World Neurosurg
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Blood blister-like aneurysms (BBAs) are a subgroup of aneurysms located on nonbranching sites of the internal carotid artery (ICA) and characterized by small size, a fragile wall, and a poorly defined broad-based neck. Both direct surgery and endovascular treatment for BBAs are often challenging. Some of the BBAs have been reported to look like true saccular aneurysms, and the misdiagnosis of BBA might result in catastrophic outcomes. The purpose of this study is to clarify the clinical and intraoperative findings of saccular BBAs. ⋯ Saccular BBAs may not merely develop secondarily from typical BBAs, but also form by the surrounding structures-dependent mechanisms when an aneurysm points toward the optic nerve. The findings in this study suggest that saccular-shaped aneurysms at nonbranching sites of the ICA toward the optic nerve should be considered as saccular BBAs.
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Structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and histopathologic tissue sampling are routinely performed as part of the diagnostic workup for patients with glioma. Because of the heterogeneous nature of gliomas, there is a risk of undergrading caused by histopathologic sampling errors. MRI has limitations in identifying tumor grade and type, detecting diffuse invasive growth, and separating recurrences from treatment induced changes. Positron emission tomography (PET) can provide quantitative information of cellular activity and metabolism, and may therefore complement MRI. In this report, we present the first patient with brain glioma examined with simultaneous PET/MRI using the amino acid tracer 18F-fluciclovine (18F-FACBC) for intraoperative image-guided surgery. ⋯ 18F-Fluciclovine uptake was found in parts of the tumor where regional WHO grade, cell proliferation, and cell densities were highest. This finding suggests that PET/MRI with this tracer could be used to improve accuracy in histopathologic tissue sampling and grading, and possibly for guiding treatments targeting the most malignant part of extensive and eloquent gliomas.
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Most sellar gangliocytomas are discovered with a concurrent pituitary adenoma, also known as a mixed gangliocytoma-adenoma (MGA). MGAs are rare, with fewer than 100 cases reported in the literature to date and only 1 previously documented surgical series. Because MGAs are radiologically indistinguishable from pituitary adenomas, they are often diagnosed after surgery. Combined with the paucity of clinical outcome data for these tumors, this makes their diagnosis and management challenging. Here we describe the clinical presentation and outcomes of 10 individuals who were diagnosed with a MGA at a single institution. ⋯ MGAs are often associated with a hypersecretory adenoma. Transsphenoidal surgery is well tolerated by most patients, and when performed in combination with adjuvant therapy, a low rate of recurrence and reversal of preoperative endocrinopathy can be expected.
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Pediatric moyamoya cases may be very arduous, even more so in a developing country, where access to specialized centers may be prevented by different factors. ⋯ The creation of highly specialized neurosurgical centers in the main strategic places of developing countries may allow optimal treatment of neurosurgical patients with complex diseases.
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Observational Study
Incidence of postoperative hematomas requiring surgical treatment in neurosurgery: a retrospective observational study.
We aimed to characterize the occurrence of postoperative hematoma (POH) after neurosurgery overall and according to procedure type and describe the prevalence of possible confounders. ⋯ POH after neurosurgery was rare in this series but was associated with poor outcome. Identification of risk factors of bleeding, and avoiding them, if possible, might decrease the incidence of POH.