Neurologia medico-chirurgica
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Based on the data reported in the National Institute of Science and Technology Policy 2010, Japan is ranked in fourth place in the world in terms of the numbers of the articles in the fields of clinical medicine. However, there had not been any objective data regarding the numbers of publications by neurosurgeons. As it is important for neurosurgeons to realize the extent of academic contributions by the neurosurgeons in different countries, the numbers of publications in the major journals by the members of the Japan Neurosurgical Society and those from neurosurgical institutions around the world were analyzed using both the biomedical literature database PubMed and the publication database "ISI Web of Knowledge." Parts of the results were presented in the 69th Annual Meeting of the Japan Neurosurgical Society. ⋯ Japanese neurosurgeons have been contributing greatly next to the Americans to the field of clinical neurosurgery and neuroscience by publishing in English. However, the number of publications by Japanese neurosurgeons has been declining since 2000. The Japan Neurosurgical Society must come up with countermeasures to address this problem.
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Neurol. Med. Chir. (Tokyo) · Jan 2011
ReviewDo iatrogenic factors bias the placement of external ventricular catheters?--a single institute experience and review of the literature.
Placement of external ventricular drainage (EVD) catheters is the gold standard for managing acute hydrocephalus, but the range of complications varies in different studies. The objective of this present single institute study is to analyze iatrogenic factors, which may influence the EVD device placement and the patient's outcome. A total of 137 EVD placements in 120 patients at the University Hospital Zurich were analyzed retrospectively. ⋯ In contrast, ventriculostomy-related infection was most likely present in patients with more than one EVD placement and in patients treated by more experienced physicians. Complications related to EVD are common. The rate and character of the complication depends on the education level of the surgeon.
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Neurol. Med. Chir. (Tokyo) · Jan 2011
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyEfficacy and safety of fasudil in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage: final results of a randomized trial of fasudil versus nimodipine.
Fasudil is believed to be at least equally effective as nimodipine for the prevention of cerebral vasospasm and subsequent ischemic injury in patients undergoing surgery for subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). We report the final results of a randomized, open trial to compare the efficacy and safety of fasudil with nimodipine. A total of 63 patients undergoing surgery for SAH received fasudil and 66 received nimodipine between 1998 and 2004. ⋯ The proportion of patients with good clinical outcome was 74.5% (41/55) in the fasudil group and 61.7% (37/60) in the nimodipine group. There were no serious adverse events reported in the fasudil group. The present results suggest that fasudil is equally or more effective than nimodipine for the prevention of cerebral vasospasm and subsequent ischemic injury in patients undergoing surgery for SAH.
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Neurol. Med. Chir. (Tokyo) · Jan 2011
Complications of subthalamic nucleus stimulation in Parkinson's disease.
Subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS) is effective for medically refractory Parkinson's disease. We retrospectively analyzed complications in 180 consecutive patients who underwent bilateral STN-DBS. Surgery-related complications were symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage in 2, chronic subdural hematoma in 1, and transient deterioration of medication-induced psychosis in 2 patients. ⋯ In conclusion, STN-DBS seems to be a relatively safe procedure. Although serious complications with permanent sequelae are rare, significant incidences of adverse effects occur. Physicians engaged in this treatment should have a comprehensive understanding of the probable complications and how to avoid them.
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Neurol. Med. Chir. (Tokyo) · Jan 2011
Case ReportsTraumatic longitudinal clival fracture in a child--case report.
A 7-year-old boy presented with a longitudinal clival fracture following a traffic accident. The boy presented only with temporary unconsciousness despite suffering a fracture of the clivus. Fractures of the clivus are often caused by severe head trauma, and the mortality rate is high due to coexisting injury of the adjacent vessels, brain stem, and lower cranial nerves. Review of the radiological and clinical findings of longitudinal clival fractures found that all reported pediatric patients with longitudinal clival fracture, including the present case, suffered an occipital impact, whereas the majority of longitudinal clival fractures in adults occur following frontal or axial impact.