World Neurosurg
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Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rhinorrhea after medical therapy for pituitary prolactinoma is a rare but well-described phenomenon. To our knowledge, no CSF leaks have been reported after targeted medical treatment of pituitary or anterior skull base metastases. We report this unusual case to raise awareness of spontaneous CSF leaks in the setting of skull base metastatic disease. ⋯ All members of the treatment team should be aware of this possibility of CSF leak after initiation of systemic chemotherapy and tumor regression and urgently refer patients for repair if a leak should develop before the development of meningitis.
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Case Reports
Candida meningitis after transphenoidal surgery: a single institution case-series and literature review.
Candida meningitis after neurosurgical procedures is a rare but potentially devastating complication. The presentation of meningitis can be insidious in immunosuppressed patients and thus can be easily overlooked. Cerebrospinal fluid studies often resemble bacterial profiles, and cultures can be falsely negative. ⋯ A high index of suspicion is needed in any patient with risk factors such as abdominal surgery, bowel perforation, recent broad spectrum antibiotic therapy, intravenous drug use, extremes of age, indwelling catheters, and immunosuppression such as AIDS, malignancy, antineoplastic therapy, and steroid use. Here, we describe 3 case presentations of patients with giant skull base tumors who developed postsurgical Candida meningitis, each with vastly different clinical courses and outcomes, ranging from benign to catastrophic. We performed a literature review with special focus on common risk factors, Candida species, diagnostic criteria, and treatment.
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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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Endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal and contralateral sublabial transmaxillary approaches are used for approaching parasellar lesions. The aim of this anatomical study was to compare endoscopic endonasal uninostril and binostril (contralateral) and contralateral sublabial transmaxillary approaches via a quantitative analysis of exposure limits and instrument working avenues. ⋯ An anatomical comparison of the 3 endoscopic approaches to the parasellar area showed that the binostril approach provides greater exposure and freedom for instrument manipulation. The contralateral transmaxillary route provided a more lateral view, increasing exposure on average by 48%, with shorter surgical depth; however, surgical freedom was inferior to that of the binostril approach.
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Complete resection of a central skull base meningioma (CSM) is possible, but it is often associated with high morbidity. Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) plays an appreciable role in the management of skull base meningiomas. This study aims to apply volumetric methods to assess the CSM response after SRS and correlate it with clinical outcomes. ⋯ SRS affords effective tumor volumetric control and neurologic stability or improvement in the majority of patients with CSMs. The radiologic response of CSM as determined by volumetry at 3 years post-SRS is predictive of long-term tumor response at 5 and 10 years following SRS.