Journal of neurosurgery
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Journal of neurosurgery · Feb 2000
Comparative StudyClinical outcomes after carotid endarterectomy: comparison of the use of regional and general anesthetics.
The authors analyzed their series of carotid endarterectomies (CEAs), which were performed after administration of either a general or regional anesthetic, to determine whether the choice of anesthetic affected patients' clinical outcomes and length of hospital stay. ⋯ Patients undergoing CEA in which a regional anesthetic was used had significantly fewer nonneurological, nonfatal complications, particularly cardiopulmonary complications, than similar patients surgically treated after induction of general anesthesia.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Feb 2000
Case ReportsUse of spiral computerized tomography angiography in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage in whom subtraction angiography did not reveal cerebral aneurysms.
Patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) in whom angiography does not demonstrate diagnostic findings sometimes suffer recurrent disease and actually harbor undetected cerebral aneurysms. The management strategy for such cases remains controversial, but technological advances in spiral computerized tomography (CT) angiography are changing the picture. The purpose of this prospective study was to examine how spiral CT angiography can contribute to the detection of cerebral aneurysms that cannot be visualized on angiography. ⋯ Spiral CT angiography was useful in the detection of cerebral aneurysms in patients with SAH in whom angiography revealed no diagnostic findings. Anterior communicating artery aneurysms are generally well hidden in these types of SAH cases. A repeated angiography session was warranted in patients with nonperimesencephalic SAH and in whom initial angiography revealed no diagnostic findings, although a third session was thought to be superfluous.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Feb 2000
Cortical motor and somatosensory representation: effect of cerebral lesions.
Changes in cortical representation in patients with cerebral lesions may alter the correlation between cortical anatomy and function. This is of potential clinical significance when the extent of cortical resection is based on surface anatomical landmarks. ⋯ Central lesions are more frequently associated with altered patterns in activation than lesions in noncentral locations. Characteristic patterns include activation of secondary sensorimotor areas. The absence of activation in gyri adjacent to the sensorimotor strip has clinical significance for the planning of resections in the central area.
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The authors present a retrospective analysis of 248 immunocompetent patients with primary intracerebral lymphoma treated at 19 French and Belgian medical centers between January 1980 and December 1995. ⋯ Using univariate analysis, the authors determined prognostic factors that were significantly associated with a favorable impact on survival including age younger than 60 years, radiation therapy (without evidence of a dose-response relationship), radiation therapy combined with chemotherapy, and chemotherapy consisting of anthracycline. Partial surgical resection was an unfavorable prognostic factor. Multivariate analysis was used to confirm the independent prognostic value of radiation therapy, age, chemotherapy consisting of anthracyclines or methotrexate, and partial surgical resection. This European survey provides a reasonable basis for the treatment of primary intracerebral lymphoma with the following sequence: stereotactic biopsy sampling, chemotherapy with a methotrexate- and anthracycline-based regimen, followed by cranial irradiation.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Feb 2000
Case ReportsContinuous intrathecal pump infusion of baclofen with antibiotic drugs for treatment of pump-associated meningitis. Case report.
Intrathecal baclofen administered by means of an implantable pump is being increasingly used for successful treatment of spasticity. Meningitis following intrathecally administered baclofen is a rare but serious complication that is difficult to treat without removal of the pump. ⋯ The authors report the case of a patient in whom Staphylococcus epidermidis meningitis developed after insertion of an intrathecal baclofen pump. The patient was successfully treated by intrathecal coadministration of vancomycin and baclofen.