Publications (7)15.03 Total impact
-
Article: Evaluation of the rate of decompression in anterior cervical corpectomy using an intra-operative computerized tomography scan (O-Arm system).
[show abstract] [hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of intra-operative computerized tomography (CT) scanning in the analysis of bone removal accuracy during anterior cervical corpectomy, in order to allow any necessary immediate correction in the event of inadequate bone removal. From September 2009 to December 2010 we performed an intra-operative (CT) scan using the O-Arm(™) Image system to assess the rate of central and lateral decompression in all patients treated for cervical spondylotic myelopathy by anterior cervical corpectomy and fusion. Out of a population of 187 patients admitted to our department, with a diagnosis of myelopathy due to spondylotic degenerative cervical stenosis, 15 patients underwent a surgical treatment with anterior cervical corpectomy and fusion. There were nine males (60%) and six females (40%); the mean age was 52.4 years, ranging from 41 to 57 years. The pre-operative radiologic investigations (MRI and CT scans) revealed in the nine patients (60%) the extent of the compression to one vertebral body (C4 one case, C5 four cases, C6 four cases), while in the six cases (40%) the compression regarded two vertebral body (C3 and C4 one case, C4 and C5 two cases, C5 and C6 three cases). During surgery, when the decompression was judged completely, a CT scan was performed: in 11 cases (73.3%) the decompression was considered adequate, while in four cases (26.7%) it was deemed insufficient and the surgical strategy was changed in order to optimize the bone removal. In these cases an additional scan was taken to prove the efficacy of decompression, achieved in all patients. Intra-operative CT scan performed during cervical corpectomy is a really useful tool in helping to ensure complete bone removal and the adequacy of surgery. The O-arm(™) Image system grants optimal image quality, allowing correctly assessing the rate of decompression and, in any case of doubt, allows an intra-operative evaluation of the final correct positioning of the graft.European Spine Journal 09/2011; 21(2):359-63. · 1.97 Impact Factor -
Article: Stand-alone cage for posterior lumbar interbody fusion in the treatment of high-degree degenerative disc disease: design of a new device for an "old" technique. A prospective study on a series of 116 patients.
[show abstract] [hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: Chronic lumbar pain due to degenerative disc disease affects a large number of people, including those of fully active age. The usual self-repair system observed in nature is a spontaneous attempt at arthrodesis, which in most cases leads to pseudoarthrosis. In recent years, many possible surgical fusion techniques have been introduced; PLIF is one of these. Because of the growing interest in minimally invasive surgery and the unsatisfactory results reported in the literature (mainly due to the high incidence of morbidity and complications), a new titanium lumbar interbody cage (I-FLY) has been developed to achieve solid bone fusion by means of a stand-alone posterior device. The head of the cage is blunt and tapered so that it can be used as a blunt spreader, and the core is small, which facilitates self-positioning. From 2003 to 2007, 119 patients were treated for chronic lumbar discopathy (Modic grade III and Pfirrmann grade V) with I-FLY cages used as stand-alone devices. All patients were clinically evaluated preoperatively and after 1 and 2 years by means of a neurological examination, visual analogue score (VAS) and Prolo Economic and Functional Scale. Radiological results were evaluated by polyaxial computed tomography (CT) scan and flexion-extension radiography. Fusion was defined as the absence of segmental instability on flexion-extension radiography and Bridwell grade I or II on CT scan. Patients were considered clinical "responders" if VAS evaluation showed any improvement over baseline values and a Prolo value >7 was recorded. At the last follow-up examination, clinical success was deemed to have been achieved in 90.5% of patients; the rate of bone fusion was 99.1%, as evaluated by flexion-extension radiography, and 92.2%, as evaluated by CT scan. Morbidity (nerve root injury, dural lesions) and complications (subsidence and pseudoarthrosis) were minimal. PLIF by means of the stand-alone I-FLY cage can be regarded as a possible surgical treatment for chronic low-back pain due to high-degree DDD. This technique is not demanding and can be considered safe and effective, as shown by the excellent clinical and radiological success rates.European Spine Journal 03/2011; 20 Suppl 1:S46-56. · 1.97 Impact Factor -
Article: Cervical synovial cyst: case report and review of literature.
[show abstract] [hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: Synovial cysts, typically observed in the lumbar spine eventually associated with degenerative changes of the facet joints, only rarely present in the cervical spine. Up to now, only 28 symptomatic cases are described in literature. Typically, the treatment of these cases is a decompressive laminectomy followed by complete surgical removal of the lesion. The authors present the case of an 84-year-old man with a symptomatic synovial cyst involving the space between C7 and T1.European Spine Journal 08/2009; 19 Suppl 2:S100-2. · 1.97 Impact Factor -
Article: Microsurgical management of pineal region lesions: personal experience with 119 patients.
