Neuroadapted Sindbis virus (NSV) is a neurotropic virus capable of inducing the death of spinal motor neurons in mice and rats. In this study we investigated the mechanisms that underlie NSV-induced motor neuron death. We found that many degenerating spinal motor neurons were not infected directly with NSV, suggesting that bystander cell death occurs. An excitotoxic mechanism was confirmed when...

Postoperative spinal wound infection is a potentially devastating complication after operative spinal procedures. Despite the utilization of perioperative prophylactic antibiotics in recent years and improvements in surgical technique and postoperative care, wound infection continues to compromise patients' outcome after spinal surgery. In the modern era of pending health care reform with incre...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the results of negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT) in the treatment of surgical spinal site infections. MATERIALS AND METHODS The use of NPWT in postoperative infections after dorsal spinal surgery (transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion plus posterior instrumentation) was studied retrospectively. From February 2011 to January 2012, six patients (females) out of 317 (...

Pneumorrhachis is a rare phenomenon which may be caused by trauma, intracraneal infection, pneumomediastinum or iatrogenic factors. Presence of air in the spinal canal is reported in most cases. In this article, we report a case with PR in the spinal canal without any neurological deficit, which developed secondary to subcutaneous emphysema.

BACKGROUND Metastatic spinal tumors are common and major causes of pathological spinal fractures that result in severe pain, weakness, and progressive neurological deficits. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) in pain-relief in patients with spinal fractures due to metastatic spinal tumors. METHODS We evaluated 25 documented cases of metastatic spinal...

BACKGROUND Spinal epidural abscess (SEA) is uncommon but has a potentially disastrous outcome. Its early recognition and management may lead to satisfactory results. We analyzed the clinical manifestations, sources of infection, and outcomes of patients with SEA. METHODS Between 1997 and 2003, 17 patients in the Department of Neurosurgery at Keelung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital had SEA. We re...