World Neurosurg
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Case Reports
Combined petrosal approach for resection of petroclival meningioma. 2D operative video.
Petroclival meningiomas are rare skull base lesions, which originate at the upper two thirds of the clivus, medially to cranial nerves V-XI. Interposition of the cranial nerves between the tumor and surgeon and the proximity/involvement of the basilar artery and brainstem make surgical treatment challenging. Nevertheless, documented growth, brainstem compression, and neurologic symptoms argue in favor of resection. ⋯ Gross total resection (Simpson grade II) was achieved. Intraoperatively, the fourth cranial nerve was transected and treated with primary end-to-end neurorrhaphy. The patient had a good neurologic outcome, with a trochlear nerve deficit, which partially improved over 12 months.
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Chronic subdural hematomas (CSDHs) with narrow or multilayered hematomas must be accurately localized for burr hole drainage. We present a simple alternative localization method using conventional computed tomography (CT) scans acquired for the initial diagnosis and a commercially available carpenter's square (CS). ⋯ Our simple and inexpensive method can localize narrow or multilayered CSDHs with acceptable accuracy and increases the efficiency of routine clinical work.
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Observational Study
The Relationship between Atypical Symptoms of Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy and the Segments of Spinal Cord Compression: A Retrospective Observational Study.
Patients with degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) often present with atypical symptoms such as vertigo, headache, palpitations, tinnitus, blurred vision, memory loss, and abdominal discomfort. This study aims to investigate the relationship between atypical symptoms of DCM and the segments of spinal cord compression. ⋯ Atypical symptoms were common in patients with DCM, and the segments of spinal cord compression might be associated with specific atypical symptoms. Surgical treatment is effective in relieving some of the atypical symptoms.
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Because full functional recovery after spinal cord injury (SCI) remains a major challenge, stem cell therapies represent promising strategies to improve neurologic functions after SCI. The olfactory mucosa (OM) displays an attractive source of multipotent cells for regenerative approaches and is easily accessible by biopsies because of its exposed location. The regenerative capacity of the resident olfactory stem cells (OSCs) has been demonstrated in animal as well as clinical studies. This study aims to demonstrate the feasibility of isolation, purification and cultivation of OSCs. ⋯ Because there are no standard methods for purification, characterization, and delivery of OSCs to the injury site, which is a prerequisite for the clinical approval, this study focuses on the establishment of appropriate methods and underlines the high potential of the OM for autologous cell therapeutic approaches.
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Some giant intracranial aneurysms can develop serpentine morphology, secondary to a peculiar near-complete intra-aneurysmal thrombosis. The resulting complex angioarchitecture, along with atypical clinical presentations (i.e., mass effect, distal ischemia) seen, makes management of such aneurysms technically challenging. These aneurysms are not amenable to endovascular treatment, and hence the only remaining treatment option is a tailored microsurgical procedure (clipping/parent vessel occlusion or reconstruction/trapping/aneurysmorrhaphy) accompanied by a safety bypass (high-flow, low-flow, or in situ bypass, subject to dependence of distal circulation on proximal trunk with reference to aneurysm). ⋯ Intraoperative and postoperative angiography confirmed the anastomosis patency. The patient's recovery was uneventful. This treatment can save operating time, eliminate donor artery-related morbidity, and offer a surgical alternative to the conventional strategy of STA-MCA bypass.