The majority of cauda equina tumors are primary tumors, and metastases are very rare. Intradural spinal metastasis pain is a characteristic cramping pain provoked by light percussion on the lumbar spine, becoming severe when sleeping in the flexion or sitting position. Magnetic resonance imaging is a useful tool for detecting intraspinal metastasis when the patient is complaining of a unique pain. A recapping T-saw laminoplasty to preserve posterior elements with tumor removal is feasible for relieving pain and demonstrating the pathology.

Cord distances are relatively smaller at C4/5 and C5/6 levels, resulting in a narrowing of the posterior subarachnoid space with posterior cord compression in patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy. The outcome of surgery was not correlated with the magnitude of postoperative backward shifting of the spinal cord, although the spinal cord of patients after posterior decompression moved significantly dorsally at any of the flexed, neutral, or extended spinal positions. Thus numerous factors might affect the postoperative outcomes.

A mediastinal dumbbell-shaped schwannoma has rarely been described as a cause of Horner's syndrome. Primary sympathetic nerve reconstruction with an intercostal nerve was shown to be useful after resection of the sympathetic nerve involved in the tumor.

Thirty-six patients who underwent primary unilateral total hip arthroplasty (THA) were randomly allocated to 4 groups with different pain control protocols; continuous femoral nerve block (FNB group), single-shot caudal epidural block with morphine (EB group), intravenous patient-controlled analgesia with fentanyl (IV-PCA group), and systemic administration of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs group). Postoperative pain was assessed using the numerical rating scale (NRS) scores and the analgesic effect was compared among the groups. The NRS upon arrival at the recovery room and 6 hours after surgery in the FNB, EB, and IV-PCA groups were significantly lower than that in the NSAIDs group. The amount of additional analgesics requested by the patient was smaller in the FNB, EB, and IV-PCA groups as compared to the NSAIDs group. Regarding the complications related to the analgesia, 5 of the 9 patients in the IV-PCA group complained nausea and vomiting and received antiemetic drugs. Delay in the rehabilitation process due to drowsiness was encountered in 3 patients in this group, while no patient in the FNB and EB groups suffered from delayed rehabilitation. Considering both the analgesic effect and the potential risk of complications, continuous femoral nerve blocks and caudal epidural blocks for are recommended for postoperative pain control after THA procedure.