Merih Is

The thickness of the ligamentum flavum in relation to age and gender.

Hypertrophy of the ligamentum flavum (LF) can reduce the diameter of the spinal canal posteriorly. Such stenosis may significantly compress the dural sac and nerve roots, resulting in symptoms, even without a bulging anulus fibrosus or herniated nucleus pulposus. We conducted an anatomical study to determine the influence of age and gender on the thickness of the LF at the lower lumbar levels using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The thickness of 1,280 ligaments was determined at the L4‐L5 and L5‐S1 levels from MRIs. We screened 320 patients (152 males [47.5%] and 168 females [52.5%]) between 21 and 82 years of age. There were no significant differences in LF thickness with respect to gender (P > 0.05). Age was not correlated with the thicknesses of the LF. The left LF at the L4‐L5 and L5‐S1 levels was significantly thicker than on the right side (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the LF thicknesses at L5‐S1 bilaterally were significantly greater than on the corresponding sides at L4‐L5 (P < 0.05). The LF is an important anatomical structure, which might cause low back or leg pain. Therefore, the thickness of the LF should be measured and evaluated carefully in the case of spinal stenosis. Clin. Anat. 23:79–83, 2010.

A retained surgical sponge (gossypiboma) mimicking a paraspinal abscess

Gossypiboma (textiloma, gauzoma, muslinoma) is a rare iatrogenic mass caused by the retention of gauze fibres during surgery. This intraoperative complication has rarely been reported for an intraspinal or paraspinal location. Here, we present a patient in whom a retained surgical sponge between the paraspinal muscles was encountered 3 years after lumbar surgery, and discuss the radiological and pathological appearance and differential diagnosis.

Influence of age and sex on lumbar vertebral morphometry determined using sagittal magnetic resonance imaging.

We evaluated age-related changes in the morphometric features of lumbar vertebrae in both sexes using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Midsagittal MRI scans of 366 individuals (156 males, 210 females; 25-82 years old) were evaluated retrospectively. The anterior height (H(a)), central height (H(c)), posterior height (H(p)), and anteroposterior diameter (D) of the body of each lumbar vertebra were measured. These measurements were used to calculate three indices, namely, the anterior wedge index (H(a)/H(p)), the biconcavity index (H(c)/H(p)), and the compression index (H(p)/D). The values of each of the three indices for the upper lumbar vertebrae of females were higher than those of the same vertebrae in males. The values of the compression index for all lumbar vertebrae decreased with age in females, whereas in males the compression index of the L1-L4 vertebrae decreased with age. No significant changes were observed in the value of the anterior wedge index in either sex. The biconcavity indices of the L1 and L5 vertebrae decreased with age in males. These results may be useful for evaluating age-related morphological changes that occur in the lumbar vertebrae.

Age-related changes in the rat hippocampus.

The human brain is uniquely powerful in its cognitive abilities, yet the hippocampal and neocortical circuits that mediate these complex functions are highly vulnerable during aging. In this study, we analyzed age-related changes in the rat hippocampus by studying newborn (1 month), middle-aged (12 months), and older (24 months) male and female Sprague-Dawley rats. We evaluated neuronal dystrophy, neuron scattering, and granulovacuolar degeneration in the hippocampal area using light microscopy, according to age and gender. We detected significant neuronal dystrophy in the CA1, CA2, and CA3 areas in male rats, and in the CA1, CA3, and CA4 areas in female rats. Degenerative changes, indicated by neuron scattering, were observed in the CA1, CA2, and CA3 areas of male and the CA2 and CA4 areas of female rats. Changes in all areas of the hippocampus were observed with increasing age; these changes included neuronal dystrophy and neuron scattering and did not differ significantly between male and female rats.

Intracranial epidural abscess secondary to isolated sphenoid sinusitis

Isolated sphenoid sinus infection, although an uncommon entity, can cause severe cranial complications when left untreated. A case of temporal epidural abscess secondary to isolated sphenoid sinusitis in a 13-year-old boy is presented. Early diagnosis and treatment are critical because the disease can progress rapidly.

Giant cavernous haemangioma in an infant

Cavernous haemangiomas are benign vascular lesions of the central nervous system. Their size varies from a few millimetres to several centimetres. Giant and paediatric cases are rare. This report presents a 10-month-old baby with a giant multilobular cavernous haemangioma in the left parietal lobe who presented with seizures.

A 13-year-old girl with a cystic cerebellar lesion: consider the hydatid cyst.

We report a 13-year-old girl with a hydatid cyst located in the posterior fossa. The pre-operative diagnosis was a cerebellar tumour; the cyst was operated on using puncture, aspiration, irrigation and resection. Sixteen months post-operatively, the patient is in a good health. A hydatid cyst must always be considered in the differential diagnosis of cystic lesions of the cranium, especially for those children living in rural areas.