Acta neurochirurgica
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Acta neurochirurgica · Feb 2015
Letter Case ReportsCoincident pituitary adenoma and sellar meningioma.
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Reference values and physiological measurements of intracranial pressure (ICP) are primarily reported in the supine position, while reports of ICP in the vertical position are surprisingly rare considering that humans maintain the vertical position for the majority of the day. In order to distinguish normal human physiology from disease entities such as idiopathic intracranial hypertension and normal pressure hydrocephalus, we investigated ICP in different body postures in both normal and ill subjects. ⋯ Differences in ICP between body postures enabled us to distinguish the normal group from patient groups. Normal patients appear able to more tightly regulate ICP when switching body postures.
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Acta neurochirurgica · Jan 2015
Review Historical ArticleThe evolution of brain surgery on awake patients.
In the early days of modern neurological surgery, the inconveniences and potential dangers of general anesthesia by chloroform and ether using the so-called "open-drop technique" led to the quest for alternative methods of anesthesia. Besides preventing the feared side effects, the introduction of regional anesthesia revealed another decisive advantage over general anesthesia in neurosurgery: While intraoperative direct cortical stimulation under general anesthesia could only delineate the motor area (by evocation of contralateral muscular contraction), now, the awake patients were able to report sensations elicited by this method. These properties advanced regional anesthesia to the regimen of choice for cranial surgeries in the first half of the 20th century. ⋯ Intraoperative mapping of brain functions using electrical stimulation in awake patients enables not only for increased tumor removal while preserving the functional status of the patients but also opens a window to cognitive neuroscience. Observations during such interventions and their correlation with both pre - and postoperative neuropsychological examinations and functional neuroimaging is progressively leading to new insights into the complex functional anatomy of the human brain. Furthermore, it broadens our knowledge on cerebral network reorganization in the presence of disease-with implications for all disciplines of clinical neuroscience.
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Acta neurochirurgica · Jan 2015
Long-term outcome and prognostic factors after C2 ganglion decompression in 68 consecutive patients with intractable occipital neuralgia.
Occipital neuralgia is a rare cause of severe headache characterized by paroxysmal shooting or stabbing pain in the distribution of the greater occipital or lesser occipital nerve. In cases of intractable occipital neuralgia, a definite cause has not been uncovered, so various types of treatment have been applied. The aim of this study is to evaluate the prognostic factors, safety, and long-term clinical efficacy of second cervical (C2) ganglion decompression for intractable occipital neuralgia. ⋯ In the current study, C2 ganglion decompression provided durable, adequate pain relief with minimal complications in patients suffering from intractable occipital neuralgia. Due to the minimally invasive and nondestructive nature of this surgical procedure, C2 ganglion decompression is recommended as an initial surgical treatment option for intractable occipital neuralgia before attempting occipital nerve stimulation. However, further study is required to manage the pain recurrence associated with longstanding nerve injury.
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Acta neurochirurgica · Jan 2015
C1 transverse process-hyoid bone line for preoperative evaluation of the accessible internal carotid artery on carotid endarterectomy: technical note.
The preoperative imaging diagnosis of the distal portion of the internal carotid artery (ICA) is extremely important for carotid endarterectomy (CEA). Herein the authors defined a line from the C1 transverse process to the hyoid bone (C1-H line) and evaluated whether the line can be used to predict an accessible ICA in CEA. ⋯ The C1-H line measured by 3D-CTA is a simple and useful indicator of the distal ICA exposure in the preoperative diagnosis for CEA.