Surgical technique of laparoscopic pyloromyotomy for infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis

We report herein a new method of performing laparoscopic pyloromyotomy for infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis, using refined surgical techniques. The pyloric tumor was immobilized by grasping the first portion of the duodenum and the anterior wall of the stomach, and electrocoagulation was used prior to incising the pyloric tumor to minimize bleeding during the procedure. Although this technique has been applied in only two patients so far, we present the details herein. We believe that with technical and instrumental refinements, the speed and safety of laparoscopic pyloromyotomy will improve and it will become an alternative to open surgery in pediatric patients.     

The lumbar and lumbosacral facet-syndrome. Diagnostic measures,surgical treatment and results in 119 patients

Summary The authors present their diagnostic and therapeutic protocol as well as the surgical outcome in a series of 119 patients with the lumbar facet syndrome.By use of different surgical techniques such as translaminar screw fixation (n=56), Louis plate fixation (n=36), Cotrel-Dubousset instrumentation (n=11) and soft system stabilization according to Graf (n=14) excellent, good, satisfactory, moderate and poor results were obtained in 78 (67%), 20 (17%), 14 (12%), 4 (3%), and 1 (1%) instances, respectively.     

Delayed pain response after lumbar discography

Summary The delayed onset of symptomatic pain following lumbar discography (with no immediate pain response) is described in six patients, five with a minimum 2-year follow-up. It is usually seen in patients with nearly normal disc morphology who have incomplete or discrete annular tears that are not filled at the time of injection. Later (2–12 h in this study), dye leakage occurs through these lesions, thereby precipitating the discogenic pain This phenomenon may be missed and is probably more common than previously believed due to early discharge from the hospital, the patient expecting discomfort after the invasive study (hence no complaint is made), and the clinician being unaware of this delayed symptom, thereby not asking about it in follow-up. Close patient questioning regarding a delayed onset of symptomatic pain after discography is, therefore, an essential element in diagnostic information following this study.     

开放手术观察腰椎间盘突出症溶核失败45例分析

目的 通过开放手术观察分析椎间盘髓核化学溶解术治疗腰椎间盘突出症失败原因。方法 收集溶核失败的腰椎间盘突出症45例行开放手术治疗。结果 术中见45例硬膜外脂肪完全消失，43例髓核未见溶解，2例髓核溶解呈糊状但未被吸收，21例伴有侧隐窝狭窄，15例突出物与神经根粘连，20例黄韧带增厚，2例椎管骨性狭窄，14例突出物钙化。结论 腰椎间盘突出症病变间隙合并有侧隐窝狭窄、神经根粘连、椎管狭窄、突出物钙化等，不是溶核治疗的适应证。     

前路减压Z-plate内固定治疗胸腰段爆裂性骨折伴不全性截瘫

目的 探讨胸腰段爆裂性骨折伴不全瘫前路减压内固定优越性以及Z-plate系统的优点。方法 采用前路减压Z-plate内固定治疗胸腰段爆裂性骨折伴不全瘫25例。结果 全部病例均获随访，随访时间6～24个月，平均17个月。按Frankel分级评定有1～3级恢复，随访期间无后凸加重及内固定松动，植骨融合。结论 前路减压Z-plate内固定是治疗胸腰段爆裂性骨折的较好方法。     

Occult spinal dysraphism in children: need for early neurosurgical referral

The natural history of occult spinal dysraphism in children is one of progressive and unpredictable neurological deficit. The modern role of neurosurgery is in the prevention of deterioration rather than correction of established disability. A prospective study was carried out on 40 consecutive patients to analyse the referral pattern of children with this condition. The age, reason for referral, clinical history and source of referral was recorded in each case. The reason for referral varied with age. Of the 40 patients studied, only 12 were found to be without neurological deficit at the time of referral. The incidence of progressive neurological deterioration increased with increasing age. The referral source in different age groups varied, but in all age groups relatively few were referred by the general paediatricians or paediatric neurologists. For optimum surgical results, early referral and treatment is desirable and should become our objective.     

Intramedullary pilocytic astrocytomas — a clinical and morphological study after combined surgical and photon or neutron therapy

Ten patients suffering from intramedullary pilocytic astrocytomas (WHO-classification: astrocytoma grade I) were investigated catamnesticly. Combined surgery and radiotherapy was performed. Seven patients received neutron irradiation postoperatively. In four cases the neurological symptoms were improved after follow-up periods ranging from 33 to 89 months. The three other patients died after 6 to 21 months. The autopsy findings of a 14 year old child are presented. Our results are compared with reports in the literature. In addition, long-term problems of the spinal column are discussed. It seems that the combined surgical and neutron therapy improves the prognosis of pencil gliomas.     

Experimental Hydrocephalus in Suckling Hamster Induced by Myxovirus Infection

Abstract This study was undertaken to elucidate the pathogenesis of the hydrocephalus and aqueductal stenosis induced by intracerebral mumps virus inoculation in suckling hamsters.
Mild ventricular dilatation became apparent after 5 days of inoculation. Focal denuding of the ependymal layer and subsequent aqueductal stenosis were observed by 14 days after inoculation. The virus antigen was detected not only in the ependymal cells and choroid plexus, but also in some neurons in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, midbrain and cerebellum. In the cerebral aqueduct, the orderly arrangement of the cilialy clusters was destroyed on the 5th day after inoculation. After 10 days, proliferation of GFAP positive cells was noticed around the cerebral aqueduct and subsequently caused aqueductal stenosis. In the advanced state of hydrocephalus, the cerebellum was displaced downward and showed an elongated, atrophic and sleevelike structure similar to the Arnold-Chiari malformation. It was suggested that the extensive damage of the ependymal cilia may account for early ventricular dilatation, and subsequent aqueductal stenosis with glial proliferation is the main cause of the advanced hydrocephalus. It has not yet been determined whether the mumps virus can pass through the human placenta or not. If it can, however, our results strongly suggest that mumps virus infection in the human fetus will cause congenital hydrocephalus.