Spinal cord and brain stem anomalies in scoliosis: MR screening of 26 cases

The spinal cord and brain were examined with magnetic resonance (MR) in 26 patients with idiopathic scoliosis to study the prevalence of spinal cord and brainstem anomalies. Two patients had small centrally located spinal cord syrinxes, one at C6-C8 and the other at T6-T8, without association with any brainstem or cerebellar deformity. the lowest position of the cerebellar tonsils was 0.5 cm below the foramen magnum, which was also seen in 2 other patients. Scoliosis associated with syringomyelia may be more common than previously thought, and may be wrongly classified as idiopathic. A neurogenic cause of scoliosis should always be considered, and at least in atypical cases be excluded by MR imaging of the spinal cord. MR should be mandatory before bracing or operative correction of scoliosis.     

Spinal cord and brain stem anomalies in scoliosis: MR screening of 26 cases

The spinal cord and brain were examined with magnetic resonance (MR) in 26 patients with idiopathic scoliosis to study the prevalence of spinal cord and brainstem anomalies. Two patients had small centrally located spinal cord syrinxes, one at C6-C8 and the other at T6-T8, without association with any brainstem or cerebellar deformity. the lowest position of the cerebellar tonsils was 0.5 cm below the foramen magnum, which was also seen in 2 other patients. Scoliosis associated with syringomyelia may be more common than previously thought, and may be wrongly classified as idiopathic. A neurogenic cause of scoliosis should always be considered, and at least in atypical cases be excluded by MR imaging of the spinal cord. MR should be mandatory before bracing or operative correction of scoliosis.     

Spinal cord monitoring in neuromuscular scoliosis

This article reviews the use of spinal cord monitoring in neuromuscular scoliosis, a condition having a higher incidence of true positive results than idiopathic scoliosis. While somatosensory cortical evoked potentials (SCEP) are unreliable, somatosensory spinal evoked potentials (SSEP) are possible to obtain in most cases and a method using an epidural electrode is described. The '50% rule' is satisfactory having good specificity and sensitivity with it rare for post-operative paralysis to have occurred undetected. The spinal cord in these cases appears to have increased susceptibility particularly during the passage of sublaminar wires with the incidence of complications reduced using modern instrumentation.     

Spinal cord monitoring during operative correction of neuromuscular scoliosis.

We report our experience of the monitoring of spinal somatosensory evoked potentials in 60 patients with neuromuscular scoliosis. In 15 cases a significant change occurred in the trace when a sublaminar wire was tightened. There were no postoperative neurological deficits attributable to the surgery.     

Spinal cord lipoma. Apropos of 3 cases

Intramedullary lipomas are rare, benign tumors of the spinal cord. (1% of all primitive intramedullary tumors). Three cases are reported in this work. The clinical presentation and neuroradiological findings, specially C.T. scan have led in the three cases to a diagnostic of compressive myelopathy secondary to hypodense process situated intradurally in the cervico-thoracic region. The surgery was limited to decompression with biopsy (in 2 cases) and a partial removal in one case. The histologic examination showed a mature lipoma in the three cases. The evolution was good. The literature review allowed us to know that the opinions about surgical management of these tumors are very different. The operation which is always recommended in the evolving clinical cases is more controversial in other cases. It must be conservative, limited to a partial excision of the tumor, and even to a decompression biopsy when the anatomical conditions make it necessary.     

Spinal cord stimulation prevents the effects of combined experimental ischemic and traumatic brain injury. An MR study

Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) interferes with cerebral blood flow (CBF). In this paper we try to evaluate the possible preventing effect of SCS in an animal model of combined ischemic and traumatic injury. We studied 20 New Zealand rabbits undergoing ligature of both carotid arteries and a right hemispheric craniectomy and about 3 h mechanical injury (200 mg) over the dura. In 10 animals (control group) SCS was not delivered; in 10 (SCS group) cervical SCS was started 20 min after arterial ligation and before the craniectomy and the mechanical injury. MR examination was performed in all the animals at the end of the experiments. Compared to the control group none but one of the SCS showed lesional pattern far from the craniectomy suggesting a 'preventing' effect of SCS on the secondary damage associated with our model combined ischemic and traumatic brain injury.     

Spinal cord infarction: MRI and MEP findings in three cases.

We report findings of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in three patients with spinal cord ischemia. While myelography was normal in all three patients, MRI found pathological signal increase on the T2-weighted images in each case. Signal changes in T1-weighted images of hemorrhagic infarction were seen in one patient, and gadolinium-DTPA enhancement because of a disturbed blood-tissue barrier was noted in another. Motor evoked potentials after transcortical magnetic stimulation showed normal latencies with very low amplitudes as a sign of axonal loss in ischemia of the spinal cord.     

"特发性"胸椎左侧凸患者并发脊髓病变及其临床意义

目的 探讨对临床上无明显神经损害的"特发性"胸椎左侧凸患者存在的脊髓病变情况,并分析其临床意义.方法 1997年10月至2003年10月共诊治"特发性"胸椎左侧凸59例,其中男性31例,女性28例;年龄7～44岁,平均15岁;Cobb角15°～108°,平均56°.所有病例经临床及影像学检查,排除神经纤维瘤及先天性脊椎发育异常等病因.对临床诊断为"特发性"胸椎左侧凸的患者行全脊髓磁共振成像(MRI)检查,对脊髓病变的发生率进行统计.结果 59例"特发性"胸椎左侧凸患者经全脊髓MRI检查后,共有33例发现髓内病变,髓内病变发生率为56%,其中Chiari畸形合并脊髓空洞24例,脊髓空洞5例,Chiari畸形、脊髓空洞、脊髓裂1例,Chiari畸形、脊髓空洞、脊髓栓系1例,脊髓空洞合并栓系1例,Dandy-Walker畸形1例.其余26例未发现脊髓病变.分析伴有脊髓病变的胸椎左侧凸患者中男性比例及平均Cobb角均显著大于无脊髓病变的胸椎左侧凸(P＜0.05).结论 对于胸椎左侧凸,尤其是男性、Cobb角较大的患者需高度怀疑伴有脊髓病变.对于此类患者术前常规全脊髓MRI检查具有重要意义.     

