this paper, the authors reviewed the complications and failure/reoperation rates in a small series of patients and compared their results with other reported complication and failure/reoperation rates. Methods The medical records of all patients who underwent placement of the X-Stop device for the treatment of NIC at the authors' institution were retrospectively evaluated, and demographic information, diagnosis, and preoperative pain levels were recorded. Postoperatively, patients subjectively graded the percentage (0–100%) of improvement in pain as well as the amount of residual pain and underwent imaging at 1-, 3-, and 6-month intervals. Approximately 4 years after X-Stop placement, information on long-term outcomes was obtained from patient medical records or additional follow-up. Results Thirteen patients (8 men and 5 women) underwent placement of the X-Stop device. Central canal stenosis with bilateral foraminal stenosis was diagnosed in all patients: 9 (69%) of 13 had severe stenosis and 4 (31%) of 13 had moderate stenosis. Five patients (38%) also had associated Grade I spondylolisthesis. Nine patients underwent placement of the X-Stop device at the L4–5 interspinous space and 4 at both the L3–4 and L4–5 levels. The average duration of follow-up was 42.9 months (range 3–48 months). Initially, pain improved an average of 72% (range 50–100%) in these patients; however, preoperative pain returned in 77% of the patients (10 of 13). The overall complication rate was 38%, including 3 spinous process fractures (23%) and 2 instances of new-onset radiculopathy (15%). The ultimate failure rate requiring additional spinal surgery was 85% (11 of 13 patients). These complication and failure rates are much higher than those previously reported. Conclusions Overdistraction, poor bone density, poor patient selection, and preexistent adjacent foraminal stenosis may all be factors in the development of the aforementioned complications. Thus, careful attention should be paid preoperatively to adjacent-level disease, bone density, appropriate implant size, and optimal patient selection.

Endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) has gained popularity and has become the treatment of choice for certain pediatric and adult hydrocephalic conditions. The authors report their experience with 36 adult patients and evaluate the long-term outcome and safety of ETV. They discuss several improvements to the surgical techniques that they have developed based on their experience, including the use of intraoperative Doppler imaging before fenestration to trace the location of vessels underlying the floor of the third ventricle. They also report the use of a Rickham reservoir and endoventricular stent in selected cases and discuss the indications for their use. In cases of obstructive hydrocephalus due to congenital or acquired aqueductal stenosis in adults, the success rate of ETV in avoidance of shunt placement is 72%. Twenty-two percent of the patients in this series in whom ETV was initially successful later experienced closure of the fenestration and recurrent symptoms at a mean interval of 3.75 years. Thus, in patients who undergo this treatment, long-term periodic follow-up review should be performed.

Aneurysms arising in the petrous segment of the internal carotid artery (ICA) are rare. Although the causes of petrous ICA aneurysms remain unclear, traumatic, infectious, and congenital origins have been implicated in their development. These lesions can be detected incidentally on routine neuroimaging. Patients can also present with a wide spectrum of signs and symptoms, including cranial nerve palsies, Horner syndrome, pulsatile tinnitus, epistaxis, and otorrhagia. The treatment of petrous ICA aneurysms remains challenging. Treatment options include close observation, endovascular therapies, and surgical trapping with or without revascularization. Management dilemmas exist, particularly for incidental lesions found in asymptomatic patients. The authors review the literature and discuss the anatomy of the petrous ICA as well as the pathophysiological features of aneurysms arising in this region, and they propose a management paradigm with current treatment options.

Photophobia is a common neurological and ophthalmological symptom that has been associated with a growing number of neurosurgical conditions, especially compressive lesions. The exact signaling pathways and neurophysiological features of the disorder are not well understood; however, data from multiple studies have shown the significance of the trigeminal system and the pretectal nuclei in its pathophysiology. The authors report on a rare case of a blind patient who presented with photophobia without evidence of light perception. They also review the literature and early experimental data in an effort to understand the possible neuronal pathways and structures involved in photophobia.