Zentralblatt für Neurochirurgie
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Zentralbl. Neurochir. · Jan 2004
Case ReportsThe prognostic value of somatosensory evoked potentials in traumatic primary and secondary brain stem lesions.
To estimate the prognostic value of somatosensory evoked potentials elicited via stimulation of the median nerve (M-SSEP) in cases of primary and secondary brainstem lesions 126 patients with traumatic brainstem lesions (GCS < or = 6) were investigated on admission to our hospital. Various parameters of the patients' M-SSEP were compared with the corresponding data of 40 healthy persons. Latency and amplitude of the cervical (N14) and cortical (N20) derived potentials and the central conduction time (CCT) were taken into account. ⋯ Irrespective of a primary or secondary traumatic brainstem lesion, marked changes of N20 represented an unfavourable clinical prognosis. A loss of N20 was closely correlated with a very poor outcome (GOS 1-2) if the N20 potential had not recovered within 48 hours. The recovery of this potential, however, was not necessarily correlated to a recovery of the brain function.
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Zentralbl. Neurochir. · Jan 2004
Characterization of hemorrhagic complications after surgery for temporal lobe epilepsy.
To assess the significance of symptomatic hemorrhagic complications occurring after different temporal resections for temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and to compare this data to findings with postoperative hematomas after temporal surgery for mostly glial or metastatic tumors. ⋯ Although associated with a low permanent morbidity, features of postoperative hemorrhages after TLE surgery are characteristically different to complications after surgery for other indications, which has to be kept in mind for patient counseling and obtaining informed consent.