Journal of neurosurgery
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Journal of neurosurgery · Jul 2012
Comparative StudyWhy does endoscopic aqueductoplasty fail so frequently? Analysis of cerebrospinal fluid flow after endoscopic third ventriculostomy and aqueductoplasty using cine phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging.
The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare CSF flow after endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) and endoscopic aqueductoplasty (EAP) in patients presenting with obstructive hydrocephalus caused by aqueductal stenosis. ⋯ Cerebrospinal fluid flow through ventriculostomies is significantly higher than aqueductal CSF flow after EAP. This could be one factor to explain why the reclosure rate of aqueducts after EAP is higher than the reclosure rate of the ventriculostoma after ETV.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Jul 2012
Case ReportsOptimized angiographic computed tomography with intravenous contrast injection: an alternative to conventional angiography in the follow-up of clipped aneurysms?
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of an optimized angiographic CT (ACT) program with intravenous contrast agent injection (ivACT) in the assessment of potential aneurysm remnants after neurosurgical clipping compared with conventional digital subtraction angiography (DSA). ⋯ By using an optimized image acquisition protocol as well as enhanced postprocessing algorithms, the noninvasive ivACT seems to achieve results comparable to those of conventional angiography in the follow-up of clipped cerebral aneurysms. The authors have shown that ivACT can provide reliable diagnostic information about potential aneurysm remnants after neurosurgical clipping with high sensitivity and specificity, sufficient for clinical decision making, at least for aneurysms in the anterior circulation located distal to the internal carotid artery. These preliminary results may be a promising step to replace conventional angiography by a noninvasive imaging technique in selected cases after aneurysm clipping.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Jul 2012
Case ReportsNew variant of persistent primitive olfactory artery associated with a ruptured aneurysm.
The authors present the case of a 78-year-old man who presented with a subarachnoid hemorrhage due to rupture of an aneurysm at the origin of the persistent primitive olfactory artery (PPOA). Interestingly, the PPOA was originating from the A1 segment of the anterior cerebral artery and coursed anteromedially along the olfactory tract. ⋯ To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is a new variant (Type 3) of PPOA associated with a ruptured aneurysm. The clinical implications of this case are discussed in terms of the embryological aspects.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Jul 2012
Long-term behavioral, electrophysiological, and neurochemical monitoring of the safety of an experimental antiepileptic implant, the muscimol-delivering Subdural Pharmacotherapy Device in monkeys.
The authors evaluated the extent to which the Subdural Pharmacotherapy Device (SPD), chronically implanted over the frontal cortex to perform periodic, localized muscimol-delivery/CSF removal cycles, affects overall behavior, motor performance, electroencephalography (EEG) activity, and blood and CSF neurochemistry in macaque monkeys. ⋯ Long-term, periodic, transmeningeal muscimol delivery with the SPD is essentially a safe procedure. If further improved and successfully adapted for use in humans, the SPD can be used for the treatment of intractable focal neocortical epilepsy affecting approximately 150,000 patients in the US.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Jul 2012
Case ReportsPercutaneous transluminal angioplasty in a patient with vasospasm due to staphylococcal meningitis.
Arterial large vessel vasculopathy is an unusual complication of bacterial meningitis in adults that may result in cerebral ischemia and severe neurological sequelae. Previous therapy has included antimicrobials with no specific vascular interventions. The authors report their experience with a patient with bacterial meningitis who developed a vasculopathy with neurological deficits. Percutaneous intracranial intervention was used successfully with anatomical and functional improvement.