Journal of neurosurgery
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Journal of neurosurgery · Dec 2012
Case ReportsAwake mapping for resection of cavernous angioma and surrounding gliosis in the left dominant hemisphere: surgical technique and functional results: clinical article.
Maximal resection of symptomatic cavernous angioma (CA), including its surrounding gliosis if possible, has been recommended to minimize the risk of seizures or (re)bleeding. However, despite recent neurosurgical advances, such extensive CA removal is still a challenge in eloquent areas. The authors report a consecutive series of patients who underwent awake surgery for CA within the left dominant hemisphere in which intraoperative cortical-subcortical electrical stimulation was used. ⋯ These results suggest that intraoperative cortical-subcortical stimulation in awake patients represents a valuable adjunct to image-guided surgery with the aim of selecting the safer surgical approach for CAs involving eloquent areas. Moreover, such online mapping can be helpful when removing the pericavernomatous gliosis while preserving functional structures, which can persist within the hemosiderin rim. Thus, the authors propose that awake surgery be routinely considered, both to optimize the resection and to improve the quality of life through seizure control and avoidance of (re)bleeding for CAs located in the left dominant hemisphere.
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Intraosseous cavernous hemangiomas of the skull are rare lesions for which the origin is unclear. The authors present a case in which there was a radiologically documented history of trauma preceding the development of a hemangioma in the frontal bone. ⋯ In 25% of these lesions, previous trauma was reported anamnestically. The present case and radiological findings related to it suggest a causal relationship between trauma and the development of intraosseous hemangioma.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Dec 2012
Hypofractionated stereotactic radiotherapy with or without whole-brain radiotherapy for patients with newly diagnosed brain metastases from non-small cell lung cancer.
This study was undertaken to analyze outcomes in patients with newly diagnosed brain metastases from non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who were treated with hypofractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (HSRT) with or without whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT). ⋯ The overall survival results in the present study were similar to those in other studies. Hypofractionated stereotactic radiotherapy provides an alternative method to traditional stereotactic radiosurgery. We suggest that WBRT should be combined with HSRT in patients with single or multiple newly diagnosed brain metastases from NSCLC.
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Gamma Knife surgery (GKS) is currently believed to be a safe and minimally invasive modality in the treatment of uveal melanomas. It could be used as an alternative treatment to enucleation, preserving the eyeball as well as visual function. The authors report their experiences with GKS for uveal melanomas for the period from February 1998 to December 2006. ⋯ Gamma Knife surgery provides excellent local control of uveal melanomas with a decrease in volume over time. This procedure not only preserves the eyeball and its potential visual function, but also decreases the potential for hematological dissemination and achieves sufficient local tumor control with a gradual reduction in volume.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Dec 2012
Intracapsular decompression or radical resection followed by Gamma Knife surgery for patients harboring a large vestibular schwannoma.
Microsurgery is the primary treatment used for patients harboring a large vestibular schwannoma (VS). However, its outcome may lead to hearing impairment and facial nerve dysfunction particularly when resection is extended outside the tumor capsule. When surgery for a large VS consists of intracapsular resection and decompression, better preservation of facial and hearing function are obtained. In this study, the authors compared outcomes of intracapsular decompression followed by Gamma Knife surgery (GKS) with outcomes of standard microsurgery followed by radiosurgery. ⋯ Intracapsular decompression followed by GKS afforded a better neurological outcome and quality of life than radical extracapsular resection followed by GKS. Further application of this approach in patients harboring large VSs seems warranted.