Acta neurochirurgica
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Acta neurochirurgica · Jan 1993
Blood flow velocity in the middle cerebral artery and carotid artery stump pressure during carotid endarterectomy.
Twenty-one patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy were investigated by simultaneous intra-operative measurements of carotid stump pressure (CSP) and transcranial Doppler (TCD) flow velocity in the middle cerebral artery. The relationship between the two methods was evaluated as well as the potential benefits of the intraoperative transcranial Doppler monitoring technique. Clamping of the carotid artery resulted in a significant decrease in TCD flow velocity in the ipsilateral middle cerebral artery as well as in CSP. ⋯ TCD gives information of the collateral cerebral circulation during carotid clamping and is an alternative monitoring technique during carotid endarterectomy. The method is useful intraoperatively for detecting embolic events as well as thrombosis during wound closure. Further studies are necessary to clarify the critical change in flow velocity during clamping when the use of a peroperative shunt is indicated.
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Acta neurochirurgica · Jan 1993
Preservation of cochlear nerve function in acoustic neurinoma surgery.
A total of 55 cases with unilateral acoustic neurinoma which were operated on by the lateral suboccipital approach was studied to elucidate factors which influence postoperative hearing acuity. We analyzed several factors: preoperative hearing level, tumour size, tumour consistency (cystic or solid), and anatomical location of the cochlear nerve. The size of the tumours ranged from 1.2 to 5.8 cm in diameter. ⋯ The distance or interrelation between the two nerves had no bearing on postoperative hearing preservation. Postoperatively, hearing acuity was improved in 6 cases (20%) with a mean value of 5.6 dB, unchanged in 3 (10%), and deteriorated in 21 (70%) among the 30 cases with remaining preoperative-hearing. When the tumour was less than 2 cm or cystic, better hearing preservation was expected.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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The Glasgow Coma Scale permits 120 possible mathematical combinations of eye, verbal and motor scores. Out of these only about 15 are clinically valid and useful in the assessment of altered consciousness. ⋯ The numerical values can be modified to produce a more equitable dominance by each of the factors and greater precision. This is also necessary as the value of a unit is the same in the sum score, whether contributed by the eye, verbal or motor elements.
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Acta neurochirurgica · Jan 1993
Case ReportsSpondylectomy, microsurgical decompression and osteosynthesis in the treatment of complex disorders of the cervical spine.
In 44 patients with complex degenerative, traumatic, neoplastic and infectious disorders of the cervical spine an aggressive surgical approach was used, consisting of spondylectomy, radical microsurgical decompression and osteosynthesis. The patient group consisted of 23 patients with multisegmental cervical spondylosis, 9 patients with primary or metastatic malignant tumour disease spread along the cervical spine, 6 patients with complex cervical trauma and 6 patients with infection affecting one or more cervical segments. Considering the heterogeneity of the group of patients treated, a multitude of neurological symptoms and signs were present. ⋯ None of the patients became neurologically worse after surgery. With regard to the underlying disease, patients with MSCS and tumour had the best results with overall improvement in 62% and 75% respectively. While in patients with infection improvement could be achieved in 58%, improvement in trauma patients was demonstrable in only 34% while in 66% the pre-operative clinical status remained unchanged.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
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Acta neurochirurgica · Jan 1993
Early ischaemia after severe head injury. Preliminary results in patients with diffuse brain injuries.
Ischaemic brain lesions still have a high prevalence in fatally head injured patients and are the single most important cause of secondary brain damage. The present study was undertaken to explore the acute phase of severely head injured patients in order to detect early ischaemia using Robertson's approach of estimating cerebral blood flow (CBF) from calculated arterio-jugular differences of oxygen (AVDO2), lactates (AVDL), and the lactate-oxygen index (LOI). Twenty-eight cases with severe head injury were included (Glasgow Coma Scale Score below or equal to 8). ⋯ The ischaemia score had mean of 4.3 +/- 1.7 in the ischaemic group and 2.7 +/- 1.4 in non-ischaemic patients (p = 0.01). It is concluded that ischaemia is highly prevalent in the early period after severe head injury. Factors potentially responsible of early ischaemia are discussed.