Journal of neurosurgery
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Journal of neurosurgery · Apr 2013
Randomized Controlled TrialA prospective randomized trial of perioperative seizure prophylaxis in patients with intraparenchymal brain tumors.
Seizures are a potentially devastating complication of resection of brain tumors. Consequently, many neurosurgeons administer prophylactic antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) in the perioperative period. However, it is currently unclear whether perioperative AEDs should be routinely administered to patients with brain tumors who have never had a seizure. Therefore, the authors conducted a prospective, randomized trial examining the use of phenytoin for postoperative seizure prophylaxis in patients undergoing resection for supratentorial brain metastases or gliomas. ⋯ The incidence of seizures after surgery for brain tumors is low (8% [95% CI 3%-18%]) even without prophylactic AEDs, and the incidence of clinically significant seizures is even lower (3%). In contrast, routine phenytoin administration is associated with significant drug-related morbidity. Although the lower-than-anticipated incidence of seizures in the control group significantly limited the power of the study, the low baseline rate of perioperative seizures in patients with brain tumors raises concerns about the routine use of prophylactic phenytoin in this patient population.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Mar 2013
Randomized Controlled TrialEffect of rosuvastatin on cytokines after traumatic head injury.
The favorable effect of statin treatment after traumatic brain injury (TBI) has been shown in animal studies and is probably true in humans as well. The objective of this study was to determine whether acute statin treatment following TBI could reduce inflammatory cytokines and improve functional outcomes in humans. ⋯ The authors' data suggest that statins may induce an antiinflammatory effect and may promote recovery after TBI. The role of statins in TBI therapy should be confirmed in larger clinical trials.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Jan 2013
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyEffects of cilostazol on cerebral vasospasm after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage: a multicenter prospective, randomized, open-label blinded end point trial.
Cerebral vasospasm following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a major cause of subsequent morbidity and mortality. Cilostazol, a selective inhibitor of phosphodiesterase 3, may attenuate cerebral vasospasm because of its antiplatelet and vasodilatory effects. A multicenter prospective randomized trial was conducted to investigate the effect of cilostazol on cerebral vasospasm. ⋯ Oral administration of cilostazol is effective in preventing cerebral vasospasm with a low risk of severe adverse events. Clinical trial registration no. UMIN000004347, University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trials Registry.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Jan 2013
Randomized Controlled TrialEffect of acetylsalicylic acid usage and platelet transfusion on postoperative hemorrhage and activities of daily living in patients with acute intracerebral hemorrhage.
The authors evaluated the effects of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) usage and transfusion of previously frozen apheresis platelets on postoperative hemorrhage, activities of daily living (ADL) score, and mortality rate in patients with acute hypertensive basal ganglia hemorrhage undergoing craniotomy. ⋯ Transfusion of previously frozen apheresis platelets reduces the rate of postoperative hemorrhage, average postoperative hemorrhage volume, disability rate, and mortality rate in ASA-sensitive patients with acute hypertensive basal ganglia hemorrhage undergoing craniotomy.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Jan 2013
Randomized Controlled TrialSurgical results of the Carotid Occlusion Surgery Study.
The Carotid Occlusion Surgery Study (COSS) was conducted to determine if superficial temporal artery-middle cerebral artery (STA-MCA) bypass, when added to the best medical therapy, would reduce subsequent ipsilateral stroke in patients with complete internal carotid artery (ICA) occlusion and an elevated oxygen extraction fraction (OEF) in the cerebral hemisphere distal to the occlusion. A recent publication documented the methodology of the COSS in detail and briefly outlined the major findings of the trial. The surgical results of the COSS are described in detail in this report. ⋯ Despite excellent bypass graft patency and improved cerebral hemodynamics, STA-MCA anastomosis did not provide an overall benefit regarding ipsilateral 2-year stroke recurrence, mainly because of a much better than expected stroke recurrence rate (22.7%) in the medical group, but also because of a significant postoperative stroke rate (15%). Clinical trial registration no.: NCT00029146.