Neurosurgical review
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Neurosurgical review · Jan 2003
Acute phase effects of ATP-MgCl2 on experimental spinal cord injury.
The purpose of this study was to study the acute phase effects of adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-MgCl2 on experimental spinal cord clip compression injury. Spinal cord clip compression injury was performed on 36 albino Wistar rats. The rats were divided into five groups. ⋯ Administration of the ATP-MgCl2 before the clip compression injury (in group 3) did not have a statistically significant effect on lipid peroxidation when compared with the injury group (group 2). In this study, we found that ATP-MgCl2 has decreased lipid peroxidation in spinal cord injury and protected the spinal cord from secondary injury after the trauma. We concluded that ATP-MgCl2 may be used in the treatment of spinal cord injuries in conjunction with the other treatment modalities, but further investigations are mandatory.
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In this study, we present a retrospective analysis of 107 cases due to civilian craniocerebral gunshot wounds that were treated by the medical faculty of Dicle University during a period of 7 years (January 1993 to January 2000). Twenty patients died at the hospital, and the deaths were determined to result from direct effects of brain damage. Coma was the best prognostic guideline. Diffuse brain damage and ventricular injury, particularly infections, were associated with poor outcome.
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Neurosurgical review · Aug 2002
Continuous intrathecal infusion of baclofen in patients with spasticity caused by spinal cord injuries.
The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy and safety of intrathecal baclofen therapy delivered by a programmable pump for the chronic treatment of spinal spasticity. Twelve patients with intractable spasticity caused by spinal cord injuries underwent implantation of a programmable continuous infusion pump after significant reduction in spasticity following an intrathecal test bolus of baclofen. No deaths or new permanent neurological deficits occurred following surgery or chronic intrathecal baclofen therapy. ⋯ In two cases, we observed postoperative catheter dislocation, a complication which could be corrected surgically. This study demonstrates that chronic intrathecal baclofen infusion is a safe and effective form of treatment of intractable spasticity in patients with spinal cord injury. There is considerable reduction in the risk of infection in view of the fact that interrogation and programming of the implanted programmed pumps is noninvasive.
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Neurosurgical review · Mar 2002
Case ReportsCerebellar hemangioblastoma simulating arachnoid cyst on imaging and surgery.
A case of posterior fossa hemangioblastoma simulating arachnoid cyst on imaging and peroperatively is presented. In vivo proton MR spectroscopy showed evidence of large lactate and resonance at 2.37 ppm not observed earlier in the cystic lesions, including arachnoid cyst. The demonstration of this resonance may help in characterization of these lesions that may be confused with arachnoid cysts on imaging and during surgery.
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Neurosurgical review · Mar 2002
Complications of burr-hole craniostomy and closed-system drainage for chronic subdural hematomas: a retrospective analysis of 376 patients.
Burr-hole craniostomy with closed-system drainage (BCD) is the most frequently used neurosurgical treatment of chronic subdural hematomas (cSDH). The surgical and medical complications of BCD have seldom been investigated systematically. The objective of this study was to define the frequency of surgical and medical complications following BCD for cSDH. ⋯ The rate of complications in patients with cSDH who underwent the BCD is high. The clinical relevance of medical complications has to be emphasized because of their substantial contribution to overall mortality.