Surg Neurol
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Of the MCA aneurysms, those located at the main bifurcation of the MCA (MbifA) are by far the most frequent. The purpose of this article is to review the practical anatomy, preoperative planning, and avoidance of complications in the microsurgical dissection and clipping of MbifAs. ⋯ Middle cerebral artery bifurcation aneurysms are often broad necked and may involve one or both branches of the bifurcation (M2s). The anatomical and hemodynamic features of MbifAs make them usually more favorable for microneurosurgical treatment. In population-based services, MbifAs are frequent targets of elective surgery (unruptured), acute surgery (ruptured), and emergency surgery (large ICH), even advanced approaches (giant). The challenge is to clip the neck adequately, without neck remnants, while preserving the bifurcational flow.
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Intra-arterial verapamil infusion with or without balloon angioplasty is a common therapy for patients with hypertensive, hypervolemic, and nimodipine-refractory vasospasm following aSAH. Seizures occurring from IA infusion of verapamil are rare. ⋯ Seizures are a rare complication during cerebral angiographic procedures. Intra-arterial verapamil-induced seizures are infrequently reported. Cognizance for the potential of seizures to occur is advised during verapamil infusion for the treatment of refractory vasospasm in certain individuals.
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Traumatic spinal cord infarction was initially described in the era previous to the availability of MRI. This entity occurs in children and affects the thoracic spinal cord, usually presenting as a delayed cord injury. Patients have a high incidence of associated blunt thoracic or retroperitoneal trauma and arterial hypotension at admission. The described mechanism of injury is a traumatic occlusion of the aortic branches nourishing the spinal cord. It shares several characteristics with SCIWORA. In past years, the presence of this injury has received little importance. ⋯ It is important to include TSCIf in the diagnosis of children who present delayed SCI (hours to 4-5 days), especially if the injury is located in the thoracic cord and is accompanied by blunt thoracic or abdominal trauma. Because the conventional radiographic tests are normal, TSCIf can be considered as a special type of SCIWORA.
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With the progressive refinement of endovascular techniques, fewer IAs are being treated with open microsurgery. There is limited information regarding the impact of this trend on the ability of younger neurosurgeons to achieve proficiency in the surgical management of IAs. We describe a consecutive series of patients with unruptured IAs treated by a neurosurgeon initiating a dedicated cerebrovascular practice in the "endovascular era." ⋯ Despite the growing role of endovascular therapy in the management of IAs, it is possible for young neurovascular surgeons to achieve acceptable results with open microsurgical treatment of IAs. The factors that were deemed important in achieving success in this series included a collaborative approach with endovascular colleagues, careful surgical judgment, continual reanalysis of personal results, and early support from experienced mentors.
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Case Reports
Benign angiopathy of the central nervous system presenting with intracerebral hemorrhage.
Primary central nervous system vasculitis has traditionally been described as an aggressive condition, with significant morbidity and mortality. A subgroup of patients has been identified who have a similar clinical presentation, but with a benign course. This syndrome of BACNS is successfully treated with low-dose steroids and calcium-channel blockers. Histologic confirmation, when performed, is normal. ⋯ This report is the first to document the normal histologic features of BACNS in the setting of an ICH. Although these angiographic changes are similar to vasculitis, these processes can be differentiated on clinical grounds, which is of vital importance as the treatment and clinical course of BACNS is more benign. Furthermore, the presence of an ICH in the setting of vasoconstriction seen on angiography may represent a novel feature in some patients with BACNS and is not necessarily a harbinger of the more malignant PCNSV.