Newswise — Winner of the Vesalius Award Award, Abhidha Harshad Shah, MS, MD, presented her research, Management of Basilar Invagination: A Historical Perspective, during the 2016 American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) Annual Scientific Meeting.
For a long time, basilar invagination remained an anatomic and radiological curiosity. It is only recently that this entity has entered the realm of clinical neurosurgery.
Historically, the terms basilar invagination and platybasia were used interchangeably, causing confusion in diagnosis and management. Basilar invagination has been defined as a prolapse of the vertebral column into the spinal cord. Platybasia is defined as an abnormal obtuse angle between the anterior skull base and the clivus. The author reviewed existing literature and summarized the historical and modern perspectives in the management of basilar invagination.
From radiological curiosities, the subject of basilar invagination is now viewed as eminently treatable. A more pronounced understanding of the subject has taken place in the last three decades when, on the basis of understanding of the biomechanical subtleties, the treatment paradigm has altered remarkably. Surgery that involves decompression of the region, stabilization and realignment now form the basis of treatment. As the understanding of basilar invagination has evolved, it appears that mechanical instability is the cause. Craniovertebral re-alignment and atlantoaxial fixation as pioneered by Goel et al. is the current management of this anomaly.
Disclosure: The author reported no conflicts of interest.
Media Representatives: The 2016 AANS Annual Scientific Meeting press section will include releases on highlighted scientific research, AANS officers and award winners, Neurosurgery Awareness Month and other relevant information about the 2016 program. Releases will be posted under the “Media” area on the 2016 AANS Annual Scientific Meeting website. If you have interest in a topic related to neurosurgery or would like to interview a neurosurgeon — either onsite or via telephone — during the event, please contact Alice Kelsey, AANS associate executive director, via email at [email protected].
About the 2016 AANS Annual Scientific Meeting: Attended by neurosurgeons, neurosurgical residents, medical students, neuroscience nurses, clinical specialists, physician assistants, allied health professionals and other medical professionals, the AANS Annual Scientific Meeting is the largest gathering of neurosurgeons in the nation, with an emphasis on the field’s latest research and technological advances. More than 1,200 scientific abstracts were submitted for the 2015 AANS Annual Scientific Meeting; the scientific presentations accepted for the 2016 event will represent cutting-edge examples of the incredible developments taking place within the field of neurosurgery. Additional information about the 2016 AANS Annual Scientific Meeting and the meeting program can be found here.
Founded in 1931 as the Harvey Cushing Society, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) is a scientific and educational association with more than 10,000 members worldwide. The AANS is dedicated to advancing the specialty of neurological surgery in order to provide the highest quality of neurosurgical care to the public. Fellows of the AANS are board-certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada or the Mexican Council of Neurological Surgery, A.C. Neurosurgery is the medical specialty concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of disorders that affect the spinal column, spinal cord, brain, nervous system and peripheral nerves.
For more information, visit www.AANS.org.
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