Acta neurochirurgica. Supplement
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Acta Neurochir. Suppl. · Jan 2011
Subarachnoid hemorrhage causes pulmonary endothelial cell apoptosis and neurogenic pulmonary edema in mice.
Neurogenic pulmonary edema (NPE) is a well-known complication of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), which potentially causes a poor outcome. The aim of this study was to examine if NPE occurs in the endovascular perforation model of SAH in mice and if apoptosis contributes to NPE development after SAH in mice. ⋯ Pulmonary endothelial cell apoptosis contributes to the pathophysiology of NPE after SAH in mice.
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The lack of radiation, high soft tissue contrast and capacity for multiplanar and three-dimensional imaging have made magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) the imaging modality of choice for evaluating spinal cord diseases. In diagnostic imaging of the spine, MRI is clearly superior to both conventional radiography (CR) and computed tomography (CT) and it should be preferred as first diagnostic examination when degenerative spine pathologies are suspected. ⋯ Both "container" and "contents" of the spine should be primly evaluated. Finally, a correlation between clinical and radiological features seems to be mandatory for selecting the correct therapeutic choice, since the reliability of the MRI as potential prognostic indicator has been demonstrated.
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Acta Neurochir. Suppl. · Jan 2011
Anatomic study in cadaver of the motor branch of the musculocutaneous nerve.
This study of 80 cadavers demonstrates that the anatomic position of the motor branch of the musculocutaneous nerve with respect to that of the sensitive branch of the same nerve is lateral in more than 88% of cases in humans.The distance from plexus to the separation into the motor and sensitive fascicles was 8-9 cm long.Given the lateral position of the motor component of the musculocutaneous nerve, the nerves that are going to be used to neurotize this area can be directed so as to increase the efficacy of the results for the flexor function of the arm. ⋯ If the nerves that are to be used for neurotization of the musculacutaneous nerve are directly taken to the lateral fascicle of that nerve, which is generally the motor component, the treatment should be effective and should avoid the loss of motor axons resulting from anastomosing to the sensitive fascicle.
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Acta Neurochir. Suppl. · Jan 2011
The gamut of blood flow responses coupled to spreading depolarization in rat and human brain: from hyperemia to prolonged ischemia.
Cortical spreading depolarizations (SD) have been shown to occur frequently in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) and are associated with delayed ischemic brain damage. In animal models the link between SD and cell damage is the microvascular spasm coupled to the passage of SDs, resulting in spreading ischemia. Here we compared the hemodynamic changes induced by SD between human and rat cerebral cortex. ⋯ The spectrum ranged from normal hyperemic responses to prolonged cortical spreading ischemia with intermediate forms characterized by biphasic (hypoemic-hyperemic) responses. The bandwidths of rCBF responses were comparable and the relative response magnitudes of hypo- and hyperperfusion phases did not differ significantly between rats and humans. The correspondence of the rCBF response spectrum to SD between human and animal brain underscores the importance of animal models to learn more about the mechanisms underlying the early and delayed pathological sequelae of SAH.
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Acta Neurochir. Suppl. · Jan 2011
Isoflurane preconditioning affords functional neuroprotection in a murine model of intracerebral hemorrhage.
Exposure to isoflurane gas prior to neurological injury, known as anesthetic preconditioning, has been shown to provide neuroprotective benefits in animal models of ischemic stroke. Given the common mediators of cellular injury in ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, we hypothesize that isoflurane preconditioning will provide neurological protection in intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). ⋯ These results demonstrate the early functional neuroprotective effects of anesthetic preconditioning in ICH and suggest that methods of preconditioning that afford protection in ischemia may also provide protection in ICH.