No abstract

Objective:The objective of this study was to retrospectively study Chiari I malformation patients (<18 years) treated surgically.Materials and Methods:Chiari I malformation patients (<18 years) treated surgically at our institute were retrospectively studied.Results:During the study period between January 1999 and June 2011, fifty patients, aged ≤18 years with Chiari malformation, were treated surgically and formed the basis for this series. There were 21 female children (42%) and 29 male children (58%), with a female-to-male ratio of 1:1. At the last follow-up, oropharyngeal symptoms were improved in 33% (n = 3/9). Headache/neck/back pain improved in 69.56% of children (n = 16/23). Upper-extremity pain/weakness/numbness improved in 73.91% of children (n = 17/23). Ataxia improved in 66.66% of children (n = 4/6). Lower-limb weakness/hyperreflexia improved in 83.33% of children (n = 5/6). At follow-up, magnetic resonance imaging for patients with syrinx was available for 75% of patients (n = 30/50) and not available for 25% of patients (n = 10/40). Syrinx was diminished in size or resolved in 66.33% of patients (n = 19/30) and the remaining was same for 36.66% of patients (n = 11/30).Conclusions:The main goal of surgery is to arrest the progression of neurological deficits. Foramen magnum decompression with a lax duroplasty is the surgical procedure of choice.

No abstract

Background: We performed a retrospective study of 67 patients and their data for radiological investigations by serial Xrays, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, uniform surgical procedure of craniotomy. The results were analyzed to determine the natural course of the disease, anatomical changes at various intervals following trauma, and outcome of surgical procedure in terms of cranial reconstruction, seizures, and progress in neurological deficit. Results: Among 67 patients, 34 (50.74%) were male and 33 (49.26%) were female patients. About 86.67% of patients sustained the injury before the age of 3 years. Development of seizures in 28 patients (41.80%) is the most common symptom. In our study, 43.28% of patients (29 cases) had a combination of Type I and II of growing skull fracture. The dural defects confirmed in all cases were nearly twice (average 1.42) as large as the bone defects. All patients under the age of 3 years with diastatic skull fracture should be closely followed up and should be examined 2–3 months later to look for evidence of a growing skull fracture. Linear fractures and burst fractures in an infant with a scalp swelling must be corrected early to prevent a growing skull fracture. Conclusion: Early management can avoid difficult surgical dissection and progressive neurological sequelae seen with delayed intervention. Surgical correction results in the prevention of brain shift and increase in meningocerebral cicatrices. Meticulous surgery and vigilant postoperative care reduce the morbidity and mortality. In our opinion, the autologous material is the best choice because of its tissue compatibility, convenience, inexpensiveness, and rare rate of infection.

Epidural injections with or without steroids are used extensively in the management of chronic spinal pain. However, evidence is contradictory with continuing debate about the value of epidural steroid injections in chronic spinal syndromes. The objective of this systematic review is to determine the effectiveness of epidural injections in the treatment of chronic spinal pain.