Early surgical decompression within 24 hours for traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) is associated with improved neurological recovery. However, the ideal timing of decompression is still up for debate. The objective of this study was to utilize our retrospective single-institution series of ultra-early (<5 hours) decompression to determine if ultra-early decompression led to improved neurological outcomes and was a feasible target over previously defined early decompression targets. Retrospective data on patients with SCI who underwent ultra-early (<5 hours) decompression at a level one metropolitan trauma center were extracted and collected from 2015-2018. American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) Impairment Scale (AIS) grade improvement was the primary outcome, with ASIA Motor score improvement and complication rate as secondary outcomes. Four individuals met the criteria for inclusion in this case series. All four suffered thoracolumbar SCI. All patients improved neurologically by AIS grade, and there were no complications directly related to ultra-early surgery. Given the small sample size, there was no statistically significant difference in outcomes compared to a control group who underwent early (5-24 hour) decompression in the same period. Ultra-early decompression is a feasible and safe target for thoracolumbar SCI and may lead to improved neurological outcomes without increased risk of complications. This case series can help create the foundation for future, larger studies that may definitively show the benefit of ultra-early decompression.

Spinal meningiomas (SMs) are a prevalent subtype of central nervous system tumors, with the majority adhering to the dura mater. In this case, we present the case of a 72-year-old female who initially reported numbness in her legs and the gradual onset of gait disturbances. Over a three-week period, these symptoms progressively worsened until she experienced a sudden onset of weakness and neurological deficits, leading to the diagnosis of acute cord syndrome (ACS). Magnetic resonance imaging revealed an anomaly within the extramedullary space, precisely located at the T8-T9 level. This anomaly exhibited peripheral gadolinium enhancement and demonstrated a dural tail sign, indicating the presence of an abnormal mass. Furthermore, a dorsal spine CT scan confirmed these findings by revealing a hyperdense lesion localized within the T8-T9 region. The lesion was situated posterior to the spinal cord, and conspicuous alterations in the coloration of the dura mater at the corresponding level were evident. A complete surgical resection was performed successfully, and the patient\'s surgical intervention proceeded without complications. Following the surgery, we observed significant improvements in both sensory and motor functions compared to the patient\'s preoperative state.

BACKGROUND: Coagulopathy-associated intracerebral haemorrhage has become increasingly common because of the rising demand in the ageing population for anticoagulation for atrial fibrillation. This study compared the clinical features and neurological outcomes of intracerebral haemorrhage in patients with atrial fibrillation who were prescribed warfarin with those who were not.
METHODS: This was a retrospective matched case series of patients with intracerebral haemorrhage from three tertiary hospitals in Hong Kong from 1 January 2006 to 31 December 2011. Patients who developed intracerebral haemorrhage and who were prescribed warfarin for atrial fibrillation (ICH-W group) were compared with those with intracerebral haemorrhage and not prescribed warfarin (ICH-C group); they were matched for age and gender in 1:1 ratio. Clinical features and neurological outcomes were compared, and the impact of coagulopathy on haematoma size was also studied.
RESULTS: We identified 114 patients in the ICH-W group with a mean age of 75 years. Both ICH-W and ICH-C groups had a median intracerebral haemorrhage score of 2. There was a non-statistically significant trend of higher intracerebral haemorrhage volume in the ICH-W group (12.9 mL vs 10.5 mL). The median modified Rankin Scale and the proportion with good recovery (modified Rankin Scale score ≤3) at 6 months were comparable. Nonetheless, ICH-W patients had higher hospital mortality (51.8% vs 36.0%; P=0.02) and 6-month mortality (60.5% vs 43.0%; P=0.01) than ICH-C patients. Overall, 60% of ICH-W patients had their admission international normalised ratio within the therapeutic range during intracerebral haemorrhage, and 14% had a subtherapeutic admission international normalised ratio. International normalised ratio at admission was not associated with intracerebral haemorrhage volume or neurological outcome.
CONCLUSIONS: Warfarin-associated intracerebral haemorrhage in patients with atrial fibrillation carried a higher stroke mortality than the non-warfarinised patients.