J Neurosurg Sci
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Myxopapillary ependymomas represent the most frequent type of ependymomas found at the conus medullaris-cauda equina-terminal filum level. In this article the authors describe the clinical presentation, radiographic findings, operative details, and pathological features of a patient with a concomitant presentations of a thoracic spinal cord myxopapillary ependymoma and a filum terminale myxopapillary ependymoma. A 16-year-old man presented to the Neurosurgery Department of the S. ⋯ The authors considered dissemination to be the spread of tumor along the neuraxis to a location separate from the primary site. They do not believe that the lesion at the cauda level was a drop metastase. As the entire spinal cord and the brain were imaged, and as the tumor in the thoracic spinal cord area was we well capsulated, a disseminated ependymoma was confidently excluded.
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Comparative Study
The role of surgery when endovascular treatment is considered the first choice therapy for ruptured intracranial aneurysms.
Nowadays endovascular therapy is more and more considered as first choice treatment for ruptured intracranial aneurysms. The aim of this study was to understand the impact that endovascular treatment (EVT), chosen as first therapeutic strategy, has had in the selection of ruptured intracranial aneurysms submitted to surgery at our Institution and what role neurosurgeons still play in this setting. ⋯ The results show that microsurgery continues to have a role in the treatment of ruptured intracranial aneurysms even when EVT is the first choice. The precarious clinical conditions of the patients submitted to surgery and the frequent complexity of their aneurysms explain their worst outcome. This would advise training dedicated vascular Neurosurgeons to guaranty a high level treatment when EVT is not possible.
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The authors describe the surgical method and results of nonexpansive one-piece multivel laminoplasty of the whole lumbar spine, for microsurgical resection of extensive spinal tumors. This technique allows a very comfortable approach to the dura and intradural content, as well as a perfect replacement of the posterior spinal arch with supporting elements and an optimal reconstruction of the spinal anatomy. A nonexpansive whole lumbar one-piece laminoplasty was performed for resection of extensive multilevel lumbar tumors. ⋯ The authors believe that multilevel laminoplasty rather than laminectomy is the technique of choice as a posterior procedure for extensive lumbar spinal tumors. With this technique, it is possible to obtain a very confortable approach to the dura and intradural content, as well as a perfect replacement of the posterior spinal arch with supporting elements and an optimal reconstruction of the normal spine. Moreover, this method prevents postoperative instability and deformity and avoids the so called post-laminectomy epidural membrane.
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Tethered cord syndrome (TCS) is a stretch-induced functional disorder of the spinal cord, which is directly related to filum fixation. Classic surgical approaches to the filum involve open surgery and include varying amounts of spinal bone removal. In an effort to reduce the morbidity and mortality of these procedures, the authors explored a less invasive method. They evaluated the ability, safety and feasibility for endoscopic sectioning of the filum terminale externum by performing upward orientated navigation in the extradural sacral spinal canal through the sacral hiatus using a rigid endoscope. ⋯ Such approach is an attractive alternative for filum terminale externum sectioning in cases where tethered cord syndrome is not accompanied by any other pathology. Moreover if filum terminale internum sectiong is indicated, it can be performed in second stage.
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Hosobuchi first studied the effect of spinal cord stimulation (SCS) on cerebral blood flow (CBF) in human beings along with the demonstration that SCS can improve peripheral blood flow. Following these clinical and experimental observations Hosobuchi first used cervical SCS for the treatment of cerebral ischemia in man. Further experimental reports suggested so far that SCS 1) drastically prevents cerebral infarction progression along with a reduction in infarct volume in cats; 2) improves clinical symptoms of patients in persistent vegetative states; 3) suppress headache attacks in migraneous patients; 4) significantly reduces ischemic brain oedema in rats; 5) increase locoregional blood flow in high grade brain tumors. ⋯ In patients studied with both SPECT technique and transcranial Doppler (TCD) the sign of the induced variations, when present in both, as the same. Cervical stimulation produces more frequently an increase in CBF (61% of cervical stimulations). The authors' experimental studies confirm that SCS 1) interacts with CO2 with the mechanism of regulation of CBF in a competitive way and produce a reversible functional sympathectomy; 2) produces similar flowmetric changes in the brain as well as in the eyes; 3) can improve both clinical and haemodynamic ischemic stroke in humans; 4) prevents hemodynamic deterioration in the experimental combined ischemic and traumatic brain injury; 5) prevents experimental early vasospasm.