Clinical neurology and neurosurgery
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Clin Neurol Neurosurg · May 2018
Surgery of language-eloquent tumors in patients not eligible for awake surgery: the impact of a protocol based on navigated transcranial magnetic stimulation on presurgical planning and language outcome, with evidence of tumor-induced intra-hemispheric plasticity.
Awake surgery and intraoperative monitoring represent the gold standard for surgery of brain tumors located in the perisylvian region of the dominant hemisphere due to their ability to map and preserve the language network during surgery. Nevertheless, in some cases awake surgery is not feasible. This could increase the risk of postoperative language deficit. Navigated transcranial magnetic stimulation (nTMS) and nTMS-based DTI fiber tracking (DTI-FT) provide a preoperative mapping and reconstruction of the cortico-subcortical language network. This can be used to plan and guide the surgical strategy to preserve the language function. The objective if this study is to describe the impact of a non-invasive preoperative protocol for mapping the language network through the nTMS and nTMS-based DTI-FT in patients not eligible for awake surgery and thereby operated under general anesthesia for suspected language-eloquent brain tumors. ⋯ The nTMS-based preoperative mapping allows for a reliable visualization of the language network, being also able to identify an intra-hemispheric tumor-induced cortical plasticity. It allows for a customized surgical strategy that could preserve post-operative language function. This approach should be considered as a support for neurosurgeons whenever approaching patients affected by suspected language-eloquent tumors but not eligible for awake surgery.
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Clin Neurol Neurosurg · May 2018
Clinical and radiological outcomes after stand-alone ALIF for single L5-S1 degenerative discopathy using a PEEK cage filled with hydroxyapatite nanoparticles without bone graft.
Recent improvements in cage designs with integral fixation and screw attachments have made stand-alone ALIF a viable option with several possible advantages. The aim of this study was to confirm the efficacy and safety of a PEEK cage filled with hydroxyapatite nanoparticles without adding a bone graft for stand-alone ALIF in the treatment of L5-S1 isolated degenerative disc discopathy (DDD). ⋯ Stand-alone anterior lumbar interbody fusion using hydroxyapatite nanoparticles without an autologous bone graft is an effective and safe treatment option for L5-S1 degenerative pathology. Clinical outcomes were very satisfactory with a high fusion rate.