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Basilar invagination (BI) is characterized by rostral dislocation of the cervical spine toward the skull base. The craniometrics of the skull base have shown significant differences among craniocervical junction malformations. The sphenoid bone is the center of the skull base; however, no study has evaluated this bone in cases of BI. This was a cross-sectional study of MRI databanks from two institutions of the author's practice between 1985 and 2020. The craniometrics of the sphenoid bone were measured in BI patients and controls. Fifty-eight MRIs were selected, including 28 BI patients and 30 controls. The mean sphenoid crest-clivus length was 32.66 ± 4.7 mm in the BI group and 29.98 ± 3.0 mm in the control group (p = 0.01). The mean sphenoid planum-top of Dorsum sellae length was 28.53 ± 3.7 mm in the BI group and 26.45 ± 3.2 mm in the control group (p = 0.02). The mean tuberculum sellae-sphenoid floor height was 18.52 ± 4.4 mm in the BI group and 21.32 ± 2.9 mm in the control group (p = 0.00). The mean sella turcica-sphenoid floor height was 10.35 ± 3.8 mm in the BI group and 12.24 ± 3.5 mm in the control group (p = 0.05). The mean clivus length was 29.81 ± 6.3 mm in the BI group and 40.86 ± 4.2 mm in the control group (p = 0.00). The mean sphenoid length was 58.34 ± 7.4 mm in the BI group and 67.31 ± 6.0 mm in the control group (p = 0.00). The mean sphenoid angle was 116.33 ± 8.7° in the BI group and 112.36 ± 6.9° in the control group (p = 0.05). The BI sphenoid bone has shorter vertical dimensions and longer horizontal measures. This morphology promotes a flattening of the sphenoid angle. The sphenoid bone is significantly altered in BI, favoring the congenital hypothesis in the pathophysiology of this disease.

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BACKGROUND: Primary spinal cord tumors are rare and heterogeneous, and their prevalence varies among the studies. Few articles have evaluated the prevalence, characteristics, and histological types of spinal cord tumors in Latin American populations. This study aimed to analyze the histological types and clinical aspects of a series of consecutive patients diagnosed with primary spinal cord tumors who underwent surgical treatment in a single Brazilian institution and to compare them with the literature. METHODS:  This is a case series study, with retrospective analysis of all consecutive adult patients who underwent surgical treatment for primary spinal cord tumors in a single center between January 1997 and April 2021. Data analyzed included age at surgery, sex, anatomical location, histopathological diagnosis, clinical presentation, and neurological status at discharge. RESULTS: A total of 104 patients (53 women [51.0%]; mean age, 49.0 ± 16.7 years [range, 19-87 years]) were included in the analysis. Among the tumors, 83.7% were benign, and 36.5% involved the thoracic spine; intradural extramedullary lesions comprised 52.9% of the tumors, and the most prevalent were schwannomas (26.9%) and meningiomas (18.3%). Among the patients, 55% and 50% presented with pain and motor deficit, respectively, and the deficit improvement rate was greater than the worsening rate at the immediate postoperative period and discharge. CONCLUSIONS: Our series highlights the heterogeneity of primary spinal cord tumors compared to other studies. Further large population studies are necessary to elucidate the epidemiology of this disease.

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The modern human has the most flexed cranial base among all living animals. The flexure allowed a larger cranial volume to accommodate a greater brain. Spheno-occipitalis synchondrosis (SOS) has been largely responsible for cranial base flexion, between the sphenoid and the Pars basilaris of the occipital bone. The objective of this work is to evaluate the real place of skull base flexure. Analysis based on 50 magnetic resonance imaging from normal adult subjects were used to evaluate normal place for cranial base angulation (CBA). The vertex of the cranial base angle in all individuals occurred intrinsically in the sphenoid bone. In humans, cranial base flexure had a specific pre-chordal origin, rather than in the transition between pre-chordal and chordal plates and occurred in the inner sphenoidal bone.

