Journal of neurosurgery
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Journal of neurosurgery · Dec 2015
Case ReportsDegree of distal trigeminal nerve atrophy predicts outcome after microvascular decompression for Type 1a trigeminal neuralgia.
Trigeminal neuralgia is often associated with nerve atrophy, in addition to vascular compression. The authors evaluated whether cross-sectional areas of different portions of the trigeminal nerve on preoperative imaging could be used to predict outcome after microvascular decompression (MVD). ⋯ Trigeminal neuralgia is associated with atrophy of the root entry zone of the affected nerve compared with the asymptomatic side, but volume loss in different segments of the nerve has very different prognostic implications. Proximal atrophy is associated with vascular compression and correlates with improved outcome following MVD. However, distal atrophy is associated with a significantly worse outcome after MVD.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Dec 2015
Case ReportsAngiographic dimple of profound significance in cases of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage: report of 2 cases.
The occurrence of an angiographic dimple or irregularity due to indentation of the contrast column by an intraluminal thrombus at the dome of a ruptured aneurysm is not uncommon and does not draw much clinical attention. However, an angiographic dimple at the base of the ruptured aneurysm or division of the parent artery can signify a rupture point close to the dimple and an intraluminal thrombus, which has utmost clinical significance as it is close to the parent artery and necessitates a different treatment strategy from rupture of the aneurysm dome. The author reports on 2 cases of an angiographic dimple following subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) and subsequent surgical exploration. ⋯ In the second patient, a 40-year-old man who had been transferred to the author's institution because of an angiographic evaluation that did not show any aneurysm despite SAH in the basal cisterns, initial angiography revealed a subtle dimple on the superior wall of the anterior communicating artery (ACoA). On follow-up angiography, a very small aneurysm was seen at the site of the dimple. A craniotomy then revealed a very small ruptured and thrombosed aneurysm on the superior wall of the ACoA.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Dec 2015
Gamma Knife radiosurgery for recurrent or residual seizures after anterior temporal lobectomy in mesial temporal lobe epilepsy patients with hippocampal sclerosis: long-term follow-up results of more than 4 years.
Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GKRS) has proven efficacy in the treatment of drug-resistant mesial temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis (MTLE-HS) and is comparable to conventional resective surgery. It may be effective as an alternative treatment to reoperation after failed temporal lobe surgery in patients with MTLE-HS. The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of GKRS in patients with unilateral MTLE-HS who did not achieve seizure control or had recurrent seizures after anterior temporal lobectomy (ATL). ⋯ GKRS can be considered an alternative option when the patients with MTLE-HS who had recurrent or residual seizures after ATL refuse a second operation.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Dec 2015
Dorsolateral subthalamic neuronal activity enhanced by median nerve stimulation characterizes Parkinson's disease during deep brain stimulation with general anesthesia.
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery under general anesthesia is an alternative option for patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). However, few studies are available that report whether neuronal firing can be accurately recorded during this condition. In this study the authors attempted to characterize the neuronal activity of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) and elucidate the influence of general anesthetics on neurons during DBS surgery in patients with PD. The benefit of median nerve stimulation (MNS) for localization of the dorsolateral subterritory of the STN, which is involved in sensorimotor function, was explored. ⋯ Neuronal firing within the STN could be accurately identified and differentiated when patients with PD received general anesthetics. Median nerve stimulation can enhance the neural activity in beta-band oscillations, which can be used as an index to ensure optimal electrode placement via successfully tracked dorsolateral STN topography.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Dec 2015
Reducing surgical site infections following craniotomy: examination of the use of topical vancomycin.
Although the use of topical vancomycin has been shown to be safe and effective for reducing postoperative infection rates in patients after spine surgery, its use in cranial wounds has not been studied systematically. The authors hypothesized that topical vancomycin, applied in powder form directly to the subgaleal space during closure, would reduce cranial wound infection rates. ⋯ Topical vancomycin is safe and effective for reducing surgical site infections after craniotomy. These data support the need for a prospective randomized examination of topical vancomycin in the setting of cranial surgery.