Valerie Schuermans

Maastricht Universitair Medisch Centrum · Neurosurgery

BACKGROUND Cavernous malformations (CMs) are vascular malformations that usually occur in the brain and occasionally in the spine. Most CMs are sporadic, but they can also be caused by heterozygous cerebral cavernous malformation (CCM) gene mutations. This case describes an intradural extramedullary CM in a unique location, within a fascicle of the...

Background The term ‘physiological motion of the spine’ is commonly used although no proper definition exists. Previous work has revealed a consistent sequence of cervical segmental contributions in 80–90% of young healthy individuals. Age has been shown to be associated with a decreased quantity of motion. Therefore, it is of interest to study whe...

Introduction In previous research, a consistent sequence of segmental contributions during dynamic extension X-rays of the cervical spine was observed in 80–90% of healthy participants. Research question To investigate whether this previously defined ‘normal’ sequence of segmental contributions was present in patients who underwent anterior cervic...

Objectives Despite the availability of general and national guidelines for the conduct and reporting of economic evaluations, there is heterogeneity in economic evolutions concerning spine surgery. This is partly the result of differing levels of adherence to the existing guidelines and the lack of disease-specific recommendations for economic eval...

Background: Patients with spinal epidural metastases (SEM) often experience a reduction in ambulatory status and, thus, the quality of life. Predicting which patients will benefit from a surgical intervention remains a challenge. Life expectancy is an essential factor to be considered in surgical decision-making, although not the only one. Predict...

Objectives The present study is a systematic review conducted as part of a methodological approach to develop evidence-based recommendations for economic evaluations in spine surgery. The aim of this systematic review is to evaluate the methodology and quality of currently available clinical cost-effectiveness studies in spine surgery. Study desig...

BACKGROUND A rare meningioma subtype is a clear cell (CC) meningioma, which can be associated with a SMARCE1 gene mutation. Manifestation of a CC meningioma in the cervical spine is unusual. In the current case, both mother and daughter present with a CC meningioma at an identical cervical location. OBSERVATIONS A 67-year-old patient with an intra...

Background: For a substantial part of patients with chronic low back pain, the origin is located in the sacroiliac joint (SIJ). Minimally invasive sacroiliac joint fusion (MISJF) is increasingly being implemented as a treatment option in SIJ dysfunction. Despite remaining controversy, evidence continues to increase. This study evaluates the clinic...

Background A substantial part of patients with chronic low back pain, the origin is located in the sacroiliac joint (SIJ). Minimally invasive sacroiliac joint fusion (MISJF) is increasingly being implemented as a treatment option in SIJ dysfunction. Despite remaining controversy, evidence continues to increase. This study evaluates the clinical res...

Introduction To date, there is no consensus on which anterior surgical technique is more cost-effective in treating cervical degenerative disc disease (CDDD). The most commonly used surgical treatment for patients with single- or multi-level symptomatic CDDD is anterior cervical discectomy with fusion (ACDF). However, new complaints of radiculopath...

Background: Although it is well established that surgically treated patients with cervical degenerative myelopathy (CDM) improve irrespective of the anterior decompression technique used, no consensus exists on what technique is superior in terms of neurological recovery. A general concern exists that anterior cervical discectomy with arthroplasty...

Purpose No clear consensus exists on which anterior surgical technique is most cost-effective for treating cervical degenerative disk disease (CDDD). One of the most common treatment options is anterior cervical discectomy with fusion (ACDF). Anterior cervical discectomy with arthroplasty (ACDA) was developed in an effort to reduce the incidence of...

Introduction Clinical adjacent segment pathology (CASP) continues to be a cause of concern after anterior surgical treatment for single- or multilevel cervical degenerative disc disease (CDDD). The current literature reports inconsistent incidence rates and contended risk factors in the development of CASP. Research question The aim is to determin...

Introduction Considering the rising global healthcare expenses, economic evaluations are more important than ever. Even though the number of studies regarding costs and cost-effectiveness is increasing, the quality of these studies remains relatively low. This is mainly caused by abundant heterogeneity in methods used for determining, calculating a...

Introduction To date, there is no consensus on which anterior surgical technique is more cost-effective in treating cervical degenerative disc disease (CDDD). The most commonly used surgical treatment for patients with single- or multi-level symptomatic CDDD is anterior cervical discectomy with fusion (ACDF). However, new complaints of radiculopath...

Background Several case reports about spinal cord compression due to hyperostosis at the craniocervical junction are available. However, compression at C1-C2 solely due to ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) is rare. Case Description A 50-year-old Asian male, with a history of lumbar spinal canal stenosis, presented with a p...

Background Cure of hypertension after adrenalectomy for primary aldosteronism is no certainty and therefore preoperative patient counseling is essential. The Primary Aldosteronism Surgical Outcome (PASO) Score is a useful prediction model with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.839. The PASO Score includes ‘Target Organ Damage’ (TOD) (i.e., left ve...

This is a unique case describing hydrocephalus to be the primary presenting symptom of neurosarcoidosis. A 49-year-old woman with previous ischemic cerebral events presented with a gait disorder, urinary incontinence and cognitive impairment. Imaging showed obstructive hydrocephalus, progressive white matter abnormalities and basal leptomeningeal e...

This is a unique case describing hydrocephalus to be the primary presenting symptom of neurosarcoidosis. A 49-year-old woman with previous ischemic cerebral events presented with a gait disorder, urinary incontinence and cognitive impairment. Imaging showed obstructive hydrocephalus, progressive white matter abnormalities and basal leptomeningeal e...

Background: Predicting metastasis in melanoma patients is important for disease management and could help to identify those who might benefit from adjuvant treatment. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the tumor microenvironment-derived protein S100A8/A9 qualifies as prognostic marker for melanoma patients, also in the setting of imm...

Background Acute diverticulitis (AD) presents a unique diagnostic and therapeutic challenge for general surgeons. This collaborative project between EAES and SAGES aimed to summarize recent evidence and draw statements of recommendation to guide our members on comprehensive AD management. Methods Systematic reviews of the literature were conducted...

Background Although self‐expandable metal stent (SEMS) placement as bridge to surgery (BTS) in patients with left‐sided obstructing colonic cancer has shown promising short‐term results, it is used infrequently owing to uncertainty about its oncological safety. This population study compared long‐term oncological outcomes between emergency resectio...

Background: In a first step toward standardization, the Primary Aldosteronism Surgical Outcomes investigators introduced consensus criteria defining the clinical outcomes after adrenalectomy for primary aldosteronism. Within this retrospective cohort study, we evaluated the use of these consensus criteria in daily clinical practice in 16 centers i...

Importance In addition to biochemical cure, clinical benefits after surgery for primary aldosteronism depend on the magnitude of decrease in blood pressure (BP) and use of antihypertensive medications with a subsequent decreased risk of cardiovascular and/or cerebrovascular morbidity and drug-induced adverse effects. Objective To evaluate the chan...

The aim of this pilot study is to investigate the ability of an electronic nose (e-nose) to distinguish malignant gastric histology from healthy controls in exhaled breath. In a period of 3 weeks, all preoperative gastric carcinoma (GC) patients (n = 16) in the Beijing Oncology Hospital were asked to participate in the study. The control group (n =...

The receptor for advanced glycation end-products (RAGE) is known to act as a central driver of tumorigenesis by sustaining a chronic inflammatory tumor microenvironment. Until to date, RAGE has been exclusively described as a cell surface receptor being activated upon engagement with its various extra-cellular ligands, e.g. S00B, S00A8/A9, HMGB, an...