Prognostic Value of the Goutallier Scale for Paravertebral Muscle Atrophy in Predicting Disability and Pain Outcomes in Degenerative Lumbar Spinal Stenosis: A Longitudinal Cohort Study of 100 Patients.

Degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) is a prevalent cause of disability in elderly populations, often treated with decompressive surgery. However, postoperative functional outcomes are variable and influenced by factors beyond neural compression alone. This study aimed to investigate the prognostic significance of the Goutallier Classification System (GS), a radiological index of paravertebral muscle fatty degeneration, in predicting long-term postoperative disability and pain in elderly patients undergoing decompression for LSS.

Evaluating the role of gross total resection in primary spinal cord glioblastoma: evidence from a multicenter cohort and meta-analysis.

Background: Primary spinal cord glioblastoma (PscGB) is a rare, aggressive tumor that accounts for about 7.5% of spinal cord gliomas. Its infiltrative growth and proximity to critical neural structures make diagnosis and management challenging, and data on prognostic factors and optimal treatment remain limited.

Evaluating the predictive value of multimodal intraoperative neuromonitoring in anterior cervical discectomy and fusion: a retrospective cohort study on 442 patients.

Background And Objectives: Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) is a widely regarded surgical technique for the management of cervical disc herniation (CDH) and myelopathy, offering significant therapeutic efficacy. However, the potential for neurological complications persists, underscoring the need for strategies to enhance procedural safety. Multimodal intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) has emerged as a promising adjunct, providing real-time assessment of neural integrity to identify and address intraoperative compromise.

Management of Anticoagulant and Antiplatelet Therapy in Elective Degenerative Lumbosacral Spine Surgery: A Clinical Study on 578 Elderly Patients.

Background And Objectives: Managing anticoagulant and antiplatelet therapy in elderly patients with high cardiovascular risk undergoing degenerative lumbosacral spine surgery is a complex challenge. Balancing the reduction of thromboembolic events and minimizing bleeding risks requires tailored perioperative strategies. This study evaluates the outcomes of a standardized management approach for such therapies in this vulnerable population.

Assessing Surgical Approaches and Postoperative Complications for Thoracic Schwannomas: A Multicenter Retrospective Observational Analysis of 106 Cases.

Thoracic schwannomas are benign nerve sheath tumors that can cause neurological and respiratory symptoms depending on their location and extension. The optimal surgical approach remains debated, particularly regarding resection extent, complication rates, and postoperative morbidity. This retrospective multicenter study analyzed 106 patients treated between 2011 and 2024, classifying tumors according to the Eden system and comparing surgical strategies.

Posterolateral approaches to the thoracic spine for calcific disc herniation: is wider exposure always better?

Objective: To compare the costotransversectomy (CTV) and transpedicular (TP) approaches versus the transfacet (TF) approach for the surgical treatment of calcific thoracic spine herniations (cTDH), in terms of surgical and clinical outcomes.

Background: Surgical approaches for cTDH are debated. Anterior approaches are recommended, while posterolateral approaches are preferred for non-calcific, paramedian, and lateral hernias.

The Goutallier Classification System: How Does Paravertebral Adipose Degeneration Change in Patients With Symptomatic Lumbar Spinal Stenosis?

Study Design: Retrospective, observational study.

Objective: To determine the relationship between the Goutallier classification system (GS) and anthropometric, clinical, and radiologic features in 168 patients with lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS).

Background: There is no agreement on a classification system that is both reliable and easy to use for describing the severity of fatty degeneration in the paravertebral muscles of the lower back in patients with symptomatic LSS.

Multiple univariate analysis of radiologic and clinical features on 168 patients with lumbar spinal stenosis: what is the role of the erector spinae in the development of a patient's disability?

Background: The weakening of paraspinal muscles in the paravertebral area may play a role in developing central lumbar spinal stenosis, resulting in lower back discomfort.

Objective: The study thoroughly examined the correlation between the Oswestry Disability Index, Dural Sac cross-sectional area, Schizas grading Scale, Body Mass Index, and the cross-sectional areas of Erector Spinae, Multifidus, and Psoas muscles. The findings were also compared between patients with central Lumbar Spinal Stenosis and healthy individuals.

Antithrombotic therapy and spinal surgery: a retrospective cohort study of 289 consecutive elderly patients with degenerative lumbar stenosis.

Objective: Lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) is a disabling degenerative process of the spine, mainly affecting older patients. LSS manifests with low-back and leg pain and neurogenic claudication. Disability and impairment in activities of daily living are consequences of the progressive narrowing of the lumbar spinal canal.

The Extremely Brilliant Source storage ring of the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility.

The Extremely Brilliant Source (EBS) is the experimental implementation of the novel Hybrid Multi Bend Achromat (HMBA) storage ring magnetic lattice concept, which has been realised at European Synchrotron Radiation Facility. We present its successful commissioning and first operation. We highlight the strengths of the HMBA design and compare them to the previous designs, on which most operational synchrotron X-ray sources are based.

Photon-shot-noise-limited transient absorption soft X-ray spectroscopy at the European XFEL.

