World Neurosurg
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Review Case Reports
Neurofibromas of the phrenic nerve: a case report and review of the literature.
Phrenic neurofibromas are a rare pathologic entity, with 9 cases described in the English literature. They may occur in conjunction with or independently of neurofibromatosis type 1. Phrenic neurofibromas pose distinct therapeutic challenges compared with the more common phrenic schwannoma. We describe here a 12-year-old boy with neurofibroma of the left phrenic nerve presenting as dextroposition of the heart after paralysis of the left hemidiaphragm allowed herniation of abdominal contents into the left hemithorax and displaced the heart. ⋯ The spectrum of management options ranges from conservative surveillance to open thoracic surgery. Functional preservation of the phrenic nerve is technically challenging, and although phrenic neurofibromas often present with absent function that cannot be recovered, surgical intervention can be fruitful in restoring lung capacity through diaphragmatic reconstruction.
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Review Case Reports
Infundibular hemangioblastoma in a patient with neurofibromatosis type 1: case report and review of the literature.
Supratentorial hemangioblastomas are rare tumors, most commonly occurring in the sellar/suprasellar region, cerebrum, and ventricle. They are generally found in patients with von Hippel Lindau disease but have infrequently been reported in patients without this syndrome. ⋯ Hemangioblastoma should be included in the differential of sellar/suprasellar mass lesions, particularly in patients with von Hippel Lindau disease. Small suprasellar lesions may be safely and effectively removed using an expanded transsphenoidal approach.
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Review Case Reports
Trigeminal Neuralgia due to Intraneural Trigeminocerebellar Artery: Case Report and Review of the Literature.
The trigeminocerebellar artery (TCA) is a branch of the basilar artery supplying both the trigeminal nerve root and the cerebellar hemisphere. Despite its proximity to the trigeminal nerve, only a few cases of trigeminal neuralgia (TN) caused by TCA compression of the trigeminal nerve have been reported. Moreover, TN caused by blood vessel penetration of the trigeminal nerve is very rare. ⋯ The TCA is a potential offending vessel in TN because of trigeminal nerve compression, and the longitudinal dissection of the trigeminal nerve to make space between the vessel and the nerve roots may be an effective procedure to relieve TN caused by pressing intraneural vessels.
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Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) denotes the condition of increased intracranial pressure without a clear underlying pathologic condition of the brain. The treatment plan should be conducted to save vision. Treatment options include medications, serial lumbar punctures, and surgical intervention. Surgery is indicated once visual loss continues despite optimum medical therapy. ⋯ The lumbopleural shunt is a potentially effective technique in terms of symptoms control and vision improvement in treatment of IIH. The technique is safe, less time-consuming, and more suitable for morbid obese patients with high body fat percentages.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Low-cost Interactive Image-based Virtual Endoscopy for the Diagnosis and Surgical Planning of Suprasellar Arachnoid Cysts.
To investigate the feasibility and reliability of virtual endoscopy (VE) as a rapid, low-cost, and interactive tool for the diagnosis and surgical planning of suprasellar arachnoid cysts (SACs). ⋯ This study substantiated the feasibility and reliability of VE as a rapid, low-cost, and interactive modality for diagnosis and surgical planning of SACs.