Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32111221›Full record

ArticleBMC musculoskeletal disorders2020

Occipitocervical fusion complicated with cerebellar abscess: a case report.

Cheng-Chi Lee, Yu-Tse Liu

Open access · goldAbstract readCase Reports
In one paragraph

Article in BMC musculoskeletal disorders, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact, top 96% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed, 1 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Complications in Occipitocervical Surgery.Acta neurochirurgica. Supplement · 2025
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

2 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Cheng-Chi LeeDepartment of Neurosurgery, Chang Gung University, Linkou, 5 Fu-Shin Street, Gui-Shan Dist, Taoyuan City, Taiwan, Republic of China.
Yu-Tse LiuDepartment of Neurosurgery, Chang Gung University, Linkou, 5 Fu-Shin Street, Gui-Shan Dist, Taoyuan City, Taiwan, Republic of China. yu-tse@inbox.lv.
Chang Gung University · TWLinkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital · TW

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundOccipitocervical (OC) fusion is indicated for OC instability and other conditions. Surgical complications include infection, malunion, and instrument failure. CASE PRESENTATION: We described a patient who underwent OC fusion and subsequently developed complication of cerebellar abscess and obstructive hydrocephalus. A 63-year-old male patient had been suffering from long-term neck pain and limb numbness and weakness. Cervical spine examination revealed tight stenosis at C1 level and instability in the C1-C2 joints. A C1 laminectomy with OC fusion was performed, and the patient was discharged. Unfortunately, a few days later, he went to the emergency department and complained of persistent dizziness, vomiting, and unsteady gait. Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images revealed a suspicious cerebellar abscess formation and hydrocephalus. Furthermore, CT images indicated that the left screw was loose, and the diameter of the right screw hole was much larger than the size of the screw. Besides, inappropriate length of the screw penetrated the occipital bone and may cause the disruption of dura mater. The patient underwent external ventricular drainage first, followed by abscess drainage and C1-C2 fixation a few days later. He was discharged without any further neurological deficits or infectious problems. The patient recovered with intact consciousness, full muscle strength, and improved numbness throughout the extremities, with a Nurick grade of 1. A follow-up magnetic resonance imaging at 3 months after surgery revealed near total resolution of the abscess. Inform consent was obtained from this patient.

conclusionsCarefully conducting the procedure using the most tailored approach is essential to successful surgery, but this rare complication should always be kept in mind.

Indexed as

AbscessAtlanto-Axial JointBone ScrewsCerebellar DiseasesCerebellumCervical VertebraeCraniotomyDebridementDrainageHumansJoint InstabilityMagnetic Resonance ImagingMaleMiddle AgedNeck PainOccipital BoneAtlantoaxial subluxationC1 laminectomyCerebellar abscessComplicationsOccipitocervical fusion

Identifiers

PMID32111221
PMCPMC7049210
OpenAlexW3012722000

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.