Journal of neurosurgery
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Journal of neurosurgery · Dec 2016
Stereotactic diffusion tensor imaging tractography for Gamma Knife radiosurgery.
OBJECTIVE The integration of modern neuroimaging into treatment planning has increased the therapeutic potential and safety of stereotactic radiosurgery. The authors report their method of integrating stereotactic diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) tractography into conventional treatment planning for Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GKRS). The aim of this study was to demonstrate the feasibility of this technique and to address some of the technical limitations of previously reported techniques. ⋯ No new neurological deficits due to radiation were recorded at the short-term follow-up. CONCLUSIONS Recent reports in the medical literature have suggested that white matter tracts (particularly the optic radiation and arcuate fasciculus) are more vulnerable to radiation during stereotactic radiosurgery than previously thought. Integration of stereotactic tractography into GKRS represents a promising tool for preventing GKRS complications by reduction in radiation doses to functional organs at risk, including critical cortical areas and subcortical white matter tracts.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Dec 2016
Randomized Controlled TrialPerioperative pregabalin for reducing pain, analgesic consumption, and anxiety and enhancing sleep quality in elective neurosurgical patients: a prospective, randomized, double-blind, and controlled clinical study.
OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to assess in-hospital (immediate) postoperative pain scores and analgesic consumption (primary goals) and preoperative anxiety and sleep quality (secondary goals) in patients who underwent craniotomy and were treated with pregabalin (PGL). Whenever possible, out-of-hospital pain scores and analgesics usage data were obtained as well. METHODS This prospective, randomized, double-blind and controlled study was conducted in consenting patients who underwent elective craniotomy for brain tumor resection at Tel Aviv Medical Center between 2012 and 2014. ⋯ There were no PGL-associated major adverse events. CONCLUSIONS Perioperative use of twice-daily 150 mg pregabalin attenuates preoperative anxiety, improves sleep quality, and reduces postoperative pain scores and analgesic usage without increasing the rate of adverse effects. Clinical trial registration no.: NCT01612832 ( clinicaltrials.gov ).
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Journal of neurosurgery · Dec 2016
Multicenter StudyPipeline Embolization Device for small paraophthalmic artery aneurysms with an emphasis on the anatomical relationship of ophthalmic artery origin and aneurysm.
OBJECTIVE Contemporary treatment for paraophthalmic artery aneurysms includes flow diversion utilizing the Pipeline Embolization Device (PED). Little is known, however, about the potential implications of the anatomical relationship of the ophthalmic artery (OA) origin and aneurysm, especially in smaller aneurysms. METHODS Four major academic institutions in the United States provided data on small paraophthalmic aneurysms (≤ 7 mm) that were treated with PED between 2009 and 2015. ⋯ Type 3 OA origin was associated with a lower rate of complete aneurysm occlusion (p = 0.0297), demonstrating a trend toward visual deficits (p = 0.0797) and a lower rate of OA patency (p = 0.0783). CONCLUSIONS Pipeline embolization treatment of small paraophthalmic aneurysms is safe and effective. An aneurysm where the OA arises from the aneurysm dome may be associated with lower rates of aneurysm occlusion, OA patency, and higher rates of transient visual deficits.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Dec 2016
Multicenter Study Comparative StudyOne-year outcome in patients with idiopathic normal-pressure hydrocephalus: comparison of lumboperitoneal shunt to ventriculoperitoneal shunt.
OBJECTIVE Idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) is treated with cerebrospinal fluid shunting, and implantation of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) is the current standard treatment. The objective of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of VPSs and lumboperitoneal shunts (LPSs) for patients with iNPH. METHODS The authors conducted a prospective multicenter study of LPS use for patients with iNPH. ⋯ However, shunt revisions were more common in LPS-treated patients than in VPS-treated patients (6 [7%] vs 1 [1%]). CONCLUSIONS The efficacy and safety rates for LPSs with programmable valves are comparable to those for VPSs for the treatment of patients with iNPH. Despite the relatively high shunt failure rate, an LPS can be the treatment of choice because of its minimal invasiveness and avoidance of brain injury.