Myelopathies concern a large and intriguing scientific field about which the questions and controversies are many, but the diagnostic and therapeutic solutions are either relatively few and/or usually inefficient. Unfortunately, the spinal cord is the part of the central nervous system that receives less attention compared to the brain. However, there is still a lot that need to be investigated regarding the pathophysiology, and even more the diagnosis and the medical and surgical types of treatment of myelopathies, in order to address the poor prognosis usually seen with these diseases. The causes can be traumatic, compressive, degenerative, metabolic, infectious, inflammatory, autoimmune, vascular, congenital and developmental.
Research on pathophysiology may allow us not only to understand better the nature of these complex diseases, but also to improve the diagnostic workup and the medical and surgical types of treatment. Unfortunately, the typical scenario for the treating doctor is to have either diagnostic challenges and/or treatment options which do not offer good results. Regarding surgery, although there are various types of operations available, there are still many questions and controversies to be addressed. Moreover, it is challenging to conduct research on topic due to several reasons, e.g., typically experimental models are used because it is difficult to obtain human tissue; some types of myelopathies are rare; the diameter of this organ is relatively small even for the usual MRI tests. Therefore research addressing these topics is absolutely needed and should be further promoted.
We welcome submission of manuscripts (any type accepted by this journal) regarding the pathophysiology, diagnosis and medical or surgical treatment of all kinds of myelopathy, i.e., traumatic, compressive, degenerative, metabolic, infectious, inflammatory, autoimmune, vascular, congenital and developmental. Articles should better present advances or address controversies on this topic to offer new insights to the scientific community. Reviews summarizing the most up-to-date literature and giving suggestions for further research are also welcome.
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In Memoriam: Dr. Georgios Klironomos (written by Dr. Miltiadis Georgiopoulos)
With profound grief and sorrow, we regret to inform you that our co-editor and friend Dr. Georgios Klironomos passed away unexpectedly on August 24, 2023, at the young age of 48 years. Before I present a short professional biography of Dr. Klironomos, I want to highlight that Dr. Klironomos was not just an outstanding neurosurgeon, but a real gem as a person with a kind personality and a smile that always touched our hearts. Despite his exceptional career, he would always tell me that nothing else can be important without the happiness and love of our families. He had been a dear friend and a mentor, eager to help and listen, and a role model to many of us as a father, a husband, and a great doctor - neurosurgeon. He was born in a small village in a small country, i.e. Talanta, Greece, but made it to some of the best institutions and hospitals worldwide. It is not an exaggeration to claim that everyone loved and admired George. He was very charismatic but also a very simple person at the same time. Surely his lovely daughter and wife are deeply sad, but I am sure that they are also greatly proud of George. Personally, I can not yet accept the reality when it comes to George's passing. I wish I could hear his voice again greeting me in his own "special" way.
Dr. Klironomos was an Assistant Professor of neurosurgery at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell in Hempstead, NY, and an attending Neurosurgeon at Northwell Health, NY, mainly at the South Shore University Hospital, with a subspecialization in neuro-oncology, skull base, and cerebrovascular neurosurgery. Furthermore, he was recently awarded as the top neurological surgeon in Long Island, New York for 2023. Before the abovementioned roles in New York, he was a Clinical Assistant Professor in Neurosurgery at the University of Pittsburgh. Moreover, he received extensive fellowship training at a high level in cerebrovascular and skull base neurosurgery at North Shore/Lenox Hill University Hospital in New York and in neurooncology and skull base (incl. endoscopic) neurosurgery at Toronto Western Hospital of the University of Toronto in Canada. Additionally, he also had other positions throughout his career, including research roles, and participated in many publications in major journals. He had a Ph.D. and an M.Sc. degree from the University of Patras, Greece, where he also completed his undergraduate studies in medicine with the 2nd highest grade among his class.
The whole team would like to honor George for his contribution to the present online collection of articles and medicine above all and offer our sincere condolences to his family.
