We present a literature review of the diagnosis and treatment of acquired lumbar spinal stenosis (LS), with a brief description of new surgical techniques. LS is the most common cause of spinal surgery in individuals older than 65 years of age. Neurogenic claudication and radiculopathy result from compression of the cauda equina and lumbosacral nerve roots by degenerated spinal elements. Surgic...

Pituitary apoplexy is a clinical syndrome characterized by acute headache, visual changes, and decreased consciousness occurring in association with hemorrhage or infarct of an existing pituitary adenoma. Surgical management involves tumor resection and decompression of surrounding structures including the optic apparatus. Vasospasm is a rare but potentially devastating complication of pituitar...

Herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE) is a serious viral infection with a high rate of mortality. The most commonly seen complications are behavioral changes, seizures and memory deficits. We report the case of a 37-year-old man with HSE in the right temporal lobe and a severe midline shift who was treated with acyclovir. The patient underwent anterior temporal lobe resection. Although HSE can caus...

Odontogenic infections (OI) are a major reason for consultation in dental practice. They affect people of all ages, and most of them respond well to current medical and surgical treatments. However, some OI can spread to vital and deep structures, overcome the host immune system - especially in diabetic, immunocompromised or weakened patients - and even prove fatal. Ludwig's angina is a severe ...

We present the case of a patient with low back pain who rapidly progressed to cauda equina syndrome due to an extended epidural abscess of the thoracic, lumbar and sacral spine. The patient was successfully treated with surgical decompression through laminectomies at L1, L3 and L5 levels and surgical drainage of the epidural pus. Six-week course of intravenous antibiotic therapy followed. At 6-...

BACKGROUND Tension pneumoperitoneum as a complication of iatrogenic bowel perforation during endoscopy is a dramatic condition in which intraperitoneal air under pressure causes hemodynamic and ventilatory compromise. Like tension pneumothorax, urgent intervention is required. Immediate surgical decompression though is not always possible due to the limitations of the preclinical management and...

This article reviews cervical laminoplasty. The origin of cervical laminoplasty dates back to cervical laminectomy performed in Japan ~50 years ago. To overcome poor surgical outcomes of cervical laminectomy, many Japanese orthopedic spine surgeons devoted their lives to developing better posterior decompression procedures for the cervical spine. Thanks to the development of a high-speed surgic...

Background: Popliteal (Baker) cysts are enlarged gastrocnemius-semimembranosus bursae leading to swelling in the popliteal fossa. Surgical decompression and capsulectomy is definitive treatment for symptomatic with arthroscopic or open decompression. Arthroscopic minimally invasive, entails lower risks, allows earlier more aggressive rehabilitation compared excision. Indications: Indications cy...