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BACKGROUND: The craniovertebral junction is an anatomically well-defined transitional zone located between the skull and the cervical spine. Multiple malformations can affect this region with the most prominent being basilar invagination (BI) and Chiari malformation (CM). Despite numerous studies, the origin, pathophysiology, and classification of these pathologies remain controversial. The objective of this study was to evaluate the implication of cranial base flexion angle and clivus length in the development of these conditions. METHODS: Midline tomography and magnetic resonance imaging of normal subjects and patients diagnosed with BI (types I and II) and Chiari malformation were evaluated. A craniometric study of the skull base was performed. Linear and angular measurements were used for comparisons between groups. RESULTS: 109 images from patients with craniovertebral junction malformation and controls were evaluated. Seventeen had BI-I, 26 had BI-II, 36 had CM, and 30 were normal subjects. Demographic data for the two groups were not significantly different. Craniometric analysis of images revealed a gradation in linear and angular variables from controls to CM, BI-I, and BI-II patients. Clivus length was significantly smaller in BI-II patients compared with other groups, while basal angle was greater. Moderate or strong correlations were noted among all variables analyzed. CONCLUSION: Data suggest that clivus length and basal angle may play a role in pathophysiology of BI and CM.

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Anastomotic leakage is a complication of colorectal surgery. C-reactive protein (CRP) is an acute-phase marker that can indicate surgical complications. We determined whether serum CRP levels in patients who had undergone colorectal surgery can be used to exclude the presence of anastomotic leakage and allow safe early discharge. We included 90 patients who underwent colorectal surgery with primary anastomosis. Serum CRP levels were measured retrospectively on postoperative days (PODs) 1 - 7. Patients with anastomotic leakage (n = 11) were compared to those without leakage (n = 79). We statistically analysed data and plotted receiver operating characteristic curves. The incidence of anastomotic leakage was 12.2%. Diagnoses were made on PODs 3 - 24. The overall mortality rate was 3.3% (18.2% in the leakage group, 1.3% in the non-leakage group; P < 0.045). CRP levels were most accurate on POD 4, with a cutoff level of 180 mg/L, showing an area under the curve of 0.821 and a negative predictive value of 97.2%. Lower CRP levels after POD 2 and levels <180 mg/L on POD 4 may indicate the absence of anastomotic leakage and may allow safe discharge of patients who had undergone colorectal surgery with primary anastomosis.

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OBJECTIVE: The Guidelines Project, an initiative of the Brazilian Medical Association, aims to combine information from the medical field in order to standardize producers to assist the reasoning and decision-making of doctors. CONCLUSIONS: The information provided through this project must be assessed and criticized by the physician responsible for the conduct that will be adopted, depending on the conditions and the clinical status of each patient.

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The Guidelines Project, an initiative of the Brazilian Medical Association, aims to combine information from the medical field in order to standardize producers to assist the reasoning and decision-making of doctors. The information provided through this project must be assessed and criticized by the physician responsible for the conduct that will be adopted, depending on the conditions and the clinical status of each patient.

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OBJECTIVE Thoracolumbar fractures account for 90% of spinal fractures, with the burst subtype corresponding to 20% of this total. Controversy regarding the best treatment for this condition remains. The traditional surgical approach, when indicated, involves spinal fixation and arthrodesis. Newer studies have brought the need for fusion associated with internal fixation into question. Not performing arthrodesis could reduce surgical time and intraoperative bleeding without affecting clinical and radiological outcomes. With this study, the authors aimed to assess the effect of fusion, adjuvant to internal fixation, on surgically treated thoracolumbar burst fractures. METHODS A search of the Medline and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases was performed to identify randomized trials that compared the use and nonuse of arthrodesis in association with internal fixation for the treatment of thoracolumbar burst fractures. The search encompassed all data in these databases up to February 28, 2016. RESULTS Five randomized/quasi-randomized trials, which involved a total of 220 patients and an average follow-up time of 69.1 months, were included in this review. No significant difference between groups in the final scores of the visual analog pain scale or Low Back Outcome Scale was detected. Surgical time and blood loss were significantly lower in the group of patients who did not undergo fusion (p < 0.05). Among the evaluated radiological outcomes, greater mobility in the affected segment was found in the group of those who did not undergo fusion. No significant difference between groups in the degree of kyphosis correction, loss of kyphosis correction, or final angle of kyphosis was observed. CONCLUSIONS The data reviewed in this study suggest that the use of arthrodesis did not improve clinical outcomes, but it was associated with increased surgical time and higher intraoperative bleeding and did not promote significant improvement in radiological parameters.

