Clinical neurology and neurosurgery
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Clin Neurol Neurosurg · Sep 2008
Twist drill craniostomy with closed drainage for chronic subdural haematoma in the elderly: an effective method.
Chronic subdural haematoma is a disease of the elderly and surgery in these patients carries a much higher risk. The common surgical procedures for chronic subdural haematoma include twist drill craniostomy, burr hole evacuation or craniotomy. The aim of this study was to analyse the results of twist drill craniostomy with drainage in elderly patients with chronic subdural haematoma. ⋯ Twist drill craniostomy with drainage under local anaesthesia is a safe and effective procedure for chronic subdural haematoma in the elderly and could be used as the first and only option in these people.
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Clin Neurol Neurosurg · Sep 2008
Does hemorrhagic presentation in cerebral arteriovenous malformations affect obliteration rate after gamma knife radiosurgery?
Radiosurgery has been widely adopted for the treatment of cerebral AVMs. However radiosurgical treatment of patients with hemorrhagic presentation is fraught with risk of rebleed during latency period. The present study intends to analyze the obliteration rate, time to obliteration and chances of rebleed in patients with hemorrhagic versus non-hemorrhagic clinical presentation in cerebral arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) treated with gamma knife radiosurgery (GKS). ⋯ Prior hemorrhage does not affect the outcome after GKS in terms of obliteration rate, latency to obliteration as well as chances of hemorrhage during latency period. Gamma knife appears equally efficacious irrespective of the mode of clinical presentation in the management of cerebral AVMs; a concomitant use of pre-GKS embolization/surgery may be needed in patients with hemorrhagic presentation in selected cases, however.
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Clin Neurol Neurosurg · Sep 2008
Case ReportsChordoid glioma of the third ventricle attached to the optic chiasm. Successful removal through a trans-lamina terminalis approach.
Chordoid glioma of the third ventricle constitutes a rare, very recently recognized histological entity. Most reports of this neoplasm, focused on its distinct histological features, have hypothesized about a probable origin of the lesion at the third ventricle floor and/or the lamina terminalis. We report on a new case, presenting neuroradiological and intraoperative pictorial evidences of the tumoral attachment, limited to the chiasm-lamina terminalis junction. ⋯ Chordoid glioma should be included in the differential diagnosis of third ventricle tumors. Preoperative neuroradiological suspicion of this lesion should alert the neurosurgeon about the presence of a tight tumoral adherence at the level of the chiasm-lamina terminalis junction. The trans-lamina terminalis approach provides a suitable route for an early control of this attachment under direct vision, allowing a safe dissection of the mass from the third ventricle.
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Clin Neurol Neurosurg · Jul 2008
Potential value of radionuclide cisternography in diagnosis and management planning of spontaneous intracranial hypotension.
Spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH) is caused by spontaneous spinal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks. However, there is debate regarding clinical indication of radionuclide cisternography (RNC) for identification of the actual site of a CSF leak. We therefore investigated the potential value of RNC in SIH. ⋯ RNC is useful for diagnosis and better management planning of SIH.
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Clin Neurol Neurosurg · Jul 2008
Prevalence and impact of pain in neurological inpatients of a German teaching hospital.
The authors sought to determine the prevalence of pain among neurological inpatients and the impact of pain on psychological and social variables depending on severity and chronicity of pain. ⋯ This study documents a high prevalence of pain with high grades of pain severity and chronicity in neurological inpatients. Pain presents a major problem as a secondary comorbid condition among neurological inpatients.