World Neurosurg
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Comparative Study
Concurrent vs Staged Procedures for VPS and Cranioplasty: A 10-year Retrospective Comparative Analysis of Surgical Outcomes.
Many patients undergoing decompressive craniectomy will develop persistent hydrocephalus before cranioplasty. Therefore, surgeons must decide whether to perform ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) placement and cranioplasty simultaneously or in staged procedures. With limited, conflicting data reported, this decision has often been made by personal preference. The objective of the present study was to compare the surgical outcomes between patients undergoing concurrent or staged VPS placement and cranioplasty. ⋯ Because of the trend toward a reduced reoperation rate, the significantly reduced rate of hospital-acquired infection, and the reduction in the number of surgeries, we recommend that patients awaiting cranioplasty in the setting of persistent hydrocephalus undergo concurrent VPS placement and cranioplasty rather than staged procedures.
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The subthalamic nucleus (STN) is an important target during deep brain stimulation (DBS). Accurate lead placement is integral to achieving satisfactory clinical outcomes; however, the STN remains a structure whose visualization is highly variable with borders often difficult to define. We aimed to develop an objective method of evaluating the visibility of the STN on preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to standardize future comparative assessments between imaging protocols and patient-specific parameters. ⋯ Our proposed statistical model allows for standardized examination of the visibility of the STN border for DBS and has potential for both clinical and academic applications.
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Brainstem tumors represent formidable lesions for neurosurgical intervention. They should be approached with a thorough understanding of the anatomy and clear sense of surgical goals. A 14-year-old previously healthy girl presented with 2 weeks of nausea, headaches, diplopia, and gait instability. ⋯ Near total resection was obtained without any new neurologic deficit. Final pathology was consistent with pilocytic astrocytoma, World Health Organization grade I. The video demonstrates the surgical approach in addition to techniques for brainstem tumor resection (Video 1).
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Although the safety and feasibility of awake craniotomy are well established for epilepsy and brain tumor surgery, its application for resection of vascular lesions, including arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) and cavernomas, is still limited. Apart from the usual challenges of awake craniotomy, vascular lesions pose several additional problems. Our goal is to determine the safety and practicality of awake craniotomy in patients with cerebral vascular malformations located near the eloquent areas, using a refined anesthetic protocol. ⋯ Awake craniotomy for excision of intracranial vascular malformations located near the eloquent areas, in carefully selected patients, can facilitate resection by allowing close neuromonitoring and direct functional assessment. A balanced combination of sedative and analgesic medications can provide both adequate sedation and rapid wakeup, facilitating the necessary patient interaction and tolerance of the procedure.
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Cases of primary central nervous system lymphoma manifesting with hemorrhage are very rare, with only a few previous studies available. ⋯ We report a very rare case of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma manifested with intratumoral hemorrhage. This case indicates the importance of regular clinical and radiologic follow-up, histopathologic examination, and combined treatment with high-dose methotrexate and whole-brain radiation therapy.