Myelopathies concern a large and intriguing scientific field about which the questions and controversies are many, but the diagnostic and therapeutic solutions are either relatively few and/or usually inefficient. Unfortunately, the spinal cord is the part of the central nervous system that receives less attention compared to the brain. However, there is still a lot that need to be investigated regarding the pathophysiology, and even more the diagnosis and the medical and surgical types of treatment of myelopathies, in order to address the poor prognosis usually seen with these diseases. The causes can be traumatic, compressive, degenerative, metabolic, infectious, inflammatory, autoimmune, vascular, congenital and developmental.
Research on pathophysiology may allow us not only to understand better the nature of these complex diseases, but also to improve the diagnostic workup and the medical and surgical types of treatment. Unfortunately, the typical scenario for the treating doctor is to have either diagnostic challenges and/or treatment options which do not offer good results. Regarding surgery, although there are various types of operations available, there are still many questions and controversies to be addressed. Moreover, it is challenging to conduct research on topic due to several reasons, e.g., typically experimental models are used because it is difficult to obtain human tissue; some types of myelopathies are rare; the diameter of this organ is relatively small even for the usual MRI tests. Therefore research addressing these topics is absolutely needed and should be further promoted.
We welcome submission of manuscripts (any type accepted by this journal) regarding the pathophysiology, diagnosis and medical or surgical treatment of all kinds of myelopathy, i.e., traumatic, compressive, degenerative, metabolic, infectious, inflammatory, autoimmune, vascular, congenital and developmental. Articles should better present advances or address controversies on this topic to offer new insights to the scientific community. Reviews summarizing the most up-to-date literature and giving suggestions for further research are also welcome.
_____
In Memoriam: Dr. Georgios Klironomos (written by Dr. Miltiadis Georgiopoulos)
With profound grief and sorrow, we regret to inform you that our co-editor and friend Dr. Georgios Klironomos passed away unexpectedly on August 24, 2023, at the young age of 48 years. Before I present a short professional biography of Dr. Klironomos, I want to highlight that Dr. Klironomos was not just an outstanding neurosurgeon, but a real gem as a person with a kind personality and a smile that always touched our hearts. Despite his exceptional career, he would always tell me that nothing else can be important without the happiness and love of our families. He had been a dear friend and a mentor, eager to help and listen, and a role model to many of us as a father, a husband, and a great doctor - neurosurgeon. He was born in a small village in a small country, i.e. Talanta, Greece, but made it to some of the best institutions and hospitals worldwide. It is not an exaggeration to claim that everyone loved and admired George. He was very charismatic but also a very simple person at the same time. Surely his lovely daughter and wife are deeply sad, but I am sure that they are also greatly proud of George. Personally, I can not yet accept the reality when it comes to George's passing. I wish I could hear his voice again greeting me in his own "special" way.
Dr. Klironomos was an Assistant Professor of neurosurgery at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell in Hempstead, NY, and an attending Neurosurgeon at Northwell Health, NY, mainly at the South Shore University Hospital, with a subspecialization in neuro-oncology, skull base, and cerebrovascular neurosurgery. Furthermore, he was recently awarded as the top neurological surgeon in Long Island, New York for 2023. Before the abovementioned roles in New York, he was a Clinical Assistant Professor in Neurosurgery at the University of Pittsburgh. Moreover, he received extensive fellowship training at a high level in cerebrovascular and skull base neurosurgery at North Shore/Lenox Hill University Hospital in New York and in neurooncology and skull base (incl. endoscopic) neurosurgery at Toronto Western Hospital of the University of Toronto in Canada. Additionally, he also had other positions throughout his career, including research roles, and participated in many publications in major journals. He had a Ph.D. and an M.Sc. degree from the University of Patras, Greece, where he also completed his undergraduate studies in medicine with the 2nd highest grade among his class.
The whole team would like to honor George for his contribution to the present online collection of articles and medicine above all and offer our sincere condolences to his family.
