No abstract

Two or three-column neoplastic spinal disease requiring circumferential decompression and instrumented stabilization is commonly treated through combined anterior transcavitary and posterior surgical approaches. An alternative approach advocated in the literature is costotransversectomy and interbody cage insertion. The authors present an effective and less invasive treatment paradigm using a single-stage posterior transpedicular approach (TPA) to circumferential thoracic decompression and fixation, avoiding the morbidity of thoracic or thoraco-abdominal access based on a series of eight patients with upper thoracic neoplastic disease.

Ventriculoperitoneal shunt is a commonly performed procedure. Associated complications have been well described in the literature. This is the first case report of a splenic laceration caused by the distal catheter looping around the spleen, requiring a splenectomy. Careful study of pre-operative imaging is recommended in cases where intraabdominal injury is suspected.

We describe a case report of 17-year-old gentleman in whom Chiari I malformation was seen on supine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Both previous and subsequent MRI studies showed normal position of the cerebellar tonsils. To our knowledge, this is the first example of the spontaneous appearance and resolution of a type 1 Chiari malformation on supine MRI without any identifiable cause.