Neurosurgery
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To examine outcomes and delayed complications after the surgical resection of intramedullary spinal cord (IMSC) cavernous malformations. The association of these lesions with cryptic intraparenchymal venous malformations at surgery also was analyzed. ⋯ The frequent coexistence of IMSC cavernous malformations with cryptic venous malformations in this series indicates a need for operative vigilance to preserve these venous anomalies. Delayed complications were the result of incomplete resection. The resultant hemorrhage required reexploration, which led to tethering of the spinal cord. Most patients who underwent resection, however, had improved neurologically at long-term follow-up.
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Tenascin-C expression in the cyst wall and fluid of human brain tumors correlates with angiogenesis.
Tenascin-C (TN) is an extracellular matrix glycoprotein with a characteristic six-armed structure. The aim of this study was to determine whether the concentration of TN in the cyst fluid of brain tumors can be used as a marker for angiogenesis and glioma grade. ⋯ The presence of TN in and around the hyperplastic vessels and tumor cells present in the cyst walls of astrocytomas and its deposition in the intratumoral cyst fluid in which angiogenic factors have been detected further suggests a role for TN as an angiogenic modulator. These preliminary results suggest that immunodetection of TN in the tumor cyst fluid may indicate tumor type and grade.
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Marfan's syndrome is a heritable connective tissue disorder that has been associated with intracranial aneurysms. However, the prevalence of intracranial aneurysms in Marfan's syndrome is unknown and pathological studies of affected vessels have not been reported. We therefore examined the neuropathological findings in a group of patients with Marfan's syndrome. ⋯ These findings confirm an association between Marfan's syndrome and intracranial aneurysms. Microscopic involvement of cerebral arteries in Marfan's syndrome may be variable, even among those with intracranial aneurysms.
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Neurosurgery at the Barrow Neurological Institute exists within the unique context of this nonuniversity-based center. The institute, a relative newcomer to academic medicine, opened in Phoenix in 1961 under the leadership of John Raymond Green, M. ⋯ Since then, the institute has experienced a dynamic growth phase in its clinical and academic arenas. This article describes how the development of the institute has shaped the program in neurosurgery and vice versa.
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We describe the development and implementation of a new open configuration magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, with which neurosurgical procedures can be performed using image guidance. Our initial neurosurgical experience consists of 140 cases, including 63 stereotactic biopsies, 16 cyst drainages, 55 craniotomies, 3 thermal ablations, and 3 laminectomies. The surgical advantages derived from this new modality are presented. ⋯ Intraoperative MRI allows lesions to be precisely localized and targeted, and the progress of a procedure can be immediately evaluated. The constantly updated images help to eliminate errors that can arise during frame-based and frameless stereotactic surgery when anatomic structures alter their position because of shifting or displacement of brain parenchyma but are correlated with images obtained preoperatively. Intraoperative MRI is particularly helpful in determining tumor margins, optimizing surgical approaches, achieving complete resection of intracerebral lesions, and monitoring potential intraoperative complications.