Neurosurgical review
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Pain following spine surgery is often difficult to control and can persist. Reduction of this pain requires a multidisciplinary approach that depends on contributions of both surgeons and anesthesiologists. ⋯ Anesthesiologists, on the other hand, must focus on preemptive, multimodal analgesic treatment regimens. In this review, we first discuss anatomic sources of pain within the spine, before delving into a specific literature-supported pain management protocol intended for use with spinal surgery.
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Neurosurgical review · Jul 2015
ReviewMinimally invasive endoscopic surgery for treatment of spontaneous intracerebral haematomas.
Spontaneous intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) is a devastating disease with a mortality rate of more than 40 % and a high morbidity rate with 10-15 % of survivors remaining fully dependent [11]. The role of surgical treatment of ICH remains a matter of controversy and ongoing investigation. Advances in neurosurgical techniques such as endoscopy and neuronavigation have been established in various fields of neurosurgery. ⋯ In this article, we focus on the pathophysiologic rationales behind minimally invasive haematoma evacuation through endoscopic surgery and provide an overview of technical developments and reported patient series. In addition, the modalities of the surgical procedure at the authors' institution are described. Controlled clinical trials are needed to evaluate the full potential and limitations of this promising technique.
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Neurosurgical review · Jul 2015
Case ReportsSurgery in extensive vertebral hemangioma: case report, literature review and a new algorithm proposal.
Hemangiomas are benign dysplasias or vascular tumors consisting of vascular spaces lined with endothelium. Nowadays, radiotherapy for vertebral hemangiomas (VHs) is widely accepted as primary treatment for painful lesions. Nevertheless, the role of surgery is still unclear. ⋯ We recommend radiotherapy only for small lesions in which vertebral stability is not concerned. Kyphoplasty can be proposed for asymptomatic patients in which VHs are small and in patients affected by VHs determining pain without spinal canal invasion in which the VH is small. In patients affected by pain without spinal canal invasion but in which the VH is wide or presented with spinal canal invasion and in patients affected by neurological deficits, we propose surgery.