[show abstract] [hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: Lesions of the pineal region are histopathologically heterogeneous but often accompanied with severe progression of clinical signs. Surgical treatment remains challenging because of the close vicinity of the deep venous system and the mesencephalo-diencephalic structures in this region. We present the surgical approaches and techniques in a consecutive series of 119 patients treated by the senior author (J.H.) between 1980 and 2007 at 2 different neurosurgical university centers in Kuopio and Helsinki, Finland. Of the included patients, 107 (90%) presented with pineal region tumors and 12 (10%) with vascular malformations. The ITSC route was used for removal of the lesion in 111 (93%) patients and the OIH approach in 8 (7%) patients. All except one patient were operated on in a sitting position. We reviewed all clinical data and radiographic images and analyzed all surgical videos. The pineal lesions were removed completely in most cases (88%). There was no surgical mortality. Twenty-two (18%) of the patients had complications in the postoperative period; these included 1 epidural hematoma, 9 transient Parinaud syndrome, 2 meningitis, 3 wound infections, 2 transient memory disturbances, 2 mild hemiparesis, 1 CSF fistula, and 2 cranial nerves palsies (IV and VI). During a 3.5-year follow-up, 12 patients with malignant lesions died; all patients with benign tumors survived. The ITSC route is a safe and effective surgical approach, associated with low morbidity, complete lesion removal, and definitive histopathologic diagnosis. Considering risk vs benefit, we therefore believe that the surgical treatment can be offered in most cases as the first treatment option for pineal tumors.Surgical Neurology 01/2009; 70(6):576-83. · 1.67 Impact Factor -
Article: Degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis: analysis of results in a series of 374 patients treated with unilateral laminotomy for bilateral microdecompression.
[show abstract] [hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: Surgical decompression is the recommended treatment in patients with moderate to severe degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis (DLSS) in whom symptoms do not respond to conservative therapy. Multilevel disease, poor patient health, and advanced age are generally considered predictors of a poor outcome after surgery, essentially because of a surgical technique that has always been considered invasive and prone to causing postoperative instability. The authors present a minimally invasive surgical technique performed using a unilateral approach for lumbar decompression. A retrospective study was conducted of data obtained in a consecutive series of 473 patients treated with unilateral microdecompression for DLSS over a 5-year period (2000-2004). Clinical outcome was measured using the Prolo Economic and Functional Scale and the visual analog scale (VAS). Radiological follow-up included dynamic x-ray films of the lumbar spine and, in some cases, computed tomography scans. Follow-up was completed in 374 (79.1%) of 473 patients--183 men and 191 women. A total of 520 levels were decompressed: 285 patients (76.2%) presented with single-level stenosis, 86 (22.9%) with two-level stenosis, and three (0.9%) with three-level stenosis. Three hundred twenty-nine patients (87.9%) experienced a clinical benefit, which was defined as neurological improvement in VAS and Prolo Scale scores. Only three patients (0.8%) reported suffering segmental instability at a treated level, but none required surgical stabilization, and all were successfully treated conservatively. Evaluation of the results indicates that unilateral microdecompression of the lumbar spine offers a significant improvement for patients with DLSS, with a lower rate of complications.Journal of Neurosurgery Spine 01/2008; 7(6):579-86. · 1.53 Impact Factor -
Article: A microsurgical study of the anatomy and course of the ophthalmic artery and its possibly dangerous anastomoses.
[show abstract] [hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: The authors studied the microsurgical anatomy of the ophthalmic artery (OphA), paying particular attention to its possibly dangerous anastomoses with the middle meningeal artery (MMA). The microsurgical anatomy of the OphA and its anastomoses with the MMA were studied in 14 vessels from seven adult cadaveric heads. The origination order of the OphA branches varies in relation to whether the artery, along its intraorbital course, crosses above or below the optic nerve (ON). The central retinal artery is the first branch to course from the OphA when it crosses over the ON, and it is the second branch to course from the OphA when the artery crosses under the ON. Anastomoses between branches of the MMA and the OphA were present in the majority of the specimens examined. Detailed knowledge of the microanatomy of the OphA and recognition of anastomoses between the external carotid artery and the OphA are critically important in avoiding disastrous complications during endovascular procedures.Journal of Neurosurgery 02/2007; 106(1):142-50. · 2.96 Impact Factor -
Article: Endoscope-assisted infratentorial-supracerebellar approach to the third ventricle: an anatomical study.
[show abstract] [hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: The authors studied the microsurgical anatomy and endoscopic features of the pineal region and third ventricle to describe a combined microsurgical-endoscopic infratentorial-supracerebellar approach to the posterior third ventricle. Such an approach exposes the pineal gland and its complex neurovascular structures so that the third ventricle can be reached through a minimally invasive parapineal incision. The approach was studied in 10 adult cadaveric heads, six fresh and four formalin fixed, by using an operative microscope with a magnification level of 6 to 40 and the assistance of an endoscope. The endoscope-assisted infratentorial-supracerebellar approach affords a complete view of the third ventricle from a posterior perspective. The third ventricle is entered through a parapineal incision using the natural space between the internal cerebral vein and the vein of Rosenthal located above the superior colliculi. The infratentorial-supracerebellar approach to the third ventricle follows a natural corridor and requires minimal retraction and resection of critical neural structures. With the use of the endoscope, an unsurpassed view into the third ventricle from a posterior perspective is obtained.Journal of Neurosurgery 07/2006; 104(6 Suppl):409-14. · 2.96 Impact Factor
Top co-authors
Top Journals
Institutions
-
2011
-
Istituto Clinico Humanitas IRCCS
Rozzano, Lombardy, Italy -
Istituto Ortopedico Galeazzi
Milano, Lombardy, Italy
-
-
2008
-
University of Milan
Milano, Lombardy, Italy
-
