Acta neurochirurgica
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Acta neurochirurgica · Dec 2010
Case ReportsPreserved cognition after deep brain stimulation (DBS) in the subthalamic area for Parkinson's disease: a case report.
At present, subthalamic nucleus (STN) stimulation is the preferred procedure for the amelioration of motor symptoms in medication refractory Parkinson's disease. Results are however impaired by negative impacts on mood, cognition, incentive, and social judgment. ⋯ We describe a case with stimulation of subthalamic fibre tracts that showed clear improvement of cognitive and social abilities. Avoiding the STN may be advantageous in progressive Parkinson's disease to avoid non-motor complications and enhance quality of life.
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Acta neurochirurgica · Dec 2010
Comparative StudyPostoperative MRI examinations in patients treated by deep brain stimulation using a non-standard protocol.
MRI in patients bearing deep brain stimulation (DBS) electrodes may induce cerebral lesions due to electrode heating. To avoid neurological deficits related to MRI, post-operative MRI protocol was installed in our institution. However, our protocol comprised a higher specific absorption rate (SAR) and different positioning of lead excess than the later released electrode manufacturer's guidelines. The objective was to evaluate the safety using this protocol. ⋯ No complications were observed using this MRI protocol in DBS patients. Our results suggest that, within this setting, higher SAR values may be feasible for DBS patients than in the manufacturer's guidelines.
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Acta neurochirurgica · Dec 2010
The effect of lung-protective permissive hypercapnia in intracerebral pressure in patients with subarachnoid haemorrhage and ARDS. A retrospective study.
Lung protective ventilation has a beneficial effect in treating patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). An effect of this ventilation modality is hypercapnia, which leads to increased cerebral blood flow. Since increased cerebral blood flow can induce brain oedema the question arises whether lung protective ventilation can be applied in patients with subarachnoid haemorrhage. ⋯ Patients with higher Hunt and Hess grades of subarachnoid haemorrhage who are predominantly intubated and ventilated and most of them suffer from ARDS can receive lung protective ventilation. In our small patient collective, the occurring hypercapnia did not influence (increase) the intracerebral pressure.
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Acta neurochirurgica · Dec 2010
Case ReportsA role of diffusion tensor imaging in movement disorder surgery.
The safe and reversible nature of deep brain stimulation (DBS) has allowed movement disorder neurosurgery to become commonplace throughout the world. Fundamental understanding of individual patient's anatomy is critical for optimizing the effects and side effects of DBS surgery. Three patients undergoing stereotactic surgery for movement disorders, at the institution's intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging operating suite, were studied with fiber tractography. ⋯ This represents a possible mechanism of the increased effects and side effects observed with higher stimulation voltages. Currently available diffusion tensor imaging techniques allow potential methods to characterize the effects and side effects of DBS. This technology has the potential of being a powerful tool to optimize DBS neurosurgery.
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Acta neurochirurgica · Nov 2010
Multicenter StudyThe brain monitoring with Information Technology (BrainIT) collaborative network: EC feasibility study results and future direction.
The BrainIT group works collaboratively on developing standards for collection and analyses of data from brain-injured patients and to facilitate a more efficient infrastructure for assessing new health care technology with the primary objective of improving patient care. European Community (EC) funding supported meetings over a year to discuss and define a core dataset to be collected from patients with traumatic brain injury using IT-based methods. We now present the results of a subsequent EC-funded study with the aim of testing the feasibility of collecting this core dataset across a number of European sites and discuss the future direction of this research network. ⋯ The BrainIT core dataset is a rich dataset for hypothesis generation and post hoc analyses, provided that studies avoid known limitations in the dataset. Limitations in the current IT-based data collection tools have been identified and have been addressed. In order for multi-centre data collection projects to be viable, the resource intensive validation procedures will require a more automated process and this may include direct electronic access to hospital-based clinical data sources for both validation purposes and for minimising the duplication of data entry. This type of infrastructure may foster and facilitate the remote monitoring of patient management and protocol adherence in future trials of patient management and monitoring.