The transcervical retropharyngeal approach to the craniovertebral junction provides direct access to the lesion and avoids the potential bacterial contamination of the oral and pharyngeal cavity. It also prevents the development of persistent fistulae. Posterior stabilization should be performed directly after anterior neural decompression, while the patient remains under anesthesia, to prevent neurological deterioration before subsequent posterior fixation. This technique also is helpful for early mobilization of patients. The aim of surgical treatment should be to obtain biopsy tissue and to perform radical excision of epidural granulation tissue/abscess and infected bone using microsurgical technique. Antituberculous medication must be continued for 18 months with four drug regimens, and continuous monitoring of drug toxicity should be performed throughout the course of treatment.

This article reports the results of photorefractive keratectomy in nine patients between 10 and 15 years of age who were treated for the following refractive errors: unilateral myopia, post intraocular lens myopia, and unequal hypermetropia with amblyopia. Visual acuity improved and spectacle correction decreased in all patients. There was significant visual improvement with pleoptic treatment in one amblyopic hypermetropic patient.