Neurologia medico-chirurgica
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Neurol. Med. Chir. (Tokyo) · Jan 2011
Case ReportsNonconvulsive status epilepticus during perioperative period of cerebrovascular surgery.
Nonconvulsive status epilepticus (NCSE) is generally defined as a change in behavior and/or mental process from the baseline, which is associated with ongoing seizure activity or continuous epileptiform discharges on electroencephalography (EEG) in the absence of convulsive seizures. The present study investigated NCSE incidence using serial EEG during the perioperative periods of cerebrovascular surgery at a medium-sized, local hospital. A total of 54 patients were admitted to our department and underwent various neurosurgical procedures over a course of one year. ⋯ The EEG abnormalities included periodic lateralized epileptiform discharges in 1 patient, triphasic waves in 2 patients, and repeated ictal discharges in 1 patient. Improved mental status and consciousness level, together with disappearance of EEG abnormalities, after appropriate anticonvulsant treatment supported the diagnosis of NCSE. The present study stressed the importance of EEG if no adequate explanation for neurological deterioration can be determined from the clinical course, laboratory data, or neuroimaging examination.
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Neurol. Med. Chir. (Tokyo) · Jan 2011
Case ReportsCombination therapy of radiofrequency lumbar facet joint denervation and epidural spinal cord stimulation for failed back surgery syndrome.
An 81-year-old woman with failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS) was treated using a combination of percutaneous radiofrequency (RF) lumbar zygapophysial joint denervation and epidural spinal cord stimulation (SCS). She had undergone a staged laminectomy for narrowing of the spinal canal from L1 to S1 and degenerative spondylolisthesis at the L3-4 level. ⋯ This combination therapy of RF denervation and SCS relieved the LBP almost entirely and relieved the leg pain by approximately 50%. The combination of these two minimally invasive interventions is particularly effective for severe leg pain and LBP in elderly patients or medically compromised cases with contraindications against general anesthesia, as well as in patients with FBSS.
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Neurol. Med. Chir. (Tokyo) · Jan 2011
Case ReportsCoil embolization for a ruptured posterior cerebral artery aneurysm with vertebrobasilar dolichoectasia.
A 74-year-old man suffered sudden loss of consciousness at home. Computed tomography revealed severe subarachnoid hemorrhage and an unusual posterior cerebral artery (PCA) aneurysm with vertebrobasilar dolichoectasia (VBD). ⋯ VBD associated with a distal lesion makes endovascular treatment difficult because of the elongation and tortuosity of the access route. However, endovascular coil embolization was successful for the present ruptured PCA aneurysm with VBD.
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Neurol. Med. Chir. (Tokyo) · Jan 2011
Case ReportsIntramedullary cavernous angiomas of the spinal cord: clinical characteristics of 13 lesions.
Magnetic resonance imaging has increased the incidence of the diagnosis of intramedullary cavernous angioma. Surgical therapy tends not to be recommended for asymptomatic lesions, but symptomatic lesions that bleed recurrently should be treated. The natural course of intramedullary cavernous angioma remains unknown and arguments have been raised against the surgical treatment of symptomatic lesions. ⋯ The lesion should be surgically removed to avoid further deterioration due to recurrent hemorrhages. The shortest path approach should be selected based on preoperative images and complete removal should be attempted. Residual lesion may be masked by surrounding gliosis, so careful postoperative follow up is necessary.
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Neurol. Med. Chir. (Tokyo) · Jan 2011
Case ReportsInfected acute subdural hematoma associated with invasive pneumococcal disease.
A previously healthy 68-year-old woman presented with a rare case of subdural empyema which developed at the site of preceding acute subdural hematoma (SDH). She was first admitted for treatment of an acute SDH after a fall. Since she was neurologically intact and the SDH volume decreased with conservative management, she was discharged 9 days after admission for follow up as an outpatient. ⋯ Infection of acute SDH resulting in subdural empyema by S. pneumoniae is extremely rare. However, invasive pneumococcal disease is not uncommon in the elderly and tends to cause intracranial bleeding. Considering the high mortality rate of invasive pneumococcal disease and the low vaccination rate among the elderly in Japan, neurosurgeons should ask about the pneumococcal vaccination status.