Femtosecond transient soft X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) is a very promising technique that can be employed at X-ray free-electron lasers (FELs) to investigate out-of-equilibrium dynamics for material and energy research. Here, a dedicated setup for soft X-rays available at the Spectroscopy and Coherent Scattering (SCS) instrument at the European X-ray Free-Electron Laser (European XFEL) is presented. It consists of a beam-splitting off-axis zone plate (BOZ) used in transmission to create three copies of the incoming beam, which are used to measure the transmitted intensity through the excited and unexcited sample, as well as to monitor the incoming intensity.

Cervical spine arachnoid cyst complicated by spontaneous intracystic hemorrhage: Case report and review of the literature.

Background: Spinal intradural extramedullary arachnoid cysts represent about 1-3% of all primary spinal space-occupying lesions often causing spinal cord and/or radicular nerve compression. Spontaneous intralesional hemorrhages are extremely rare and are typically found within intracranial arachnoid cysts. Here, a 55-year-old female presented with a spontaneous hemorrhage into a cervical spine arachnoid cyst warranting surgical intervention (i.

Continuous subcortical monitoring of motor pathways during glioma surgery with ultrasonic surgical aspirator: technical description in a single institute experience.

Background: Actual challenge in surgical treatment of intra-axial gliomas involving eloquent areas is maximal safe resection. Mapping and monitoring of cortical and subcortical motor functions are important tools to avoid postoperative deficits. In the present study, we present our experience with a continuous dynamic motor mapping technique pairing a traditional monopolar stimulator with a Cavitron ultrasonic surgical aspirator (CUSA) to perform a continuous stimulation of the white matter avoiding removal interruption.

Is age an additional factor in the treatment of elderly patients with glioblastoma? A new stratification model: an Italian Multicenter Study.

Objective: Approximately half of glioblastoma (GBM) cases develop in geriatric patients, and this trend is destined to increase with the aging of the population. The optimal strategy for management of GBM in elderly patients remains controversial. The aim of this study was to assess the role of surgery in the elderly (≥ 65 years old) based on clinical, molecular, and imaging data routinely available in neurosurgical departments and to assess a prognostic survival score that could be helpful in stratifying the prognosis for elderly GBM patients.

Subpial technique in supratentorial glioma resection: state of the art and analysis of costs and effectiveness in a single institute experience.

Background: Many neurosurgeons advocate subpial technique as the best technique to remove supratentorial gliomas. However, few authors clearly defined advantages and features of this technique. The aim of our study is to describe microsurgical subpial technique related to glioma surgery, with regard to its safety and cost effectiveness.

Interplay among work function, electronic structure and stoichiometry in nanostructured VO films.

The work function is the parameter of greatest interest in many technological applications involving charge exchange mechanisms at the surface. The possibility to produce samples with a controlled work function is then particularly interesting, albeit challenging. We synthetized nanostructured vanadium oxide films by a room temperature supersonic cluster beam deposition method, obtaining samples with tunable stoichiometry and work function (3.

Complete Characterization of Phase and Amplitude of Bichromatic Extreme Ultraviolet Light.

Intense, mutually coherent beams of multiharmonic extreme ultraviolet light can now be created using seeded free-electron lasers, and the phase difference between harmonics can be tuned with attosecond accuracy. However, the absolute value of the phase is generally not determined. We present a method for determining precisely the absolute phase relationship of a fundamental wavelength and its second harmonic, as well as the amplitude ratio.

Non-conventional fotemustine schedule as second-line treatment in recurrent malignant gliomas: Survival across disease and treatment subgroup analysis and review of the literature.

Fotemustine (FTM) is a treatment option in recurrent malignant gliomas (MGs) after first-line Stupp treatment. The efficacy and the safety of fractionated FTM schedule proposed by Addeo was analysed in the present study in recurrent MGs patients. A retrospective analysis on 40 recurrent MGs patients and second-line fractionated FTM chemotherapy was performed.

Multiple brain metastases: a surgical series and neurosurgical perspective.

Despite review papers claim for radical treatment of oligometastatic patients, only few surgical series have been published. In this study, we analyze results and actual role of surgical resection for the management of patients with multiple brain metastases. This retrospective study compares surgical results of two groups of patients consecutively treated in our Institute from January 2004 to June 2015.

Epileptic seizures heralding a relapse in high grade gliomas.

Purpose: Seizures are a common clinical symptom in high-grade gliomas (HGG). The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between seizures and HGG relapse (HGG-R).

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 145 patients who were surgically treated for HGG-R.

Emergency decompressive craniectomy after removal of convexity meningiomas.

Background: Convexity meningiomas are benign brain tumors that are amenable to complete surgical resection and are associated with a low complication rate. The aim of this study was to identify factors that result in acute postoperative neurological worsening after the removal of convexity meningiomas.

Methods: Clinical evaluation and neuroradiological analysis of patients who underwent removal of a supratentorial convexity meningioma were reviewed.

Glutamate-Mediated Blood-Brain Barrier Opening: Implications for Neuroprotection and Drug Delivery.

Unlabelled: The blood-brain barrier is a highly selective anatomical and functional interface allowing a unique environment for neuro-glia networks. Blood-brain barrier dysfunction is common in most brain disorders and is associated with disease course and delayed complications. However, the mechanisms underlying blood-brain barrier opening are poorly understood.