Neurosurgery
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Venous air embolism during neurosurgical procedures (detected by Doppler Ultrasound and aspiration via a right atrial catheter) was noted in 100 of 400 patients in the sitting position, 5 of 60 patients in the lateral position, 7 of 48 patients in the supine position, and 1 of 10 individuals monitored in the prone position. We confirmed venous air embolism in many of these cases by using serial technetium-macroaggregated albumin lung scans. Gravitational gradients from the venous portal of entrance to the right side of the heart were as small as 5.0 cm, with aspiration of 200 ml of air occurring. Doppler ultrasonic air bubble detection and aspiration through a previously inserted right atrial catheter are critical factors in the diagnosis and treatment of this condition.
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Subdural empyema was encountered in 44 African patients in Rhodesia during the period from 1970 to 1974. Subdural empyema seems to be a relatively frequent occurrence in Africans. Sixty-eight per cent of the patients were below the age of 20 years, and males predominated. ⋯ The mortality rate in this study was 59%, and some recognizable contributing factors are elaborated. In the discussion the authors compare these observations with pertinent reviews from the literature. Some of these findings correlate well with other reports, whereas other observations are attributed to factors partly inherent in the socio-economic structure of the African population in Rhodesia.
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A successfully managed case of posterior fossa subdural hematoma occurring in a hemophiliac is reported, and the rarity of this lesion is mentioned. The management of the hemophiliac who is a victim of craniocerebral trauma is discussed, with emphasis on the use of computerized tomographic scanning to obtain rapid diagnosis. The importance of prophylactic Factor VIII replacement is emphasized, and appropriate methods of Factor VIII administration are outlined.