Journal of neurosurgery
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Journal of neurosurgery · Jan 2018
Case ReportsAnterior interhemispheric transsplenial approach to pineal region tumors: anatomical study and illustrative case.
Pineal region tumors are challenging to access because they are centrally located within the calvaria and surrounded by critical neurovascular structures. The goal of this work is to describe a new surgical trajectory, the anterior interhemispheric transsplenial approach, to the pineal region and falcotentorial junction area. ⋯ Among the interhemispheric approaches to the pineal region, the anterior interhemispheric transsplenial approach has several advantages. 1) There are few or no bridging veins at the level of the pericoronal suture. 2) The parietal and occipital lobes are not retracted, which reduces the chances of approach-related morbidity, especially in the dominant hemisphere. 3) The risk of damage to the deep venous structures is low because the tumor surface reached first is relatively vein free. 4) The internal cerebral veins can be manipulated and dissected away laterally through the anterior interhemispheric route but not via the posterior interhemispheric route. 5) Early control of medial posterior choroidal arteries is obtained. The anterior interhemispheric transsplenial approach provides a safe and effective surgical corridor for patients with supratentorial pineal region tumors that 1) extend superiorly, involve the splenium of the corpus callosum, and push the deep venous system in a posterosuperior or an anteroinferior direction; 2) are tentorial and displace the deep venous system inferiorly; or 3) originate from the splenium of the corpus callosum.
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OBJECTIVE A fibrous structure located dorsal to the dura at the posterior craniocervical junction stretches horizontally between the bilateral occipital condyles and the upper borders of the C-1 laminae. Partially covered by the occipital bone, this structure is always encountered when the bone is removed from the foramen magnum rim during approaches to the posterior cranial fossa. Although known to surgeons, this structure has not been defined, studied, or named. ⋯ CONCLUSIONS The suboccipital ligament extends between the occipital condyle and the superior edge of the C-1 lamina, connecting the contralateral sides, and appears to function as a real ligament. It is ventral to the occipital bone, which covers approximately two-thirds of the height of the ligament and is loosely attached to the dura medially and more firmly laterally. Because of its distinctive anatomy, characteristics, and function, the suboccipital ligament deserves its own uniform designation and name.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Jan 2018
CT-guided selective percutaneous radiofrequency thermocoagulation via the foramen rotundum for isolated maxillary nerve idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia.
OBJECTIVE Although CT-guided selective percutaneous radiofrequency thermocoagulation (PRFT) via the foramen rotundum (FR) has been used in the clinic as a novel successful treatment for isolated, second division (maxillary nerve [V2]), idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia (ITN), there is only very limited related literature published to date. This report aims to provide more detail for physicians about this technique. METHODS Between March 2013 and April 2014, 20 patients with isolated V2 ITN refractory to or intolerant of drug treatment were treated by CT-guided selective PRFT via the FR at the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University. ⋯ No adverse effects or complications occurred except for transient numbness restricted to the V2 dermatome in all patients (100%) and facial hematoma in 3 patients (15%). CONCLUSIONS In the current study, CT-guided selective PRFT via the FR not only achieved absolute selective lesioning to V2, but also helped patients attain successful pain relief with few adverse effects. These limited data suggest that CT-guided selective PRFT via the FR appears to be a feasible, safe, effective, and even relatively ideal treatment for isolated V2 ITN, but these findings need confirmation from further studies.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Jan 2018
The value of endoscope assistance during transcranial surgery for tuberculum sellae meningiomas.
OBJECTIVE In tuberculum sellae meningioma (TSM) surgery, endonasal approaches are claimed to have a superior visual outcome compared with transcranial approaches. The authors question whether this is always true and analyze their series of cases of endoscope-assisted transcranial TSM surgery with special regard to the postoperative visual outcome in order to explore this issue. METHODS All surgical procedures for TSM performed between 2003 and 2015 in the Department of Neurosurgery, University Medicine Greifswald, were retrospectively analyzed. ⋯ The use of the endoscope as an assistive device led to improved tumor visualization and consequent removal in areas that were hidden in the microscopic view in 6 patients (40%). CONCLUSIONS The present series confirms a favorable visual outcome after TSM surgery via supraorbital or frontolateral endoscope-assisted approaches. With endoscopic visualization, major manipulation of the optic apparatus could be avoided, perhaps affecting the favorable visual outcome.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Jan 2018
Magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound thalamotomy for tremor: a report of 30 Parkinson's disease and essential tremor cases.
OBJECTIVE Thalamotomy of the ventral intermediate nucleus (VIM) is effective in alleviating medication-resistant tremor in patients with essential tremor (ET) and Parkinson's disease (PD). MR-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) is an innovative technology that enables noninvasive thalamotomy via thermal ablation. METHODS Patients with severe medication-resistant tremor underwent unilateral VIM thalamotomy using MRgFUS. ⋯ CONCLUSIONS MRgFUS VIM thalamotomy to relieve medication-resistant tremor was safe and effective in patients with ET, PD, and ET-PD. Current results emphasize the superior adverse events profile of MRgFUS over other surgical approaches for treating tremor with similar efficacy. Large randomized studies are needed to assess prolonged efficacy and safety.