Fahrettin Çelik

Circumferential stabilization with ghost screwing after posterior resection of spinal metastases via transpedicular route.

Various surgical methods have been described for treating spinal metastases, namely, en bloc spondylectomy, minimally invasive techniques, and anterior and posterior approaches. The main goals in surgical intervention for these lesions are tumor removal and establishment of strong, durable stabilization. The least invasive method is always preferred. Posterior transpedicular spondylectomy meets all these needs, as this method achieves tumor excision and stabilization of the anterior and posterior spine through one posterior incision and in the same surgical session. The surgeon circumferentially excises a spinal metastasis and then achieves circumferential stabilization in the same session. Numerous circumferential stabilization methods have been used to date, including placement of free bone grafts or cages or acrylic grafts, or insertion of an acrylic graft supported by a Steinmann pin anteriorly and by posterior transpedicular fixators or a Luque rectangle posteriorly. This article describes seven cases of spinal metastasis in which an alternative circumferential stabilization technique known as “ghost screwing” was performed. The first step in this method is circumferential decompression, achieved with laminectomy followed by eggshell corpectomy via the transpedicular route. Then a short segmental transpedicular stabilization system is fixed to the vertebrae cranial and caudal to the laminectomy/corpectomy defect. Prior to fixing the rods in place, an additional screw is mounted on each rod such that the screw shaft protrudes into the defect space. Once the rods are fixed and the two extra screws are optimally positioned, acrylic bone cement is introduced into the defect site, encasing the ghost screws and forming an anterior graft upon hardening. The outcomes in our cases were excellent. All seven patients had uneventful postoperative periods and all experienced pain relief and were able to mobilize early. Direct connection of the anterior acrylic graft to the posterior fixation system via ghost screws makes this system strong and durable, and prevents subsidence or horizontal displacement of the graft. Such complications can be serious issues with other circumferential systems that use independent anterior and posterior fixators.

Simple technique for removing broken pedicular screw with plain and serviceable screwdriver

Removing the broken pedicular screw after spinal hardware failure is usually problematic. A specially designed simple screwdriver and easy removal technique of broken pedicular screw with this screwdriver are described in this article.

A quick-solidifying, coloured silicone mixture for injecting into brains for autopsy: technical report

The injection of cadaver brains is invaluable for anatomic study, but cadavers that have been properly handled are not easy to obtain. A large number of cadavers pass through forensic departments around the world, and these cadavers could provide hundreds of research specimens, though they remain in the forensic unit for only a short time. The injection of a silicone mixture that quickly solidifies during autopsy would provide greater numbers of fresh specimens for study. The authors describe a technique for injecting a self-curing silicone mixture that can be used on autopsy specimens in a forensic unit. This technique does not interfere with routine autopsy findings. We describe the preparation of the mixture and autopsy specimens, the injection process, and the method for removing injected brains from cadavers. The solidifying process took a 1-h duration in this injection method and was in accord with autopsy procedure. The arterial bed was satisfactorily filled, and even small perforating branches and pial anastomoses were well demonstrated. Injecting autopsy specimens with the quick-solidifying silicone mixture allows anatomical studies of specimens even from cadavers admitted to forensic departments for only a short time. This method can provide neurosurgery laboratories with sufficient numbers of specimens appropriate for various studies.

Intranasal (transethmoidal) encephalomeningocele. Case report

Intranasal encephaloceles are rarely encountered in pediatric neurosurgery. The symptoms and clinical features may mimic those of nasal polyp. It is important to know the type of basal encephalomeningocele for appropriate surgical intervention. Computed tomographic examination is helpful for differential diagnosis of the encephalocele sac and localization of the cranial bone defect.

The Localization of the Asterion According to the Anatomical Landmarks of Posterior Cranial Fossa in Newborns: Clinical Implications

El proposito de este estudio fue determinar la localizacion del asterion de acuerdo con los puntos anatomicos de la fosa craneal posterior y su relacion con los senos de abordajes quirurgicos posterolaterales en los recien nacidos. Fueron utilizadas 70 hemicabezas y se coloco una aguja de alrededor de 2 mm de diametro en el punto central del asterion (fontanela posterolateral) en todo el tejido oseo craneal produciendose la formacion de un angulo recto con la superficie osea. La localizacion del asterion y las mediciones de los puntos de referencia anatomicos internos y externos fueron investigados en cadaveres de neonatos a termino. La localizacion del asterion se encontro en la union sinusal transverso sigmoide (STJ) (cuadrados 5., 6., 7., 8.) en el 40% de los casos en el lado derecho y en el 34%, en el lado izquierdo. Ademas, se encontro por debajo del STJ (cuadrados 9., 10., 11., 12.) en un 60% de los casos en el lado derecho y en el 63% de los casos en el lado izquierdo. Se determino que la localizacion mas frecuente del asterion fue 11., tanto para los lados derecho e izquierdo, 12 casos (34%) para el lado derecho y 11 casos (31,4%) para el lado izquierdo. El asterion no se encuentra en los cuadrados 1., 2., 3., 4., 5. y 12. del lado derecho y 1., 3., 4., 8. y 9. del lado izquierdo. Se determino que la region del asterion tiene una distancia promedio de 19,9 mm al meato acustico interno, 31,7 mm al proceso clinoides posterior, 34,4 mm al dorso selar, 19,2 mm al foramen yugular y 23,0 mm al canal hipogloso, internamente. La distancia del asterion a la raiz del hueso cigomatico fue 28,8 mm y 22,3 mm a la columna vertebral, siendo de 15,8 mm al proceso mastoides y 35,9 mm a la protuberancia occipital externa. En los recien nacidos, se sugiere un area de 1cm2 y se colocan en 4 casillas superiores de nuestro diagrama a escala, como una zona segura para la realizacion de la primera trepanacion para evitar el riesgo de sangrado de los senos sigmoide y transverso en craneotomias de fosa posterior.