Journal of neurosurgery
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Journal of neurosurgery · Jul 2010
Age- and time-dependent effects on functional outcome and cortical activation pattern in patients with median nerve injury: a functional magnetic resonance imaging study.
The authors conducted a study to determine age- and time-dependent effects on the functional outcome after median nerve injury and repair and how such effects are related to changes in the pattern of cortical activation in response to tactile stimulation of the injured hand. ⋯ Following a median nerve injury (1-11 years after injury) there may be an initial increase in the volume of the cortical representation, which subsequently declines during the restoration phase. These dynamic changes may involve both median and ulnar nerve cortical representation, because both showed negative correlation with time after injury. These findings are in agreement with animal studies showing that cortical plasticity is an important mechanism for functional recovery after peripheral nerve injury and repair.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Jul 2010
Case ReportsA unifying hypothesis for a patient with superficial siderosis, low-pressure headache, intraspinal cyst, back pain, and prominent vascularity.
A source of bleeding is often not evident during the evaluation of patients with superficial siderosis of the CNS despite extensive imaging. An intraspinal fluid-filled collection of variable dimensions is frequently observed on spine MR imaging in patients with idiopathic superficial siderosis. A similar finding has also been reported in patients with idiopathic intracranial hypotension. ⋯ His spine MR imaging and spine CT suggested the possibility of an underlying vascular malformation, but none was found on angiography. Repair of the dural tear resulted in resolution of the intraspinal fluid collection and CSF abnormalities. The significance of the association between superficial siderosis and idiopathic intracranial hypotension, and potential therapeutic and pathophysiological implications, are the subject of this report.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Jul 2010
Microvascular decompression after failed Gamma Knife surgery for trigeminal neuralgia: a safe and effective rescue therapy?
Stereotactic radiosurgical rhizolysis using Gamma Knife surgery (GKS) is an increasingly popular treatment for medically refractory trigeminal neuralgia. Because of the increasing use of GKS for trigeminal neuralgia, clinicians are faced with the problem of choosing a subsequent treatment plan if GKS fails. This study was conducted to identify whether microvascular decompression (MVD) is a safe and effective treatment for patients who experience trigeminal neuralgia symptoms after GKS. ⋯ Thickened arachnoid, adhesions between vessels and the trigeminal nerve, and trigeminal nerve atrophy/discoloration due to GKS did not prevent completion of MVD. An MVD is an appropriate and safe "rescue" therapy following GKS, although the risks of numbness and troubling dysesthesias appear to be higher than with MVD alone.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Jul 2010
Comparative StudyCerebrospinal fluid shunt insertion: techniques of peritoneal catheter placement separate from abdominal fascial and peritoneal incisions.
Good abdominal wall closure is one of the basic surgical skills and is a common feature of almost all modern-day CSF shunt operations. The fact that some patients require multiple abdominal operations highlights the need for a simple and effective technique for peritoneal catheter insertion through the abdominal wall and abdominal wall closure. ⋯ In this report, the authors describe a simple technique for passing the peritoneal catheter of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt through the abdominal wall on a pathway separate from the fascial opening. This technique minimizes the risk of abdominal wall-related complications and is especially important in high-risk patients such as those with obesity and/or diabetes and in children.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Jul 2010
Clinical use of supinator motor branch transfer to the posterior interosseous nerve in C7-T1 brachial plexus palsies.
In C7-T1 brachial plexus palsies, finger extension and flexion are absent. At the authors' institution, finger flexion has been successfully reconstructed by transferring the brachialis motor branch to the anterior interosseous nerve. However, there is no reliable method for restoring finger extension. In the present study, the authors examined the surgical results of transferring the supinator motor branch to the posterior interosseous nerve. ⋯ A supinator motor branch to posterior interosseous nerve transfer leads to reliable recovery of thumb and finger extension. Therefore, it is a viable option for C7-T1 brachial plexus palsies.