Surgical neurology international
-
The authors sought to assess long-term efficacy, surgical morbidity, and postoperative quality of life in patients who have undergone dorsal root entry zone (DREZ) lesioning. ⋯ With appropriate patient selection, DREZ lesioning is an efficacious and durable procedure that can be performed with low morbidity and good patient outcomes.
-
Metastatic Ewing's sarcoma to the central nervous system is an uncommon condition and debate concerning the true origin of its metastases is still up to date. To the best of our knowledge, only two cases of dural metastatic Ewing's sarcoma have been published in the English medical literature. We present an additional case in a 24-year-old female and discuss the pathogenesis of these unusual tumors with review of the relevant literature concerning their treatment and outcome. ⋯ Despite its rarity, metastatic Ewing's sarcoma must be considered in the differential diagnosis of extra-axial dural masses particularly meningiomas.
-
Successful treatment of chronic pain for patients with failed back surgery syndrome can be extremely complicated. These patients require careful and individualized clinical assessment, as they often present with mixed pain syndromes that involve both neuropathic and nociceptive components. The distinct types of pain involved in such cases may require combined treatments from individual interventions that are analgesically independent and specific for each type of pain involved. ⋯ In combination, there was complete relief of the total chronic pain condition. There appeared to be no overlapping or synergistic effect between the two neuromodulation systems in the patient. The patient has had prolonged complete relief from his chronic pain condition with the combined neuromodulation intervention over 22 years of follow-up.
-
We analyzed factors associated with worsened paresis in a large series of patients with brain lesions located within or near the primary motor area (M1) to establish protocols for safe, awake craniotomy of eloquent lesions. ⋯ Successful awake surgery and prevention of deterioration of paresis immediately after surgery without intraoperative complications may help prevent worsening of paresis at one month. Factors associated with intraoperative worsening of paresis were preoperative motor deficit, type A and tumor location in M1, possibly leading to PR of the tumor.
-
Swallowing disturbance is among the most burdensome complications suffered by patients with glossopharyngeal and vagus nerve involvement in lesions adjacent the jugular foramen. For monitoring these nerves, we have developed new devices that comprised four contacts adhering to the surface of the cuff of an endotracheal tube, with attachment the posterior pharyngeal wall. To determine whether these devices are useful for monitoring the glossopharyngeal and vagus nerves and predicting postoperative swallowing dysfunction in patients undergoing removal of skull base tumors involving these nerves. ⋯ Our novel devices were useful for monitoring the glossopharyngeal and vagus nerves in patients undergoing removal of skull base tumors involving these nerves.