Acta neurochirurgica
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Acta neurochirurgica · Feb 2014
5-ALA complete resections go beyond MR contrast enhancement: shift corrected volumetric analysis of the extent of resection in surgery for glioblastoma.
The technique of 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) tumor fluorescence is increasingly used to improve visualization of tumor tissue and thereby to increase the rate of patients with gross total resections. In this study, we measured the resection volumes in patients who underwent 5-ALA-guided surgery for non-eloquent glioblastoma and compared them with the preoperative tumor volume. ⋯ Results of the current study imply that (i) the resection cavity underestimates the volume of resected tissue and (ii) 5-ALA complete resections go significantly beyond the volume of pre-operative contrast-enhancing tumor bulk on MRI, indicating that 5-ALA also stains MRI non-enhancing tumor tissue. Use of 5-ALA may thus enable extension of coalescent tumor resection beyond radiologically evident tumor. The impact of this more extended resection method on time to progression and overall survival has not been determined, and potentially puts adjacent and functionally intact tissue at risk.
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Acta neurochirurgica · Feb 2014
Surgical management of diffuse low-grade gliomas associated with other intracranial diseases.
The association of diffuse, low-grade glioma (DLGG) with other intracranial pathologies is a rare condition, raising the question of what constitutes its most effective therapeutic management. It is not known whether this is a simple coincidence or whether there is a higher significant risk involved with the co-existence of DLGG and another disease. We report the first consecutive series of nine patients who underwent surgical resection for such a glioma. ⋯ Active management of this rare, dual pathology allows patients to enjoy a normal and prolonged quality of life. We therefore suggest considering early and maximal surgical resection as the first therapeutic option for DLGGs combined with another intracranial disease, as is done in the case of isolated DLGGs.
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Acta neurochirurgica · Jan 2014
Acute neurosurgery for traumatic brain injury by general surgeons in Swedish county hospitals: a regional study.
Traditionally acute life-saving evacuations of extracerebral haematomas are performed by general surgeons on vital indication in county hospitals in the Uppsala-Örebro health care region in Sweden, a region characterized by long distances and a sparsely distributed population. Recently, it was stated in the guidelines for prehospital care of traumatic brain injury from the Scandinavian Neurosurgical Society that acute neurosurgery should not be performed in smaller hospitals without neurosurgical expertise. The aim of this study was to investigate: how often does acute decompressive neurosurgery occur in county hospitals in the Uppsala-Örebro region today, what is the indication for surgery, and what is the clinical outcome? Finally, the goal was to evaluate whether the current practice in the Uppsala-Örebro region should be revised. ⋯ Looking at the indication for acute neurosurgery, the postoperative clinical and radiological results, and the long-term outcome, it appears that our regional policy regarding life-saving decompressive neurosurgery in county hospitals by general surgeons should not be changed. We suggest a curriculum aimed at educating general surgeons in acute neurosurgery.
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Acta neurochirurgica · Jan 2014
Clinical significance of STA-MCA double anastomosis for hemodynamic compromise in post-JET/COSS era.
Even after the recent randomized clinical trials JET and COSS, it is still unclear that impaired cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) to acetazolamide and oxygen extraction fraction (OEF) can identify the candidates for superficial temporal artery to middle cerebral artery (STA-MCA) anastomosis. This prospective study was aimed to evaluate the benefits of STA-MCA "double" anastomosis on long-term outcome in patients with reduced cerebral blood flow (CBF) and CVR (Type 3 ischemia) and elevated OEF attributable to occlusive carotid diseases. ⋯ STA-MCA "double" anastomosis may still have the potential to reduce the risk of recurrent ipsilateral stroke in hemodynamically compromised patients. Further studies would be essential to advance diagnosis, surgical procedures, and perioperative managements to bring out maximal effects of bypass surgery.
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Acta neurochirurgica · Jan 2014
Blood pressure-lowering effect of carotid artery stenting in patients with symptomatic carotid artery stenosis.
In patients with symptomatic carotid artery stenosis, long-term effects of carotid artery stenting (CAS) on blood pressure (BP) changes have not been documented well. We evaluated the effects of CAS on BP and found out its predisposing factors in patients with symptomatic carotid artery stenosis. ⋯ For patients with symptomatic carotid artery stenosis, CAS might have a BP-lowering effect at the 1-year follow-up, especially in patients with hypertension or the stenosis at body lesions.