Journal of neurosurgery
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Journal of neurosurgery · May 2004
Development of a cancer-specific anterior skull base quality-of-life questionnaire.
The goal of this study was to develop a disease-specific, multidimensional quality of life (QOL) assessment instrument for patients undergoing surgical extirpation of anterior skull base tumors. ⋯ The proposed questionnaire appears to be sufficiently reliable and valid in estimating a patient's QOL after extirpation of anterior skull base tumors. The instrument can be used in face-to-face interviews and via electronic or regular mail.
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Journal of neurosurgery · May 2004
Case ReportsNeurocutaneous melanosis associated with Dandy-Walker malformation and a meningohydroencephalocele. Case report.
Neurocutaneous melanosis and Dandy-Walker malformation are both forms of rare congenital neurodysplasia. Interestingly, 8 to 10% of patients with neurocutaneous melanosis also harbor an associated Dandy-Walker malformation, indicating that these developmental abnormalities share a common origin. ⋯ The occipital nevus was totally excised, and ventriculoperitoneal and cyst-peritoneal shunts were created to prevent subsequent hydrocephalus. Findings in this case support the possibility that excessive melanocytes hinder normal mesenchymal development, causing Dandy-Walker malformation and an occipital meningocele.
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Journal of neurosurgery · May 2004
Case ReportsIncreased regional cerebral blood flow in the contralateral thalamus after successful motor cortex stimulation in a patient with poststroke pain.
The mechanisms underlying poststroke pain have not been clearly identified. Although motor cortex stimulation (MCS) sometimes reduces poststroke pain successfully, the exact mechanism is not yet known. For further investigation of the neural pathways involved in the processing of poststroke pain and in pain reduction by MCS, the authors used positron emission tomography (PET) scanning to determine significant changes in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF). ⋯ On the other hand, there were significant decreases in rCBF in the right superior temporal gyrus (BA22, p < 0.01, corrected) and the left middle occipital gyrus (BA19, p < 0.05, corrected). The efficacy of MCS was mainly related to increased synaptic activity in the thalamus, whereas the activations in the rectus gyrus, anterior cingulate gyrus, and superior frontal cortex as well as the inactivation of the superior temporal lobe may be related to emotional processes. This is the first report in which the contralateral thalamus was significantly activated and pain relief was achieved using MCS.