Journal of neurosurgery
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Journal of neurosurgery · Dec 2013
Quality of life following endoscopic endonasal resection of anterior skull base cancers.
For several decades, the exclusive purpose in the management of anterior skull base malignancies has been to increase survival rates. Recently, given the improved prognosis achieved, more attention has been focused on quality of life (QOL) as well. Producing data on QOL in anterior skull base cancers is hampered by the rarity of the neoplasm and the lack of specific questionnaires. The purpose of this study was to assess health-related QOL in a large and homogeneous cohort of patients affected by anterior skull base cancers who had undergone endoscopic endonasal resection. ⋯ Radical endoscopic endonasal resection led to either complete or at least partial recovery of patient QOL within the 1st postoperative year.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Dec 2013
Failure rate of contemporary low-dose radiosurgical technique for vestibular schwannoma. Clinical article.
The decline in cranial nerve morbidity after radiosurgery for vestibular schwannoma (VS) correlates with dose reduction and other technical changes to this procedure. The effect these changes have had on tumor control has not been well documented. ⋯ Distortion of stereotactic MR imaging coupled with increased radiosurgical conformality and progressive dose reduction likely caused some VSs to receive less than the prescribed radiation dose to the entire tumor volume.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Dec 2013
Case ReportsImmediate neurological deterioration after gamma knife radiosurgery for acoustic neuroma: case report.
The authors describe acute deterioration in facial and acoustic neuropathies following radiosurgery for acoustic neuromas. In May 1995, a 26-year-old man, who had no evidence of neurofibromatosis Type 2, was treated with gamma knife radiosurgery (GKS; maximum dose 20 Gy and margin dose 14 Gy) for a right-sided intracanalicular acoustic tumor. Two days after the treatment, he developed headache, vomiting, right-sided facial weakness, tinnitus, and right hearing loss. ⋯ The tumor has been unchanged in size for 5 years, and facial nerve function has also been maintained at Grade 2 with unchanged deafness. This is the first detailed report of immediate facial neuropathy after GKS for acoustic neuroma and MR imaging revealing early possibly toxic changes. Potential explanations for this phenomenon are presented.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Dec 2013
Outpatient gamma knife surgery for vestibular schwannoma: definition of the therapeutic profile based on a 10-year experience.
The purpose of the study was to define the therapeutic profile of outpatient gamma knife surgery (GKS) for vestibular schwannoma (VS) by using sequential tumor volumetry to quantify changes following treatment. ⋯ Outpatient GKS is feasible, effective, and safe. Its therapeutic profile compares favorably with that of microsurgery.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Dec 2013
Gamma Knife radiosurgery for larger-volume vestibular schwannomas: clinical article.
Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is an important management option for patients with small- and medium-sized vestibular schwannomas. To assess the potential role of SRS in larger tumors, the authors reviewed their recent experience. ⋯ Although microsurgical resection remains the primary management choice in patients with low comorbidities, most vestibular schwannomas with a maximum diameter less than 4 cm and without significant mass effect can be managed satisfactorily with Gamma Knife radiosurgery.