脊柱截骨术治疗合并脊髓纵裂伴脊髓拴系综合征的先天性脊柱侧凸

目的:探讨脊柱截骨术治疗合并脊髓纵裂伴脊髓拴系综合征的先天性脊柱侧凸的安全性和有效性。方法:回顾性分析2007年6月~2013年6月在我院采用脊柱截骨手术治疗的23例合并脊髓纵裂伴脊髓拴系综合征的先天性脊柱侧凸患者。其中男6例,女17例;手术时年龄16.9±3.4岁(10~23岁)。腰骶部疼痛8例,其中5例仅表现为腰骶部疼痛,神经功能损害18例。术前冠状位Cobb角95.4°±25.2°(65°~156°)。Ⅰ型脊髓纵裂9例,Ⅱ型脊髓纵裂14例。脊髓圆锥位置均在L3水平以下。对合并Ⅰ型脊髓纵裂伴脊髓拴系的患者,采用骨性纵隔切除、一期脊柱截骨矫形;合并Ⅱ型脊髓纵裂伴脊髓拴系的患者单纯行一期脊柱截骨矫形(未处理纤维纵隔)。其中行全脊椎截骨13例,经椎弓根截骨10例。术前、术后3个月和末次随访时分别测量患者侧凸Cobb角,并按脊柱裂神经功能评分(SBNS)分级评估神经功能恢复情况。结果:手术时间571.1±136.5min(310~835min);术中失血量4888.3±2482.3ml(500~9600ml)。随访38.9±18.3个月(24~79个月)。术后冠状面Cobb角33.7°±15.9°(3°~73°),较术前明显改善(P0.05),矫正率平均为(62.3±14.1)%;末次随访时冠状面Cobb角37.4°±17.2°(5°~82°),矫正率平均为(58.1±14.7)%,较术后平均丢失4.2°±2.3°,与术后比较无明显矫形丢失(P0.05),但与术前相比有明显改善(P0.05)。末次随访时,18例患者神经损害症状获得不同程度改善,其中13例术前SBNS神经功能分级为Ⅱ级者术后恢复至Ⅰ级;2例Ⅲ级恢复至Ⅱ级;另外3例神经损害评分提高,SBNS分级维持不变,脊柱侧凸畸形及局部疼痛明显好转。围手术期出现并发症5例,其中2例术后出现单侧下肢肌力下降,1例术后2周下肢肌力恢复至4级,另1例于术后3个月恢复至术前水平,术后2年随访肌力基本恢复正常;术中发现胸膜破裂1例,术后脑脊液漏1例、泌尿系感染1例。所有病例术后无伤口感染、假关节形成、内固定松动/断裂及永久性神经损害并发症。结论:脊柱截骨术治疗合并脊髓纵裂伴脊髓拴系综合征的先天性脊柱侧凸患者安全有效,且对神经功能恢复有促进作用。     

Spinal cord/brain injury and the neurogenic bladder

This article reviews neurogenic bladder related to traumatic injury as well as vascular lesion of brain/spinal cord. Because urological manifestations of traumatic or vascular brain/spinal cord injury are highly diversified and complex, the approaches to achieve accurate diagnosis and administer proper treatment can be complicated. The goal of primary treatment is preservation of renal function and attainment of social continence. Maintaining low intravesical pressure and adequate bladder emptying are central to the treatment strategy. Diagnosis and appropriate urological management of these disease entities should depend on urodynamic studies because of poor correlation between clinical symptoms or somatic neurologic signs and urodynamic findings.     

School screening for scoliosis in Athens.

A randomly selected sample of 3494 children evenly representing a total population of 37 391 schoolchildren aged between eleven and twelve was screened for idiopathic scoliosis by the bending test. Ten per cent of the children showed clinical evidence of scoliosis and 6.4 per cent had positive radiological findings. Small curves were equally distributed between the two sexes, while large ones were more common in girls. Children with fair hair and blue eyes showed a higher percentage of positive findings than children with a dark complexion. A group of 112 children with curves between 7 and 16 degrees were followed up for an average of nineteen months. The pattern and evolution of these curves showed their close relationship to established scoliosis. Potential factors of instability and deterioration of the curves were evaluated.     

Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain stem in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis

The cause of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis remains an enigma. Several studies have demonstrated abnormalities of posture, proprioception, and equilibrium control in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. These functions are integrated by structures in and around the brain stem. Twenty-seven patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis were studied with magnetic resonance imaging to delineate the anatomy of the brain stem in such patients. Imaging was conducted from the hypothalamus to the spinal cord at C3 in 26 patients; the remaining patient underwent an incomplete study because of a claustrophobic reaction. The study group consisted of 25 females and 2 males with an average age of 16 + 5 years. There were 19 right thoracic curves, 5 thoracolumbar curves, and 3 left lumbar curves. The mean primary curve size was 27 degrees at the most recent clinical evaluation. Seven patients were treated with observation, 14 with bracing, and 6 with surgery. The magnetic resonance imaging studies were read independently by three attending radiologists in a randomized, blinded fashion along with the magnetic resonance imaging studies of 11 controls. Asymmetry in the ventral pons or medulla in the area of the corticospinal tracts was noted in seven study patients and one control; one study patient had an enlarged cisterna magna and one an inconclusive (incomplete) study. These findings may support previous studies that have suggested a central nervous system abnormality as a cause of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.