Journal of clinical neuroscience : official journal of the Neurosurgical Society of Australasia
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Our aim was to evaluate Wikipedia page visits in relation to the most common neurological disorders by determining which factors are related to peaks in Wikipedia searches for these conditions. Millions of people worldwide use the internet daily as a source of health information. Wikipedia is a popular free online encyclopedia used by patients and physicians to search for health-related information. ⋯ Six out of these seven peaks were related to news about famous people suffering from neurological disorders, especially those from showbusiness. Identification of discrepancies between disease burden and health seeking behavior on Wikipedia is useful in the planning of public health campaigns. Celebrities who publicly announce their neurological diagnosis might effectively promote awareness programs, increase public knowledge and reduce stigma related to diagnoses of neurological disorders.
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We sought to evaluate the outcome of intracranial arteriovenous malformation (AVM) treated with gamma knife radiosurgery (GKRS) (Elekta, Stockholm, Sweden) as a primary treatment as well as an adjunct therapy. GKRS has emerged as an important treatment option for intracranial AVM. However, the long term outcome of GKRS on AVM is not well understood. ⋯ Seventeen (20%) and one (1.17%) patients underwent repeat GKRS and resection, respectively, after initial GKRS, due to increased size of the nidus and GKRS related cyst formation. Thus, GKRS offers a high obliteration rate of AVM, low risk of intracranial bleeding and neurological morbidity, both as primary modality and as an adjunctive treatment. Therefore, GKRS is an effective treatment option for new patients with AVM as well as an adjuvant therapy in patients with recurrent AVM.
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We report a 58-year-old man who developed hyptertrophic olivary degeneration (HOD) after haemorrhage of a cavernous malformation in the pons. Lesions of the triangle of Guillain and Mollaret (the dentatorubro-olivary pathway) may lead to HOD, a secondary transsynaptic degeneration of the inferior olivary nucleus. HOD is considered unique because the degenerating olive initially becomes hypertrophic rather than atrophic. ⋯ The imaging features of HOD evolve through characteristic phases. The clue to the diagnosis of HOD is recognition of the distinct imaging stages and identification of a remote primary lesion in the triangle of Guillain and Mollaret. Familiarity with the classic imaging findings of this rare phenomenon is necessary in order to avoid misdiagnosis and prevent unnecessary intervention.
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We evaluate the clinical effects and radiological findings of the Wallis interspinous device (Zimmer, Warsaw, IN, USA) for the treatment of multi-segmental lumbar degenerative disease after a minimum 5 year follow-up period. A total of 26 adult patients underwent a primary discectomy followed by fixation of the segment with the Wallis interspinous device between December 2007 and August 2008. Twelve men and 14 women with an age range of 43 to 56 years (average: 47.6) were included. ⋯ Also, there were no statistically significant changes in the ROM and Pfirrmann grade at the instrumented level and at the cephalad-adjacent segment (p>0.05). In our study, no patient underwent further surgery because of a re-prolapse or progression of index level degeneration or adjacent segment disease. The Wallis interspinous device was a useful alternative for treating multi-segmental lumbar degenerative disease and it offered a significant minimum 5 year symptom control.
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Case Reports
Extreme volume expansion of a vestibular schwannoma due to intratumoral hemorrhage after gamma knife radiosurgery.
A 48-year-old man with right hemi-facial palsy and cerebellar ataxia was referred to our hospital. Three years and 10 months earlier he had undergone gamma knife radiosurgery (GKRS) at the referring hospital for an 18 mm right vestibular schwannoma. Slight tumor enlargement had been observed on MRI performed at the referring hospital 3 years after the GKRS. ⋯ Histopathological examination revealed massive intratumoral hemorrhage within a typical vestibular schwannoma with no malignancy. The complication of intratumoral hemorrhage is very rare and the utility of stereotactic radiation surgery/therapy, including GKRS, for vestibular schwannoma is well known. However, we must emphasize that careful follow-up is still required, even after several years.