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OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prevalence of anxiety, depression and kinesiophobia and their association with the symptoms of low back pain. METHODS: A total of 65 patients were divided into three groups: Organic, Amplified Organic and Non-Organic. They answered the Beck Anxiety Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory and Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia and were evaluated according to their pain level using the Visual Analogic Scale. RESULTS: The average kinesiophobia scores of the patients in the Organic, Amplified Organic and Non-Organic groups were 36.26, 36.21 and 23.06 points, respectively. Patients who were classified into the Organic group experienced the most kinesiophobia out of all three groups (p=0.007). The average anxiety scores of the patients in the Organic, Amplified Organic and Non-Organic groups were 33.17, 32.79 and 32.81 points, respectively, with no significant difference among the groups (p=0.99). The average depression scores of the patients in the Organic, Amplified Organic and Non-Organic groups were 32.54, 28.79 and 37.69 points, respectively, with no significant difference among the groups (p=0.29). CONCLUSION: There was no association between the groups and anxiety and depression. However, there was a positive correlation between kinesiophobia and the Organic group. Studies of other patient samples are needed to confirm the reproducibility and validity of these data in other populations.

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ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of anxiety, depression and kinesiophobia and their association with the symptoms of low back pain. Methods: A total of 65 patients were divided into three groups: Organic, Amplified Organic and Non-Organic. They answered the Beck Anxiety Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory and Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia and were evaluated according to their pain level using the Visual Analogic Scale. Results: The average kinesiophobia scores of the patients in the Organic, Amplified Organic and Non-Organic groups were 36.26, 36.21 and 23.06 points, respectively. Patients who were classified into the Organic group experienced the most kinesiophobia out of all three groups (p = 0.007). The average anxiety scores of the patients in the Organic, Amplified Organic and Non-Organic groups were 33.17, 32.79 and 32.81 points, respectively, with no significant difference among the groups (p = 0.99). The average depression scores of the patients in the Organic, Amplified Organic and Non-Organic groups were 32.54, 28.79 and 37.69 points, respectively, with no significant difference among the groups (p = 0.29). Conclusion: There was no association between the groups and anxiety and depression. However, there was a positive correlation between kinesiophobia and the Organic group. Studies of other patient samples are needed to confirm the reproducibility and validity of these data in other populations.

RESUMO Objetivo: Avaliar a prevalência de ansiedade, depressão e cinesiofobia e sua associação com os sintomas da lombalgia. Métodos: Foram divididos 65 pacientes em três grupos: orgânicos, orgânicos amplificados e não orgânicos. Eles responderam ao Inventário de Ansiedade de Beck, Inventário de Depressão de Beck e Escala de Cinesiofobia de Tampa e foram avaliados de acordo com seu nível de dor pela Escala Análogo-Numérica. Resultados: Os escores médios de cinesiofobia dos pacientes dos grupos orgânicos, orgânicos amplificados e não orgânicos foram de 36,26, 36,21 e 23,06 pontos, respectivamente. Os pacientes que foram classificados no grupo orgânicos experimentaram maior cinesiofobia dentre os três grupos (p = 0,007). Os escores médios de ansiedade dos pacientes dos grupos orgânicos, orgânicos amplificados e não orgânicos eram de 33,17, 32,79 e 32,81 pontos, respectivamente, não houve diferença significativa entre os grupos (p = 0,99). Os escores médios de depressão dos pacientes dos grupos orgânicos, orgânicos amplificados e não orgânicos foram de 32,54, 28,79 e 37,69 pontos, respectivamente, não houve diferença significativa entre os grupos (p = 0,29). Conclusão: Não houve associação entre os grupos e a ansiedade e a depressão. No entanto, houve uma correlação positiva entre a cinesiofobia e o grupo orgânicos. São necessários estudos com outras amostras de pacientes para confirmar a reprodutibilidade e a validade desses dados em outras populações.

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