Primary cranial vault lymphoma is an extremely rare finding. It should be considered in the differential diagnosis of scalp masses. Although the analysis of outcome of the reported cases is difficult because of the small number of occurrences of this entity and the variability of follow-up, a combination of surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy seems to offer better outcomes.

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Background: Superior laryngeal nerve block (SUPLANEB) is a popular airway anesthesia technique utilized for successful awake endotracheal intubation in patients with significant cervical spine instability. If not performed by an expert, it carries the risk of general/neurologic complications that are typically minimal/transient. However, permanent blindness and/or upper cranial nerve neuropathies may occur. Here, we describe a case in which a young patient underwent an atlantoaxial fusion for a C2 nonunion (e.g., following a fracture) complicated by unilateral blindness due to a SUPLANEB. Case Description: A 25-year-old neurologically intact male underwent a C1-C2 posterior arthrodesis to address a nonunion of a C2 fracture. To perform the awake nasotracheal intubation, a SUPLANEB was performed using a video laryngoscope. Although the operation was uneventful, postoperatively, the patient reported left visual loss accompanied by left-sided facial numbness and hearing loss. On examination of the left eye, the anterior segment and fundus examinations were normal, but the OCT (optical coherence tomography) and retinal angiography demonstrated left-sided postischemic retinal edema with permeability of the intraocular vessels. Although the cranio-orbital computed tomography scan showed only mild pneumocephalus, the CT angiogram scan revealed abnormal air in the left carotid sheath accompanied by diffuse subcutaneous emphysema. Further, brain and orbital magnetic resonance imaging scans were normal. The patient was treated with pure oxygen, systemic steroid therapy, and nimodipine. The pneumocephalus and subcutaneous emphysema resolved on day 3. At 2 months follow-up, the patient remained blind on the left side, but had no further neurological deficits. Conclusion: Blindness and upper cranial nerves neuropathies should be considered as potential complications of SUPLANEB. Notably, these deficits were not directly related to the operative positioning or neurosurgical spinal procedure.

Background:Surgical site infections following spinal surgery, including spinal abscesses, are rare but serious as they are major causes of morbidity, and even mortality. They are, however, rarely attributed to infected, retained surgical cottonoids or sponges (textiloma or gossypiboma) inadvertently left in an operative field.Case Description:A 53-year-old female with a history of two prior spinal operations at the L4-S1 levels (11 and 2 years previously) presented over a few weeks with the acute onset of a cauda equina syndrome (e.g., paraparesis and acute urinary incontinence). The patient demonstrated a mildly elevated white blood cell count (12,600/mm3) and abnormally increased C-reactive protein level that correlated with the magnetic resonance imaging that showed a dorsal epidural abscess extending from the L4 to S1 levels. At surgery, an encapsulated posterior epidural abscess was drained. Surgical findings included a granulomatous lesion consistent with a retained surgical cottonoid and was removed from the antero-inferior portion of the abscess wall at S1. Culture of the thick fibrotic abscess wall grew Klebsiella oxytoca. After 2 months of ciprofloxacin, the patient's infection cleared but the motor deficit only partially resolved.Conclusion:Most spinal textilomas (gossypibomas) are aseptic and are found in paraspinal areas without neurological symptoms or sequelae. These lesions may remain silent for years and may only rarely cause neurologic or infectious symptoms/signs. Notably, textilomas following spinal surgery may be largely avoided if proper cottonoid and sponge counts are done prior to closing spinal wounds.