World Neurosurg
-
There are a variety of imaging modalities for evaluation of peripheral nerves. Of these, ultrasonography (US) is often underused. There are several advantages of this imaging modality, including its cost-effectiveness, time-efficient assessment of long segments of peripheral nerves, ability to perform dynamic maneuvers, lack of contraindications, portability, and noninvasiveness. ⋯ Ideally, the neurosurgeon can use US as a diagnostic adjunct in the preoperative assessment of a patient with traumatic, neoplastic, infective, or compressive nerve injury. Perhaps its most unique use is in intraoperative surgical planning. In this article, a brief description of normal US nerve anatomy is presented followed by a description of the US appearance of peripheral nerve disease caused by trauma, tumor, infection, and entrapment.
-
Review Biography Historical Article
Music and Medicine: the tragic case of Gershwin's brain tumor and the challenges of Neurosurgery in the first half of the 20th century.
Although neurosurgery has gone through moments of great renewal in recent decades, at the beginning of the 20th century it was still dealing with the unfathomable mysteries of the nervous system and its disorders. Historical insight improves understanding of the great personalities of the past and allows us to look at the efforts of pioneering surgeons with greater awareness. ⋯ This article presents the tragic case of Gershwin's brain tumor. Through his story, it is possible to get an idea of the difficulties with which the great neuroscientists and surgeons of the past approached the human nervous system and its pathologic manifestations. The first part of this article deals with the evolution of Gershwin's disease over the years and the subsequent brain surgery. In the second part, general considerations on the most striking symptoms experienced by the composer are reported, as well as a description of the different hypotheses on the nature of Gershwin's tumor.
-
To examine the literature on risk factors for cerebral vasospasm (CV), one of the most serious complications following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), with special reference to the definition of CV. ⋯ Severe SAH evident on computed tomography scan appears to be a definite risk factor for CV after SAH, followed by cigarette smoking, hypertension, and left ventricular hypertrophy on electrocardiogram. To understand the pathogenesis of CV, further studies on the relationships between risk factors, especially factors not related to the severity of SAH, and angiographic vasospasm grade are necessary.
-
A positive correlation between serum B-type natriuretic peptide levels and the amount of dislodgement of intracranial structures (mass effect) produced by brain tumors has been demonstrated previously. The aim of our prospective observational study was to evaluate a possible relationship between serum B-type natriuretic peptide levels and the amount of neoplastic edema in patients affected by brain tumor. ⋯ Our data demonstrate that serum B-type natriuretic peptide levels are positively correlated to neoplastic brain edema in patients with a brain tumor and suggest a possible cerebral source for this phenomenon.